WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Secret Service and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to encourage collaboration and increase agency outreach, programs, and services for students attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
Under the MOU, the Secret Service will work with HACU to increase awareness among students, faculty, and staff at HACU-member institutions about professional and educational opportunities at the Secret Service. The agency will also work to increase professional development opportunities for students, such as internships and academic programs.
“The Secret Service is excited to sign this agreement with HACU, forging a new partnership based on a shared commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity,” Secret Service Deputy Director Ronald L. Rowe said. “Working together, we can provide new opportunities for the next generation of public servants, while creating a more diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.”
The MOU also looks to form partnerships between school districts, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and the Secret Service to prepare Hispanic students for careers in federal law enforcement.
“HACU is proud to partner with the U.S. Secret Service to increase the number of Hispanics entering the law enforcement field, especially within the branch that protects our nation’s leaders,” HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores said. “Diverse representation in the Secret Service and other agencies that serve the community is necessary to ensure that those communities are served and protected in a fair and just manner. This MOU will be a significant step in providing that diversity.”
HACU was founded in 1986 and represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions.