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Meeting a Need By Julie M. Hughes '95
College of Education grad leads The National Hispanic University
David Lopez stands outside The National Hispanic University's newest building.
The first time David Lopez '79 visited The National Hispanic University he saw a two-room campus with just 64 students, but he also saw the vision Roberto Cruz had for a place that would make higher education more accessible to Hispanics and other economically marginalized and underserved students.

"I first heard of Dr. Roberto Cruz while I was working on my doctoral degree at NMSU, but nothing prepared me for the way he drew me into his cause," Lopez says. "During my many visits to NHU over the years as a consultant and visiting professor, I became enamored of what he was trying to accomplish."

In 2003, Lopez followed in Cruz's footsteps and became the second president in The National Hispanic University's 24-year history.

"It was a personal and professional obligation," Lopez says. "Dr. Cruz had taught me that the university is in the mind and heart, not the bricks and mortar. I needed to continue the work he had begun."

Lopez earned his doctorate in education with a concentration on curriculum and instruction at NMSU in 1979. He came to NMSU in 1975 as part of the first class of the Title VII Bilingual Fellows Program, which was funded by the Office of Bilingual Education and was designed to create Hispanic leadership in higher education. Lopez had earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of New Mexico in 1974 and a master's degree in educational administration from New Mexico Highlands University in 1975.

After receiving his Ed.D, Lopez taught in NMSU's College of Education for three years and then moved to California State University-Fresno, where he became a tenured professor in the School of Education and Human Development. Concurrent with his higher education career, Lopez served as a consultant in the private sector, helping to establish collaborative relationships between the corporate and education communities. It was as a consultant for Coca-Cola that Lopez first visited NHU.

"Traditional institutions are striving to meet the needs of all people, but they sometimes struggle to meet the needs of a culture that does not have a tradition of higher education," Lopez says.

Located in San Jose, California, NHU is an independent, accredited, non-profit university that has been authorized to grant degrees since 1981. The mission of the university is to enable Hispanics, other minorities, women and others to acquire an undergraduate degree or certificate using a multicultural educational experience to obtain a professional career in business, education or technology.

"Roberto Cruz modeled NHU after traditionally black colleges and universities, and worked to create an institution that personalizes each student's experience," Lopez says. "Our approach takes into account social, cultural, economic and linguistic experiences and needs of Hispanic students. NHU has created an educational environment where learning and the needs of the learner are at the center and are the core purpose for the institution."

Today the institution has grown to a state-of-the-art, 65,000-square-foot learning center with 18 classrooms and two computer labs. NHU now has the capacity for 1,200 students.

Lopez says his experiences in New Mexico prepared him for the role he plays today.

"Growing up and being educated in New Mexico provided me with a very special appreciation and respect for diversity," he says. "Everything is evolutionary. My experiences at New Mexico schools demonstrated that helping people was the key. I always had people help me."

In fact, Lopez says one of his mentors at NMSU, Professor Emeritus Robert Gallegos, taught him that "teaching is a noble attempt at helping others."

"Everything I've done has been to help others because I was helped along the way," he says. "Professor Gallegos and Professor John Thomas made sure I was ready to be a good professor when I went to CSU-Fresno. These men mentored me, they took time to share their knowledge and co-wrote articles with me to jump start my academic career. They always demonstrated that 'helping' philosophy."

Herman Garcia '82, a professor in NMSU's Curriculum and Instruction Department, says Lopez was a mentor to him as a student.

"I was a couple of years behind David, but he was so enthusiastic about his studies and he was so giving with his time and advice," Garcia says. "When he accepted his position at NHU, I thought, well, if anyone is going to do something there it will be David. He has a real talent to connect with people from all backgrounds. Not everyone can do that."

Garcia says he also sees Lopez as a "pioneer because there are so few Hispanic university presidents."

Lopez says that a feeling of belonging also contributed to his success.

"NMSU created a positive environment for nurturing and learning," he says. "I felt that I belonged and that is important for Hispanic students."

Lopez visited the NMSU campus in Las Cruces for the first time in 10 years for the 2004 Homecoming celebration. He was honored as the Distinguished Alum for the College of Education.

"I was so excited about the growth at NMSU," he says.

Lopez has been the recipient of many awards and research grants during his academic career and has published numerous articles on the education of language minority populations.

For more information about The National Hispanic University, visit www.nhu.edu
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