National Hispanic University - History

History

NHU was founded in 1981 in Oakland, California, to address the needs of Hispanic men and women. Founder Dr. Roberto Cruz had studied the disproportionately large impact historically black colleges and universities had in generating both undergraduate and professional degree graduates within the Black community. Dr. Cruz's vision was to have similarly positive impact on the Hispanic community in the United States. In 1990, the university opened a San Jose campus and moved to a larger facility in Oakland. In 1994, NHU closed both campuses and moved to a new campus in San Jose.

In 2001, the school sponsored the Latino College Preparatory Academy (LCPA), a charter high school adjacent to the NHU campus. A large majority of (LCPA) students matriculate at NHU.

In 2010, NHU became a member of the Laureate International Universities network. Laureate International Universities is a global network of more than 50 accredited campus-based and online universities offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 550,000 students around the world. Laureate International Universities students are part of an international, academic community that spans 21 countries and more than 100 campuses throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Laureate International Universities offer more than 130 career-focused, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in fields including engineering, education, business, medicine, law, architecture, health sciences, hospitality, culinary arts, and information technology.

In 2012, NHU celebrated its 30th anniversary.