UNIDOS News
Thinking About Applying to UNIDOS Leadership Institute? Hear One Fellow’s Experience
What does it look like to turn big ideas into meaningful change? For ULI 2025 fellow Genesis Arizmendi, it meant learning how to navigate institutional barriers, build stronger support systems, and confidently move her vision forward. Genesis joined the UNIDOS Leadership Institute, wanting to strengthen her leadership skills and think more strategically about the work she was already passionate about. During the program, she focused on expanding the Multicultural Bilingual Certificate program she leads and discovered new ways to approach challenges creatively and collaboratively. “The Institute challenged me to think creatively when bureaucracy got in the way of progress on my project,” Genesis shared. “I started dreaming up alternative ways to bypass the bureaucracy that was making change at the university difficult.” That experience helped lead to one of her biggest accomplishments during the Institute: receiving a $25,000 NSF HSI STEM Hub subaward to support her program.
“Overall, ULI was a wonderful experience,” she reflected. “I valued the opportunity to learn alongside senior leaders while applying what I learned directly to real challenges I was facing.”
Now, the UNIDOS Leadership Institute is back for a new cohort, and your idea, project, or vision for change could be next.
Whether you’re developing a new initiative, strengthening an existing program, or looking to grow as a leader in STEM higher education at HSIs, ULI offers the space, structure, coaching, and community to help move your work forward.
2026 Institute Locations
Participants may apply to attend the site that best fits their schedule and travel needs:
- Florida International University – Washington, DC Site | August 17–18, 2026
- Sacramento State University | August 20–21, 2026
- University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras | August 20–21, 2026
- University of Texas at El Paso | August 27–28, 2026
- Don’t see a UNIDOS Leadership Institute location near you? We’re always looking for opportunities to expand access and better serve our community. If none of the 2026 locations are convenient for you, please let us know what other location(s) you are interested in by completing our location recommendation form. Your feedback helps us identify regions where additional leadership development opportunities are needed and informs Institute planning.
Applications are now open through June 15, 2026.
To apply, please click here to complete the application form for the UNIDOS Leadership Institute by June 15th, 2026. Applications will be reviewed and decisions communicated during the first week of July.
Keep an eye out for additional details via email and watch for updates on the website here.
Our Link & Learn Dialogues are taking a short pause for the summer, but we look forward to relaunching the series this Fall!
We’re excited to continue creating space for engaging conversations, shared learning, and meaningful connections across our community. Stay tuned for upcoming topics, speakers, and opportunities to connect in the months ahead.
We invite you to join us this Fall Semester 2026 for a virtual book club centered on Relationship-Rich Education by Leo M. Lambert and Peter Felten. Over the course of the semester, we plan to gather 3–4 times to explore how meaningful relationships can strengthen student learning, belonging, and success in higher education.
Drawing from research and experiences across colleges and universities, Relationship-Rich Education highlights the powerful role that connections with peers, faculty, mentors, and staff play in creating impactful student experiences. The book emphasizes that fostering these relationships does not require extraordinary resources, but rather intentional practices that cultivate environments of support, engagement, and high expectations for all students.
Together, we’ll create space to reflect, exchange ideas, and discuss how relationship-rich practices can support student success within our HSI communities.
Stay tuned for meeting dates and registration information for this upcoming Fall!
STEM Education News
Upcoming Opportunity to Expand Your AI Teaching with NAIRR
The National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot Classroom Expansion Conferences are a series of upcoming in-person events designed to strengthen AI instruction across diverse academic settings. These conferences focus on:
- Building instructional capacity in AI
- Broadening participation across institution types
- Expanding access to cutting-edge computational resources
Participants will collaborate in peer groups organized by institution type, enabling meaningful discussions of shared challenges and opportunities in AI education.
Conference Tracks & Dates:
- 4-Year Colleges — June 4–5, 2026
- Research Emerging Small/Medium Institutions — June 4–5, 2026
- Research Emerging Large Institutions — June 18–19, 2026
- Minority-Serving Institutions — August 10–11, 2026
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — Date TBA
- Community Colleges — Held February 2026
Space is limited, so be sure to submit the interest form here as soon as possible.
S-STEM Evaluation Lifecycle Guidebook
A new S-STEM Evaluation Lifecycle Guidebook from the American Association for the Advancement of Science S-STEM Resource and Evaluation Center offers a comprehensive roadmap for planning and implementing evaluation activities across the full lifecycle of an NSF S-STEM project. Designed for project leaders, evaluators, and research teams, the guide aligns evaluation strategies with project phases—from early planning through implementation and long-term outcomes (Years 0–6). It includes practical tools, frameworks, and guidance to support rigorous, evidence-based evaluation and continuous project improvement. This resource serves as a valuable companion for teams seeking to strengthen both proposal development and ongoing project assessment
Click here for access to the guidebook!
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
| Dates | Conference | Location | Submission Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 15-19, 2026 | ISLS International Society of the Learning Sciences https://2026.isls.org | Irvine, CA | past |
| June 21–24, 2026 | ASEE American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition https://saberbio.wildapricot.org | Charlotte, NC | past |
| July 9-12, 2026 | SABER SABER Annual Meeting https://saberbio.org/Annual-Meeting | Virtual (June 25th) East Lansing, MI (July 9-12) | past |
| July 26–30, 2026 | BCCE Biennial Conference on Chemical Education 2026 https://conferences.union.wisc.edu/bcce2026/ | Madison, WI | past |
| October 29 – 31, 2026 | SACNAS SACNAS Annual Conference https://www.sacnas.org/conference | Long Beach, CA | past |
| Oct. 31 – Nov. 2, 2026 | HACU 40th Annual Conference https://hacu.net/annual-conference/ | Chula Vista, CA | past |
| March 12-14, 2027 | AAHHE 22nd Annual Conference https://www.aahhe.org/2027-save-the-date | Sacramento, CA | TBA |
| March 14-17, 2027 | NARST Annual Conference https://narst.org/conferences/2027-annual-conference | Boston, MA | TBA |
| April 14-18,2027 | AERA Annual Meeting Call https://www.aera.net/Events-Meetings/Annual-Meeting | Toronto, Canada | July 24 |
NEW HSI-RELATED PUBLICATIONS
Núñez, A-M., Hurtado, S. & Calderón Galdeano, E. (Eds) (2015). Hispanic-serving institutions: Advancing research and transforma-tive practice. New York: Routledge.
Gonzalez, E. M., Perez, E. C., Deis, C., Hernandez, I. S., & Corral, J. (2026). EMBRACING LATINA LEARNERS’ ASSETS IN STEM (ELLAS) AT A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 32(2), 21–46. https://doi.org/10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2025051087
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