During this National Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of Arkansas in Little Rock is celebrating an increased enrollment of Hispanic and Latino students.
Most of the students are the first ones in their families to attend college, and they have found support and comradery through the Hispanic/Latin Initiative.
Senior Blanca Ramirez helped form the group and said they're there to walk students through the four-year college experience.
Juniors and seniors mentor incoming underclassmen, and the group hosts workshops and mixers to introduce members to Hispanic professionals.
"We know that the students will relate more to them as a Hispanic," said Ramirez. "They're always like 'this is one of the best events that we had because I get to talk to them and get to know how their journey was and where they're at right now.'"
Membership in the program increased from 10 last year to 64 students this year.
As part of the program, students are matched with professional mentors - and volunteer for community organizations and nonprofits throughout Little Rock.
Ramirez said since most of the members are first generation college students, the Initiative helps them feel more at home.
"It's very warm-hearted to us, because we're able to have someone that we can relate to and that is also gonna be there with us," said Ramirez, "and that we're all gonna walk through the same steps, we're all gonna help each other. "
Ramirez said HLI also offers federal student aid and resume writing workshops.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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As Americans wait to see if Congress goes along with President Donald Trump's plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, the uncertainty is frustrating some Arizona college students.
Trump has said funding for some programs, including Pell Grants and student financial aid, won't be touched. But the DOE already has laid off nearly half its staff, and experts say that can't help but compromise the agency's ability to manage programs.
Joelly B. Chavez, who attends Arizona Western College in Yuma, said that if it wasn't for the help she's gotten through FAFSA, she wouldn't be able to pursue her dreams.
"It is really hard to be where we are right now as students," Chavez said. "In a place where I'm not supposed to succeed, I am somehow succeeding because of these programs. I am a first-generation student. I am an LGBTQ youth."
Chavez said no one in her family had made it past the tenth grade, and she's proud of changing that narrative.
This week, 11 Democratic senators called for an investigation into the Trump administration's plan to do away with the department, claiming it would result in "disastrous consequences."
Northern Arizona University student Sarina Cutuli also is a fellow with the Arizona Student Association, which advocates for affordable and accessible higher education. Cutuli said despite being awarded a Pell Grant, which doesn't need to be repaid, and receiving financial aid, private loans are also part of being able to cover college costs.
"I rely on my financial aid for everything," Cutuli said. "I rely on it for groceries, I rely on it for health care, I rely on it to go to school. I rely on it for housing. It's very expensive to live in Flagstaff; it's ridiculous."
Cutuli contended that if something were to happen to federal financial aid, repercussions would be felt across the board - and for years to come.
"I can guarantee you that almost every single student on this campus relies on financial aid in some way, shape or form," Cutuli said. "Even the richest families - they need financial aid, we need financial aid. We do not have enough students graduating with bachelor's degrees to actually support Arizona's economy right now."
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Student loans are among the areas overseen by the U.S. Department of Education and since President Donald Trump has followed through on his threat to gut the agency, questions are mounting about the fate of loan services.
The president signed an order Thursday he said begins the process of dismantling the department, even as questions mount about the limitations of executive power for this move.
A White House official said the skeleton agency will continue to run student loan programs and Pell grants but higher education advocates worry about borrowers running into issues.
Mike Pierce, cofounder and executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, feels the system was already broken.
"We expect that things will only get harder for working people with student debt and for families that are trying to pay for college," Pierce projected.
Pierce explained he hears from borrowers who have waited on the phone for several hours to talk with private companies the government contracts with. He predicted longer delays. There is also concern about updating eligibility for income-driven repayment plans. The Center said if you have service issues, contact your local member of Congress and submit what is called "casework," so a staffer can help. The White House said its actions can drastically improve program implementation in higher education.
Consumer advocates encouraged families to see if their state has a Student Loan Ombudsman, who could provide critical information. The executive order comes after the administration recently cut 50% of the Education Department's staff.
Pierce argued creating even more chaos and confusion could undercut the higher-education path for students coming from disadvantaged households.
"When these programs are run poorly, families that wouldn't otherwise be able to go to college, they're the first to miss out," Pierce contended.
The department is tasked with keeping for-profit colleges in check. Pierce noted there has been a lot of progress in weeding out problematic schools but he worries Trump's actions will lead to a resurgence of institutions engaging in predatory tactics.
Groups like Lumina Foundation have echoed similar concerns about the agency's fate and the effects on student loans and financial aid.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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An attorney for a small, rural Michigan college said she expected lawsuits over the "Dear Colleague" letter schools received last month from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
The American Federation of Teachers and American Sociological Association filed one of the first lawsuits to challenge the agency's threat to withhold federal funding from schools that teach about systemic racism or diversity-related topics.
Karen Bennett, legal counsel for Alpena Community College, shared her prediction with the school's Board of Trustees at a recent meeting.
"I think colleges around the country are gathering their thoughts about what actions to take and I'm sure we'll see lots of development in this area, in litigation," Bennett explained. "This is all subject to ongoing litigation."
The letter was issued on Feb. 14 with a Feb. 28 deadline to comply. Bennett advised Alpena's Board to take no action, stating it does not apply to them because the school has no admissions policies other than accepting individuals who apply.
Bennett pointed out she has found only one DEI reference on a college website. Ironically, it was a 2020 Trump-era policy which required schools to post DEI and sexual misconduct training information. The school was told it was no longer necessary after amendments in 2024, however, Bennett said the policy must now be reinstated as a requirement.
"It's impossible to meet or keep up with these, in my opinion, ridiculous edicts that are coming out on almost a daily basis," Bennett contended. "I don't see how we can possibly completely comply, because they're mutually contradictory."
The federal government maintains discrimination based on race, color or national origin is illegal for federally funded institutions and claims DEI policies have discriminated against white and Asian students. Other lawsuits have also been filed challenging the policy change.
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