SACRAMENTO - Assemblyman Ricardo Lara has accepted a nomination to serve on the College Board's National Legislative Hispanic Advisory Committee for College Completion, the first of its kind.The advisory committee, made up of state legislators and staff from across the country, will develop recommendations for policy experts and lawmakers nationwide to help increase Latino college attainment and completion rates. The committee will also work to advanced the "55 by 2025 Initiative," which seeks to attain a 55 percent college completion rate across the nation by 2025. Ensuring Latino success will be crucial to meeting that goal, officials said. "By 2020, one in five college-age adults will be Latino. It is imperative that we identify and implement strategies for supporting not only Latino enrollment in higher education, but completion as well," said Lara. "The fastest growing jobs will soon require a post-secondary degree and I want to make sure Latinos are well-equipped to fill those future jobs." The first Hispanic Advisory Committee meeting takes place Friday in New York City.

********** Published: August 25, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 19