In 2023, the Steelcase Foundation awarded Davenport University a three-year $500,000 grant to support Casa Latina, a full suite of academic online programs, services, and wraparound supports using a dual language, multicultural model. Hear from Casa Latina’s Executive Director Carlos Sanchez as he shares his insights into the program.
Name and role with the organization.
Carlos Sanchez, Executive Director, Casa Latina at Davenport University
Brief overview of your organization and what you do.
About Davenport University: Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, nonprofit university serving about 5,000 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest of all private universities in the state, Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience, and more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including the online, bilingual program Casa Latina. For more information, visit: davenport.edu.
I oversee Casa Latina, a unique bilingual online degree initiative
Please provide an overview of the CASA Latina program.
Casa Latina is a groundbreaking approach to bilingual higher education. All degrees within the program are online through Davenport’s Global Campus and offer classes that alternate a week in Spanish and the next one in English to help students become experts in their chosen fields and professionally proficient in both languages. The degrees offered within the Casa Latina programs are geared toward helping students succeed and advance in their careers. We offer student support and services in the language students prefer. This includes admissions, financial aid, advising, counseling, bursar services, tutoring, and library services.
How did the program come to be and what need does it serve?
University leadership tasked the Provost to find a way to support a sector of the community that has been underserved and overlooked for years. Despite Latinos being the fastest growing population in the country, they are the least represented in higher education – only 23% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. It serves all bilingual learners (English/Spanish) looking to further their education.
What are its primary goals?
To increase the number of bilingual individuals with a college degree so they, in turn, can achieve their professional and personal goals, while helping close the talent gap in this area.
What does a bilingual class session or semester look like?
Courses are delivered 100% online, in an asynchronous format, alternating Spanish and English weekly.
How does this program support students throughout their college experience?
All Casa Latina students receive a Davenport scholarship of up to $9,200 at the undergraduate level and $5,000 at the graduate level. All student-support services are offered in bilingual format, including Admissions, Orientation, Advising, Financial Aid, and Tutoring.
How has the student/community voice shaped this project?
Business and community leaders were interviewed during the design process to assess need and viability. Once the initiative was launched, a Statewide Advisory group was formed to explore the particular needs of each community and finally, we continuously survey students to assess our work and redefine our approach
What work have you engaged in so far, and what work do you hope to complete through the remainder of the grant period?
We have:
- Hired a team of seven bilingual and bicultural staff to design curricula, recruit, and advise students
- Launched a statewide marketing campaign to draw attention to this new initiative
- Launched classes in the fall of 2024 with 17 students
- The number of Casa Latina students for Fall 1 is 28
- In addition to the 12 degrees launched in Fall 2024, we have also designed and launched 3 Associates and 3 graduate-level certificates, not in the original plan, and due to student and market research
- Trained Davenport University staff on bilingual course delivery
What do you hope is the lasting impact of the program for both students and the community?
- We hope that those who speak Spanish realize that they possess a very marketable skill and take advantage of it.
- We hope employers realize the value-add of an employee who is proficient in two languages and able to communicate across communities and cultures.
- We hope that when employees and employers benefit from a bilingual education, they will contribute meaningfully to their communities and families.
What have you learned, and what might you share with other organizations who similarly support bilingual learners?
- We’ve reaffirmed that being bilingual is not simply binary; our students’ language proficiency is very diverse, depending on many factors such as age, place of origin, and their time in this country. One size does not fit all, and there’s a need to assess language levels without the assessment turning into a potential barrier.
- At the same time, most people will underestimate their language proficiency, usually their English proficiency.
- We have found that many of our students are challenged by technology; they find it hard to adjust to an online environment, and we provide support.
- However, it is important to keep in mind that our students, once in class, will do almost anything to take advantage of the opportunity they have.
How does Casa Latina support the Steelcase Foundation’s overarching mission of cultivating communities where children and their families can flourish?
Casa Latina directly advances the Steelcase Foundation’s mission of cultivating flourishing communities by creating pathways for bilingual students and their families to access and succeed in higher education. By eliminating barriers tied to language, finances, and navigation of the college system, Casa Latina empowers students, many of whom are first-generation and parents themselves, to complete degrees that lead to family-sustaining careers. This ripple effect extends beyond the individual student. When adults gain the skills and credentials needed to secure higher-paying jobs, their children benefit from increased stability, opportunity, and future educational aspirations. As our region’s employers become increasingly global, they acquire culturally skilled, bilingual professionals who enhance the local workforce and help create more inclusive and resilient communities.
Is there anything else you’d like to lift-up about this work?
What we would also lift-up is the transformational momentum of this initiative. Casa Latina launched in 2024 to offer 10 bilingual degree programs. In just over a year, that portfolio has expanded to 17 degree programs and certifications, reflecting both community demand and student voice in shaping offerings. Every philanthropic dollar invested in this work creates an outsized impact, preventing stop-outs, accelerating graduation, and driving generational change. Casa Latina is more than a degree program; it is a holistic support system that provides bilingual advising, wraparound supports, and career readiness programming, ensuring learners persist and graduate. Its rapid growth demonstrates both the urgency of the need and the strength of Davenport’s commitment to building an inclusive educational model. As Casa Latina continues to expand, it is setting a precedent for how universities can reimagine higher education to reflect the realities of diverse communities.