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Our Office of Minority Economic Impact works daily to tap into the talents of students and faculty attending our nation's Minority Serving Institutions. To accomplish the mission of the Department of Energy, we need the best and brightest individuals to work at and partner with the Department. We're proud of the work of our Minority Educational Institution partners, and we work to advance our partnerships daily.

Minority Serving Institutions are institutions of higher education that serve minority populations.  They are unique both in their missions and in their day-to-day operations.  Some of these colleges and universities are located in remote regions of the country, whereas others serve urban neighborhoods. Some minority-serving institutions are only a few decades old, whereas others, particularly the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, have been striving for more than a century to give their constituents the social and educational skills needed to overcome racial discrimination and limited economic opportunities.

Through Presidential Executive Orders and special legislation enacted over the past 20 years, minority-serving institutions have accessed Department funds and leverage other Departmental resources on behalf of their students and communities. These opportunities for minority serving institutions are a direct result of the efforts of our office and our programs.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities include 89 four-year, and 16 two-year, institutions of higher education established prior to 1964, for the primary purpose of educating African-Americans.  The majority of the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities are located in the Southeastern states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.  Historically Black Colleges and Universities comprise three percent of America's institutions of higher education, yet enroll 16 percent of all African-American students in higher education and award 24 percent of all baccalaureate degrees earned by African-Americans nationwide.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) 
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are accredited, post-secondary higher educational institution with at least 25 percent total full-time enrollment of Hispanic undergraduate student pursuing terminal degrees. HSIs included four-year and two-year, public and private educational institutions. HSIs enroll 40 percent of all Hispanic-American students of higher education. There are 195 institutions of higher education defined as HSIs using the criteria defined by the White House Initiative and the Department of Education.

Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) 
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) were created over the last 32 years, first on a remote reservation community on the Navajo Nation, then throughout the Native Country. The 34 public and private higher educational institutions provide a response to the higher education needs of American Indians, and generally serve geographically-isolated populations that have no other means of accessing education beyond the high school level. TCUs have become increasingly important to educational opportunity for Native American students, an importance they have achieved in a relatively brief period of time.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions
The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S.  In fact, projections indicate that by 2050 this population will double in size.  As a result, educating all minority students, including AAPIs, will be critical in achieving President Obama’s 2020 Goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.