Centralia College recognized as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and an Opportunity College
Centralia College has received two national designations that reflect the college's commitment to lasting student success.
Centralia College is celebrating two prestigious national designations – one recognizing
its commitment to local Hispanic students and one recognizing the success of students
after graduation.
First, Centralia College has been named an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and Excelencia in Education. An HSI is defined as a college or university with 25 percent or more of the undergraduate enrollment identifying as Hispanic.
This recognition is the result of the college’s dedicated efforts to serve the Hispanic community, with Hispanic students making up 26 percent of its total enrollment in 2024-25. In recent years, Centralia College has expanded services to its Spanish-speaking communities by prioritizing bilingual hiring of faculty and staff, increasing outreach efforts to Hispanic-serving groups and services, and creating or expanding bilingual programs, including bilingual GED classes and bilingual preschool through the on-campus Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.
"Being recognized as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution is not just a designation - it's a reflection of our deep commitment to equity, access, and the diversity that strengthens our campus community,” said Bob Mohrbacher, Centralia College president. “We are proud to be a place where Hispanic students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive and lead."
Second, Centralia College has been designated an Opportunity College by the Carnegie Classifications, establishing Centralia College as a national model for how colleges can foster student success.
The Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation is part of a new Student Access and Earnings Classification, released this spring by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. It used federal data to assess how Centralia College reflects the demographics of its communities and how its graduates’ earnings compare to peers. The collected data indicated Centralia College offers higher access and higher earnings for graduates compared to other similar institutions.
In total, 479 institutions nationwide, roughly 16 percent of those classified, were designated as Opportunity Colleges and Universities in 2025. In Washington, only two community colleges - Centralia College and Bellingham Technical College - received this distinction.
“Centralia College’s mission is centered around student success and academic excellence,” explained Mohrbacher. “Those things are measured by how we mirror our local communities and by how our students are prepared for the workforce when they leave us. This designation proves we are delivering high quality programs that yield strong, livable wages for the residents of Lewis and south Thurston counties.”