Balancing Hope and Loss Amidst Title V Defunding

In this episode of ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? we discuss the road to healing following the defunding of Title V grants that support HSIs. Our guests Dra. Melissa Menendez and Nathalie Quintero share their personal stories working at a Title V-funded HSI, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), and the aftermath of the September 10, 2025 announcement to reprogram enrollment-based MSI funding. They describe how the Title V grants were used to create programs and initiatives that cultivated a sense of community, celebrated Latine/x culture, and provided academic and student support services. Funding was also used to create the Raíces Faculty Institute which supported the training and professional development of faculty at SBCC. The sudden loss of this funding has created uncertainty and grief, and our guests grapple with the loss of jobs, services, and programs. Despite the challenges, Melissa and Nathalie express hope in finding joy through their communities of fellow HSI practitioners and a shared commitment to continuing this important work.

Guests: 

Melissa  Menendez (she, her, ella)

Title V HSI Grant Director & Professor, Santa Barbara City College

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/melissa-menendez-ph-d-880220336 

 

Nathalie Quintero (she, her)

Raíces Program Advisor, Raíces First Year and Beyond, Santa Barbara City College

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-quintero

 

Attachments / Show notes: 

• https://sbcc.edu/raices/   

 

APA Citation: 

Garcia, G.A. (Host). (2026, February 1). Balancing Hope and Loss Amidst Title V Defunding (No.702) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?.