The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) established the HACU Hall of Champions to honor those who embody the mission of the Association through exemplary efforts “To Champion Hispanic Success in Higher Education.” The nineteenth and twentieth inductees into the HACU Hall of Champions are Senator Robert Menendez and Dr. Raúl Cárdenas who were honored on October 8th, 2022, during HACU's 36th Annual Conference.

Senator Menendez grew up the son of Cuban immigrants in a tenement building in Union City and has risen to become one of 100 United States Senators. He is currently the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and served as Ranking Member in the 116th Congress. He has earned a national reputation for his international leadership in the Senate. Senator Menendez has been in public office for almost 40 years, starting as a member of the Union City Board of Education in 1974.

Senator Menendez has been a longstanding champion of higher education. He was the first in his family to graduate from college with help of federal financial aid. As such, he supports the federal aid programs that help students pursue the American dream. Senator Menendez is the highest-ranking Latino member of Congress, and in 2021, he aided in launching the first-ever Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HIS) Caucus for the 117th Congress. When quoted about Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Senator Menendez has stated: “As a proud alumnus of one of New Jersey’s leading Hispanic-Serving Institutions, I experienced first-hand the positive impact these institutions make in the lives of Hispanic students across the country by providing them with unparalleled academic and professional opportunities.” In 2018, Senator Menendez announced from Union County College’s Elizabeth campus his support to make college more affordable, including sponsoring legislation to create a federal-state partnership to provide two years of tuition-free access to public community or technical college programs that lead to a degree or industry-recognized credential.

Having served at the local, state, and federal levels of elected office, Senator Menendez understands the value and importance of education.

For guidelines on how to nominate someone for the HACU Hall of Champions, click here.


The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

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