Volaré
Uplifting Laney College Eagles Through Volaré
Laney College was selected to participate in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Volaré Institute inaugural cohort in 2024. The Volare Institute is a 1-year program offered by HACU with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Through this participation, we assessed the opportunities to become a research enterprise. We began by using the Carnegie tool to understand the classification for Laney College. Laney is classified as “Associate’s Colleges: Mixed Transfer/ Career Technical- High Nontraditional” and does not currently have any research expenditures in 2025, neither awards nor space. Using the IPEDS Data Feedback Report as a starting point, we identified institutions of similar size, scope and programs.
We then narrowed down the list, using the Carnegie Classification Tool by geographical setting, classification, and size. Furthermore, we used the Higher Education Research & Development (HERD) Survey to identify which of the institutions on our list had research awards. Since our initial list was mostly composed of community colleges, we could not identify any peer institutions with reported research expenditures. As such, we then widened our scope and identified two additional institutions with similar populations that primarily award AA degrees but can also award BA and BS degrees. As a result of this participation in the Volaré Institute, Laney College hopes to grow its external funding.
Laney's Volaré Team consisted of three members: Dr. Lily Espinoza -Vice President of Student Services, Clifton Coleman- Senior Research and Planning Analyst, and Danitza Lopez- ESOL Tenured Faculty.
Identified Peer & Aspirational Peer Institutions:
As a part of this program, Laney’s team attended an in-person Volaré conference in San Diego during the weekend of March 21-24th 2025 and presented their research findings.
Throughout the Volaré project, we met regularly from October 2024 through June 2025 with our cohort, which consisted of 7 community colleges, and our two mentors. During these meetings, the cohort was presented with research tools to analyze and assess our capacity to become a research enterprise. The resources we received can be accessed below:
Volaré Institute Conference – Spring 2025 | San Diego, CA
Laney College proudly participated in the Volaré Institute Conference, held in Spring 2025 in San Diego, bringing together educators, thought leaders, and changemakers from across the state. This dynamic event focused on advancing equity, innovation, and community-centered practices in higher education.
With a theme centered on transformational leadership and student empowerment, the conference offered workshops, panels, and networking opportunities designed to reimagine the future of education. Laney faculty and staff joined the conversation to share best practices, learn new strategies, and strengthen partnerships that support student success.
From inspiring keynote speakers to hands-on breakout sessions, the Volaré Institute Conference continues to be a catalyst for growth, collaboration, and impactful change in California’s educational landscape.
