U. S. Department of Education 

 Project Abstracts for 

 New Grantees for FY 2010 

Funded under Title V, Part B 

Promoting Postbaccalaureate 

Opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans (PPOHA) Program 

(CFDA Number: 84.031M) 

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Washington, DC 20006-8517 

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Introduction 

The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities For Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program is authorized 

under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The purposes of the program are to: 

expand postbaccalaureate opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students; 

and (2) expand the postbaccalaureate academic offerings as well as enhance the program quality in the 

institutions of higher education that are educating the majority of Hispanic college students and helping 

large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees. 

In order to receive a grant under the PPOHA Program, an institution of higher education must offer a 

postbaccalaureate certificate or postbaccalaureate degree program and have applied for and been 

designated as an eligible institution. The Notice Inviting Applications for the Designation as an Eligible 

Institution was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2009 (74 FR 64059). In addition to 

basic eligibility requirements, an institution must have at least 25 percent enrollment of undergraduate 

full-time equivalent (FTE) Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date 

of application. 

The PPOHA Program awards Individual Development Grants (one eligible Hispanic-Serving Institution). 

The maximum award amount for Individual Development Grants is $575,000 per year. The grant period 

is five years. 

The PPOHA Program supports many institutional activities that include: purchase, rental, or lease of 

scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes; 

construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement of classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other 

instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or 

services; purchase of library books, periodicals, technical and other scientific journals, microfilm, 

microfiche, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials; support for 

low-income postbaccalaureate students including outreach, academic support services, mentoring, 

scholarships, fellowships, and other financial assistance to permit the enrollment of such students in 

postbaccalaureate certificate and postbaccalaureate degree-granting programs; support of faculty 

exchanges, faculty development, faculty research, curriculum development, and academic instruction; 

creating or improving facilities for Internet or other distance education technologies, including purchase 

or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services; collaboration with other institutions of 

higher education to expand postbaccalaureate certificate and postbaccalaureate degree offerings; and 

other activities proposed in the application submitted pursuant to section 514 that (A) contribute to 

carrying out the purposes of this part and (B) are approved by the Secretary as part of the review and 

acceptance of such application. 

The Notice Inviting Applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2010 was published in the Federal

Register on July 27, 2010. The deadline for the transmittal of applications was August 26, 2010. As 

required by the Department of Education, applications for grants under the FY 2010 PPOHA grant 

competition were submitted electronically using the department’s internet-based application system (eApplication) via http://e-grants.ed.gov. 

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Table of Contents 

Grants are listed in “state” order. 

 Individual Development Grants 

Grant Number Applicant Name State Page 

P031M105072 California State University, Channel Islands CA 4 

P031M105068 California State University, Dominguez Hills CA 5 

P031M105074 California State University, Fullerton CA 6 

P031M105020 California State University, Northridge CA 7 

P031M105016 California State University, Stanislaus CA 8 

P031M105056 Colorado State University-Pueblo CO 9 

P031M105028 Nova Southeastern University NM 10 

P031M105036 Eastern New Mexico University NM 11 

P031M105030 Northern New Mexico College NM 12 

P031M105022 University of New Mexico NM 13 

P031M105066 The City College of New York NM 14 

P031M105052 Bayamon Central University PR 15 

P031M105010 Caribbean University-Bayamon PR 16 

P031M105046 Universidad Adventista de las Antilla-Mayaguez PR 17 

P031M105070 Universidad del Este PR 18 

P031M105050 Universidad Central del Caribe PR 19 

P031M105058 Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX 20 

P031M105048 Texas A&M International University-Laredo TX 21 

P031M105026 University of Houston-Downtown TX 22 

P031M105002 University of the Incarnate Word TX 23 

P031M105040 University of Texas at El Paso TX 24 
P031M105072 

California State University, Channel Islands, CA 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT

As Ventura County’s only public, four-year university, California State University, Channel 

Islands (CI) is committed to promoting high-quality postbaccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic 

and low-income students. Federal funds will increase California State University, Channel 

Islands institutional capacity to build multiple pathways to success for Hispanic and low-income 

students, which address issues of access, retention, and completion of graduate study. By 

enhancing the quality and accessibility of graduate programs, California State University, 

Channel Islands will develop innovative learning communities for students and faculty, expand 

graduate student services and research opportunities, provide increased financial aid, and build 

professional relationships and community partnerships within our targeted region. The proposed 

project will indeed expand postbaccalaureate opportunities that lead to successful academic 

destinations for our promising graduate students. 

Activity: Project VISTA (Vistas del Futuro): to increase California State University, Channel 

Islands’ institutional capacity to build multiple pathways to success for Hispanic and low-income 

students, which address issues of access, retention, and completion of graduate study. 

Project VISTA (Vistas del Futuro) will increase California State University, Channel Islands’ 

institutional capacity to build multiple pathways to success for Hispanic and low-income 

students by implementing five strategies that advance California State University, Channel 

Islands’ goal of increasing Hispanic student enrollment and success in postbaccalaureate 

programs. These five strategies include: 

1. Improve Hispanic and low-income student enrollment through planning and needs 

assessment. 

2. Expand graduate studies to support student success. 

3. Enhance faculty development related to graduate student success and research. 

4. Promote affordability and access through financial aid and distance learning. 

5. Build professional relationships and community partnerships. 

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P031M105068 

California State University, Dominguez Hills, CA 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

In order to increase the number of Hispanic and disadvantaged graduate students who 

successfully complete postbaccalaureate degrees, California State University, Dominguez Hills 

(CSUDH) has created Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies (PEGS). This is a multifaceted 

program designed to hone participants’ critical thinking, research and writing skills; enhance 

their intellectual development; promote their scholarship; and strengthen their ties to the 

academic community. Specifically, Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies will seek to 

achieve the following goals: 

1) strengthen the academic performance of the targeted students; 

2) build targeted students’ confidence and experience through training, internships and 

service activities; and 

3) help faculty develop curricular modifications that are better tailored to the needs of 

diverse, nontraditional graduate students. 

 

To achieve these goals, Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies will consist of: 1) a series of 

intensive workshops in writing, critical thinking and research to bolster students’ skills; 2) 

experiential learning opportunities to anchor skills and content and build bridges with the 

community; 3) special orientations and services designed to familiarize students with campus 

resources, provide support to encourage students to access them and help give them a sense of 

connection to and empowerment about their own learning; 4) promotion and facilitation of 

scholarly research, including incentives to pursue theses and capstone projects; and 5) seminars 

to teach faculty why and how to tailor pedagogy to the needs of their Hispanic and other 

underrepresented graduate students. Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies will positively 

impact at least 1000 students over five years. 

Those who take part will graduate with stronger and more diverse skills and have the confidence 

to take control of their learning, optimize their academic experiences, and succeed in their 

professional lives. Moreover, Promoting Excellence in Graduate Studies will build an 

institutional infrastructure that will permanently support and promote the academic excellence of 

Hispanic and other underrepresented students at California State University, Dominguez Hills. 

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P031M105074 

California State University, Fullerton, CA 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is nearly the largest campus in the 23-campus 

California State University system. The ethnic breakdown of its student population is nearly 

one-third Hispanic; and 31.16 percent of its undergraduate students are Hispanic. However, 

among its postbaccalaureate students, only 15.5 percent are Hispanic. This low enrollment is 

particularly critical, considering the acknowledged need for a well-educated workforce, with 

postbaccalaureate degrees, that is vital to economic health of the region. This disparity in 

enrollment of postbaccalaureate Hispanic students at California State University, Fullerton is due 

to a weak infrastructure for postbaccalaureate education at California State University, Fullerton, 

one that affects Hispanic students in particular, with an ineffective culture for postbaccalaureate 

studies. 

The Cal State Fullerton project addresses the university’s institutional gaps and weaknesses, and 

serves to build the infrastructure and create a campus culture for postbaccalaureate education. 

The project’s goal is: to increase the number of Hispanic students who enroll in and achieve a 

postbaccalaureate degree at California State University, Fullerton. 

The project accomplishes this goal by targeting five areas: community engagement, student 

academic services, student enrichment opportunities, faculty and staff development and 

enhanced curriculum. Each of these areas contains strategies and services directly improving 

Hispanic and low-income student academic success and degree completion. The project contains 

a well-designed management plan created through collaboration across university divisions—

academic affairs, student affairs, management and information technology, and with contribution 

from local authorities on issues of inclusion in higher education. In addition, the management 

plan allows for informal and formal feedback, requires regular assessment providing for 

improvement in the plan. An evaluation plan defines the project’s accomplishment. 

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P031M105020 

California State University, Northridge, CA 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in Los Angeles County, California proposes to 

expand opportunities and academic attainment of Hispanic students in higher education by 

increasing the numbers of Hispanic students pursuing the postbaccalaureate California teaching 

credential, and expand academic offerings to include a master’s degree in Education with 

emphasis in Multicultural and Multilingual Education. California State University, Northridge 

will enhance the quality of the existing credential programs and expand the university’s existing 

Master of Arts programs. 

In California, most teacher education programs are offered at the graduate level. This is the case 

at California State University, Northridge, where students must successfully complete their 

undergraduate studies to be admitted into a credential or masters degree program offered by the 

College of Education. Unfortunately, for the past several years, enrollments in credential 

programs have trended downward to its lowest this past year (39.9 percent). This is a problem, 

given the demographics of students in Los Angeles, where 74.2 percent of students are Hispanic. 

The combination of low numbers of Hispanic teachers, high numbers of Hispanic K-12 student 

enrollments, and demand for more bilingual educators has resulted in an urgent need to prepare 

Hispanic teachers. In addition, existing Hispanic teachers are seeking to further their education; 

we intend to expand the postbaccalaureate academic offerings by providing a bilingual 

authorization certificate program, and to develop a Master’s degree with Emphasis in 

Multicultural and Bilingual/Multilingual Education. 

Project goals are to: (1) prepare 60 Hispanic teachers for State Certification in multiple and 

single subjects; (2) 40 Hispanic teachers for an Master of Arts in Education with emphasis in 

Multicultural and Multilingual Education, to be verified by their transcripts and MA Degrees; (3) 

enhance the use of instructional technology (computer skills) of project participants;(4) improve 

and expand the university’s instructional programs by adding a Teaching English Learners class 

to the existing single subject credential program and by expanding the existing Master’s Degree 

programs for single subject teachers with Emphasis in Multicultural and Bilingual/Multilingual 

Education; (5) train all project students (credential and/or Master’s Degree students) in 

conducting multicultural education and instructional technology; (6) provide regular and timely 

academic advisement and support to all project students in teaching credential programs and also 

in Master’s Degree programs. 

To increase access, test preparation workshops will be offered to improve admittance into the 

credential program, classes will be offered at various locations and times to accommodate 

working students, tutors will be hired to assist graduate student advance to graduation, 

enrichment workshops on use of instructional technology are planned, and financial support will 

alleviate some of the financial barriers our students deal with, and that impact timely completion 

of their degrees. 

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P031M105016 

California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

The purpose and overarching project goal is to improve the persistence and graduation rates of 

Hispanic and low-income graduate students who face barriers to educational attainment. The 

five-year project objectives are: 

1) Increase California State University, Stanislaus graduate degree completion by Hispanic 

and low-income students by 20 percent over the grant period and sustain graduate degree 

completion beyond the funding term. 

2) Increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students enrolled in California State 

University, Stanislaus graduate programs by 15 percent over the grant period and sustain 

these graduate degree enrollment levels beyond the funding term. 

The project consists of the implementation of three activities specifically identified and carefully 

designed to achieve the objectives of enrollment representation and degree completion by 

Hispanic and low-income students in our graduate programs. 

Through improved infrastructure support and academic scholarly culture, graduate students will 

have access to resources addressing the identified needs, resulting in heightened levels of 

achievement and graduate student engagement. This will be accomplished through: 1) increased 

direct support through graduate assistantships; 2) creation of a writing and resource centerCommitment to Excellence in Graduate Education Center (CEGE Center)-to increase the quality 

and rate of completion of graduate theses and dissertations; and 3) development and 

enhancement of collaborative research opportunities between faculty and graduate students 

through travel and conference presentations. 

Assessment of graduate student learning outcomes, student data, and tracking systems will be 

implemented to address challenges and improve graduate programs resulting in greater retention 

and degree attainment. This will be accomplished by: 1) strengthening graduate program 

assessment systems, implementation of a graduate assessment plan, and increased use of direct 

measures of student learning outcomes; 2) increased sophistication of disaggregated graduate 

student data by discipline, gender, ethnicity, age, and income; and 3) integrating the Graduate 

School student database into the institution-wide retention and graduation rate tracking system. 

Strengthening engagement at the graduate level through the development of community based 

curricula and community based research opportunities that engage graduate students to become 

active learners. This will be accomplished though: 1) creation of learning communities titled 

“Faculty Achieving Community Engagement for Students” (FACES) Teams joining faculty, 

students, and community leaders; 2) developing partnerships and service learning sites specific 

to the needs of graduate programs; and 3) increasing California State University, Stanislaus’ 

visibility of graduate programs to diverse communities, contributing to the development of a 

sense of community among Hispanic and low-income students, staff, and faculty on campus and 

in the community. 

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P031M105056 

Colorado State University-Pueblo, CO 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU-P) in Pueblo, CO is one of only two public four-year 

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in Colorado. This regional, comprehensive university 

serves a vast (nearly 19,000 square mile), economically disadvantaged service area in southeast 

Colorado, offering 27 baccalaureate and nine graduate programs with a strong professional focus 

and a firm grounding in the liberal arts and sciences. Colorado State University-Pueblo annually 

enrolls just over 5,000 students, including more than 1,230 Hispanic students. While Colorado 

State University-Pueblo’s graduate enrollment has increased 38 percent since 2007, this 

enrollment growth has occurred almost exclusively among non-Hispanic students. Today, 

Hispanics represent only 15.2 percent of all graduate enrollments, compared to 21 percent in 

2009, and falling far short of Hispanic undergraduate enrollment of 25.1 percent. What’s more, 

only 56 percent of Colorado State University-Pueblo’s graduate students (27 percent of Hispanic 

students) successfully complete degrees within 150 percent of program length, or within three 

years. Colorado State University-Pueblo’s graduate courses are offered almost exclusively in 

traditional formats, denying access to working students who make up as much as 95 percent of 

enrollment in some graduate programs – as well as place-bound rural students throughout the 

service area. Colorado State University-Pueblo’s current technological infrastructure and 

inadequate faculty expertise allows us to offer few courses in flexible online or hybrid formats. 

A further obstacle to successful completion is students’ difficulty with the graduate thesis, 

coupled with unfamiliarity with the demands of graduate school. Graduate students also struggle 

financially, 74 percent require need-based financial aid and most work while attending classes. 

Finally, inadequate research lab instrumentation prohibits Colorado State University-Pueblo 

from providing high quality, community-based research, which can enhance the quality of the 

research experience, providing resources for postbaccalaureate employment, while benefiting 

area communities with meaningful projects that address regional issues and enhance quality of 

life in the region. 

The project proposes a multi-pronged approach to these gaps and weaknesses: 

(1) Colorado State University-Pueblo will expand access to graduate programs by converting a 

host of courses across Nursing, Teacher Education, Master of Business, and Engineering courses 

to online and hybrid formats, supported by appropriate technical infrastructure and professional 

development in distance instruction strategies and tools. (2) Community-Based Research 

Activities in graduate programs strongly tied to Colorado’s strong and growing STEM industries 

will benefit graduate students as well as communities throughout Southeast Colorado. 

Facilitating these research opportunities will be updated lab instrumentation to support current 

research in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Engineering. (3) Colorado State UniversityPueblo will develop a Graduate Student Support Center, implementing a host of online and oncampus support services, including graduate student orientation, mentoring, research skills and 

presentation assistance, and writing assistance – including a technical writing course and writing 

assistance resources across all graduate programs. 

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P031M105028 

Nova Southeastern University, FL 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Nova Southeastern University (NSU), a private, not-for-profit HSI based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 

is a highly-rated provider of degree opportunities for Hispanic and other underrepresented 

students, particularly for those pursuing postbaccalaureate degrees. Nova Southeastern 

University currently ranks first nationally in the awarding of Doctoral Degrees and numerous 

professional degrees to Hispanics, but despite this notable achievement, Nova Southeastern 

University is surprisingly missing from comparable rankings in non-professional science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related graduate programs. Research 

indicates that underrepresented minority graduation rates in STEM fields are disproportionately 

low, even though they initially enter college choosing to major in science and engineering at 

rates comparable to their White counterparts. The goal of this project is to drive culture shifts 

impacting graduate-level STEM education, utilizing the well-recognized and student successfocused Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center (NSUOC) as a model. 

Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center has achieved notable success in research 

and in many instructional areas, however an in-depth analysis of its educational programming 

has revealed major weaknesses in areas proven to be effective in supporting the success of 

Hispanic/Latinos, other students underrepresented in STEM, and low-income students. These 

challenges are in the areas of: student engagement with faculty, each other, and the university; 

outreach and enrollment of Hispanic/Latinos and other underrepresented populations; the 

availability of advisement, co-curricular, and other support services; and curriculum, pedagogy, 

and assessment. The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans project 

will effectively address the importance of facilitating timely graduate student progression and 

degree completion. In addition, based on the exponential increase in and the unique needs of 

graduate students enrolling in online courses and needing online support services, a new student 

success model will be developed that addresses the challenges specific to an online education 

environment. 

Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center will complete a holistic re-design that 

results in a more seamless pathway from into and through graduate studies, resulting in increased 

enrollment numbers and graduation success. Strategies will include: a new Fellows program; an 

enhanced process for admission and for accessing enrollment information; a new Web portal; 

enhanced faculty development; a review of curriculum and co-curricular and extra-curricular 

activities; enhanced outreach services; a new Graduate Student Center; and a new formal faculty 

and peer mentoring program. Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans activities will produce sustainable outcomes generating increased revenue to sustain 

successful project components. 

10
P031M105036 

Eastern New Mexico University, NM 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Eastern New Mexico University’s (ENMU) purpose is to prepare students for careers and 

advanced study; to impart citizenship and leadership skills and values; to promote education and 

excellent teaching at all levels; and to enable students to adapt and thrive in a changing world. 

The purpose of the proposed project is to improve opportunities for Hispanic and low-income 

students to participate and succeed in graduate degree programs by extending access and offering 

services to support retention, degree completion, and professional preparation. Eastern New 

Mexico University, proposes to expand opportunity for Hispanic and low-income students by 

improving meaningful access to graduate degree programs in education and speech-language 

pathology. Over the five years of the project, Eastern New Mexico University will substantially 

revise curricula and/or format for five Masters degree programs for the purpose of extending 

access for place-bound and time-limited students, including those working full-time or located in 

rural areas. These programs are: 

• Master of Education with concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other 

Languages (TESOL) 

• Master of Education with concentration in Social Studies

• Master of Education with concentration in Reading

• Master of Science in Communicative Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology)

• Master of Education in Educational Administration

These programs are vital to the region and state served by Eastern New Mexico University, and 

offer significant opportunity for students earning advanced degrees. Use of innovative 

technology for synchronous audio/video streaming and lecture capture will allow Eastern New 

Mexico University, for the first time, to offer programs requiring live discussion and 

demonstration via distance learning. Eastern New Mexico University will develop services to 

support increased persistence and success of graduate students, especially Hispanic and lowincome students, who have traditionally been underrepresented in graduate education. These 

services will be provided through an on-campus Graduate Student Commons center, and online. 

Services will help students strengthen skills of research and writing, as well as engage in career 

development activities. Assistance will be available for graduate students who are also English 

Language Learners—who have valued bilingual capabilities, but whose academic success may 

depend on English language proficiency. The services will also provide a base of peer support 

and encouragement for graduate students. Outreach activities are designed to bring more 

Hispanic and low-income students into graduate education, and to support their success. Needbased fellowships will assist low-income students, for whom financial costs constitute a likely 

barrier to graduate study and persistence. The project includes a rigorous evaluation component 

designed to ensure accountability and provide accurate data on attainment of objectives and cost 

effectiveness of activities. 

11
P031M105030 

Northern New Mexico College, NM 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

This proposed Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Project for 

2010-2015, AVANCE (“Advance”) will move Northern New Mexico College substantially 

forward in its transformation into a regional university. The Project is an ambitious yet feasible 

and sustainable response to our region’s severely limited access to graduate programs in teacher 

education and engineering. 

Project AVANCE focuses strategically on: (a) strengthening our graduate faculty cohort in 

teacher education and information technology engineering; (b) providing the needed tools 

(equipment, databases, instructional resources) for our graduate faculty; (c) building our distance 

education infrastructure to expand opportunities for graduate students across the expanse of 

northern New Mexico; and (d) providing professional development that will improve the 

effectiveness of teaching our non-traditional and diverse graduate students. 

Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) support will 

enable Northern New Mexico College to develop and strengthen four nascent graduate programs: 

(1) Masters of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL); (2) Masters of Arts in Teaching 

Math and Science (MATMS); (3) Masters in Engineering/Solar Energy; and (4) Masters in 

Information Technology. These are the first full masters programs to be offered by Northern 

New Mexico College, and the only accessible programs of their type in northern New Mexico. 

The project has five major goals and will yield measurable outcomes in each area: 

Goal 1. Expand the current structure to include the matriculation of graduate students for 

the College of Education and the College of Engineering; 

Goal 2. Increase the systemic effectiveness and efficiency whereby Northern provides 

graduate students with meaningful access to the programs of the college; 

Goal 3. By 2015, to achieve significant increases in the number of teachers and engineers 

with Master’s Degrees who achieve increases in their professional levels with appropriate 

increases in responsibility and salary through the viable curriculum presented in the 

graduate programs; 

 Goal 4. Provide achievable pathway to completion for all graduate students; and 

Goal 5. Increase student success, retention, persistence and graduation rates of graduate 

students through implementation of a coordinated Student Success and Retention 

Initiative, including improved counseling, advising, mentoring, student tracking and other 

strategies. 

The project focuses on improving capacity and establishing a sustainable, affordable 

infrastructure to support the success of Northern New Mexico College’s graduate students in 

Teacher Education and Engineering. 

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P031M105022 

University of New Mexico, NM 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

As a flagship research institution enrolling over 750 Hispanic graduate students, the University 

of New Mexico is well positioned to be a leader in educating the next generation of Hispanic 

faculty and professionals. In order to fulfill that promise, we must make significant progress in 

the number of advanced degrees we award to Hispanic students. With support and 

encouragement from the Provost and Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, the University of 

New Mexico (UNM) Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Vice President for Student 

Services wish to establish a Graduate Resource Center (GRC), where a host of academic support 

activities will be implemented to increase graduate degree attainment by Hispanic students. 

The Provost has committed suitable vacant space in a central location for the Graduate 

Resource Center. The Graduate Resource Center will be led by a highly qualified Assistant 

Dean/Director and an experienced staff. Graduate Resource Center workshops, seminars, and 

symposia will be specifically crafted to develop the academic, research, and professional skills, 

and the faculty connections that are essential to underrepresented students’ success. The 

Graduate Resource Center will house a cadre of “Graduate Center Fellows,” who are graduate 

students trained to provide individual tutoring in writing and statistics. The Fellows will also 

lead group sessions on key academic topics such as study strategies and dissertation completion, 

and will serve as informal peer advisers. In addition, Graduate Resource Center staff will 

collaborate with existing academic, peer, and social support initiatives to maximize access and 

effectiveness of all University of New Mexico services for graduate students. 

In total, at least 2500 individual student contacts will be generated by the proposed program each 

year, all aimed at increasing the number of Hispanic students enrolled in graduate programs at 

University of New Mexico and increasing their success in achieving graduate degrees. 

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P031M105066 

The City College of New York, NY 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability (ESES) is a rapidly growing field due to 

increasing interest in protecting the environment, understanding the implications of a changing 

climate, and meeting the need for energy and water resources in an environmentally sustainable 

way. As this field continues to expand well into the foreseeable future, there will be a 

corresponding increase in the demand for a highly qualified workforce. Fortunately, 

environmental science and engineering fields are very attractive to students because of their 

direct connection to many aspects of daily life, including weather, oceans, ecosystems, 

sustainable living and green technologies. However, as is typical in science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, minorities are already underrepresented in these 

emerging areas, particularly at the graduate level. Some of the difficulties in attracting, 

retaining, and graduating minorities in emerging STEM fields include barriers in the transition 

from undergraduate to graduate education; weak connections between academic work and postgraduate opportunities, and a lack of continuous mentorship while in graduate school. Training 

Hispanics in Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability fields is a very important issue for 

the economic future of New York State and the New York/New Jersey metro region, where 

projections for trained personnel show very high demand for years to come, and where the 

Hispanic population is high and rapidly growing. 

City College of New York hosts the CREST consortium, a research center that specializes in 

remote sensing of the environment with the main objective of training the next generation of 

environmental scientists and engineers, especially underrepresented minorities. City College of 

New York also has developed a new Master of Science in Sustainability in the Urban 

Environment, a program focused on sustainable development of energy, water resources, air 

quality, land use, waste management, transportation, construction and urban planning. It is now 

proposing to develop a new initiative to train, retain, and graduate students underrepresented in 

Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability fields by: 1) attracting and inspiring Hispanic 

minority students; 2) providing training, internships and research opportunities; and 3) offering 

mentorship and career guidance. The proposed Earth Sciences and Environmental 

Sustainability Graduate Initiative builds upon existing programs to facilitate the creation of 

new, complementary programs such as summer research internships, graduate summer training 

programs, mentoring, career preparation and exposure to employers in industry. The suite of 

programs offered will address a variety of aspects believed to contribute to the retention and 

graduation of qualified students. 

When running at full capacity, we expect that the Earth Sciences and Environmental 

Sustainability Graduate Initiative will serve more than 200 minority graduate students per year, 

and will increase the number of Hispanic students receiving graduate degrees in Earth Sciences 

and Environmental Sustainability fields significantly. 

14
P031M105052 

Bayamon Central University, PR 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Bayamon Central University (BCU) is a private Master’s 

Level I coeducational liberal arts institution affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. 

Bayamon Central University’s mission is to provide access to postsecondary education for atrisk, low-income Hispanic students, offering a solid liberal arts education and degree options in 

high-demand professions of business administration, technology, natural science, education, 

social work, and nursing. Bayamon Central University offers associate degrees, baccalaureate 

degrees and fourteen master’s degrees (including certificates and specializations). In the fall of 

2009, the undergraduate enrollment was 2,287 and the graduate enrollment was 575. Bayamon 

Central University has been unable to meet national benchmarks for high quality graduate 

studies by not having a research- and thesis-writing component in its graduate programs. 

Primarily this is because of inadequate resources and support systems for both graduate faculty 

and students, such as proactive academic support for students outside the classroom or adequate 

access to research publications and reference materials to conduct research for capstone projects. 

Another gap is the inability to offer flexible instruction to time- and place-bound graduate 

students (current and prospective) because the limitations of our information technology 

infrastructure prohibit launching quality distance graduate education. Financing graduate 

education is another barrier to postbaccalaureate participation, yet Bayamon Central University 

is unable to provide scholarships to graduate students. Consequently, Bayamon Central 

University has experienced a significant decline in graduate enrollment (-26 percent) and number 

of degrees awarded (-12 percent) from academic year 2008 to 2009. 

Project Goals: Provide higher quality, accessible, relevant (to student needs) and supportive 

graduate education—to level the playing field for disadvantaged Hispanic individuals in the San

Juan-Bayamon Metro area. Overall, the five-year project outcomes are (1) increased low-income 

Hispanic individuals participation (enrollment) in quality graduate programs and (2) increased 

number of graduate degree awards. 

Project Design: Funds are requested to support (1) redesigning graduate programs as research 

and thesis-oriented and providing graduate faculty and students adequate resources; (2) 

expanding specialization and certificate offerings for existing master’s programs; (3) developing 

a Virtual Graduate Campus (online graduate studies) to increase access to postbaccalaureate 

programs for time- and place-bound students; and, (4) providing graduate scholarship awards for 

low-income students so they are not shut out of the postbaccalaureate pipeline. Lead graduate 

faculty will be supported with stipends for curriculum development and training. We will 

expand the IT infrastructure to support a Virtual Graduate Campus. Graduate faculty and 

students will be supported with a Graduate Faculty Center and a Graduate Student Support 

Center in located the Bayamon Central University Library offering expanded library holdings for 

students to support research and thesis-oriented graduate studies. 

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P031M105010 

Caribbean University-Bayamón, PR 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Caribbean University-Bayamon Campus (CU-BC) is a private, non-profit, four-year, Hispanic 

Serving Institution located in Bayamón, Puerto. The proposed PPOHA project “Connecting 

Graduate Opportunities through Distance Learning” seeks to improve the academic attainment 

of our graduate students, expand the graduate academic offerings, and enhance the program 

quality in our institution. Caribbean University-Bayamon Campus serves a high number of 

economically disadvantaged populations who have very limited access to higher education. 

Despite the fact that Caribbean University is committed to fulfilling its mission of access and 

success for students in our region, institutional funds have not been able to resolve documented 

weaknesses in curricula, services and infrastructure, which threaten the institution’s ability to 

increase access to graduate education and student success. Students living in rural, isolated 

communities need distance education options for graduate education to be more accessible, but 

our present degree programs are unable to fill this need. In addition, Caribbean UniversityBayamon Campus has insufficient resources to invest in the personnel and technical support 

necessary for converting degree programs to distance delivery. 

Connecting Graduate Opportunities through Distance Learning is a multi-faceted approach to 

expand access to and success in graduate education—increasing opportunities for Hispanic and 

low income graduate students at Caribbean University-Bayamon Campus. The three-pronged 

approach includes: 1) a graduate student center to provide targeted students and faculty services; 

2) distance learning delivery curricular options in four graduate programs (education, criminal 

justice, business and nursing); and 3) fellowships for low-income graduate students. The goals of 

Connecting Graduate Opportunities through Distance Learning clearly align with the purpose of 

the PPOHA Program. The specific goals are: Goal 1: Expand graduate educational offerings for 

Hispanic and low-income students through distance delivery of existing high-demand graduate 

programs; Goal 2: Improve graduation rates (academic attainment) through services that 

contribute to higher rates of completion; and Goal 3: Increase enrollment of Hispanic and lowincome students through more accessible degree programs and through direct financial 

assistance. 

The services developed by Connecting Graduate Opportunities through Distance Learning will 

provide graduate students with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed 

through workshops, mentoring, and resources. Additional services we propose that are more 

specific to graduate students are assistance with identifying and applying for external financial 

resources, discipline-specific graduate student handbooks, assistance with thesis preparation, and 

access to research resources. The Graduate Student Center will also increase access by 

streamlining the graduate admissions process and improving our communications to students 

waiting for a decision on their applications. All of these components of Connecting Graduate 

Opportunities through Distance Learning will enable Caribbean University-Bayamon Campus to 

better serve graduate students, and increase the retention and graduation rates. 

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P031M105046 

Universidad Adventista de las Antillas – Mayaguez, PR 

Individual Development Grant

ABSTRACT 

Located in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, the Universidad Adventista de las Antillas (UAA) is a small, 

private coeducational institution offering a curriculum in liberal arts and professional and preprofessional areas for students who prefer studying in a Christian environment. Situated within 

284 acres of mountainous land close to the Atlantic Ocean, Universidad Adventista de las 

Antillas was founded in 1961 and has enjoyed steady growth in its specialized academic fields. 

Our School of Education has enjoyed a reputation for producing high-quality master’s level 

teachers and, in response to the elementary and secondary climate within Puerto Rico, we are 

experiencing an increased demand for more specialized graduate degree plans just as we have 

also reached the maximum capacity in instructional facilities. Recent governmental 

requirements have created an overwhelming need for postbaccalaureate degree/certificate 

graduates with Bilingual Education and Special Education specializations. 

Comprehensive internal and external analysis has revealed significant institutional weaknesses 

and gaps that are contributing to these low performance rates. Our graduate courses are offered 

in a very traditional format and are not conducive to the lifestyle, learning styles, and needs of 

our current and potential students. Universidad Adventista de las Antillas lags far behind its 

counterparts in the effective use of distance education technology and support services for 

graduate students. 

Through this PPOHA application, we propose a comprehensive project for: Expanding 

Enrollment Capacity and Enhancing Graduate Student Performance focused on: 

1) Increasing Access through Expanded Instructional Facilities, Distance Technology, 

and Curriculum Development: UAA will expand postbaccalaureate degree/certificate options 

by developing two certificate areas of specialization (Bilingual Education and Special 

Education) within its existing Master of Arts in Education degree program and one additional 

MA in Education specialization in Special Education. Expanded curriculum will be developed in 

both a traditional face-to-face format, infused with instructional technology, as well as in an 

online/hybrid format thereby expanding access to courses and corresponding degree programs to 

low-income, working, otherwise time-constrained and/or disadvantaged students. To facilitate 

curriculum conversion, we will upgrade distance technology and provide faculty with extensive 

professional development to ensure successful integration of distance learning pedagogy. 

2) Improving Graduate Degree Attainment through a Graduate Student Support Center 

(GSSC): Universidad Adventista de las Antillas Graduate Student Support Center will provide 

writing assistance resources, research resources, language acquisition resources, and a Teaching 

Skills lab to support graduate students and improve rates of timely degree completion. 

3) To accommodate enrollment growth, we will expand instructional and academic support 

space. To assist low-income graduate students, we will award a minimum of 38 tuition/research 

Fellowships over the five-year grant period. Recipients will be required to maintain a minimum 

grade point average and develop/implement a Plan of Study and participate in a research project.

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P031M105070 

Universidad del Este, PR 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Universidad del Este (UNE), a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located in the municipality of 

Carolina in Puerto Rico, proposes a project under the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities 

for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program entitled “Strengthening Graduate Offerings in Puerto 

Rico’s Eastern Region.” This Project will expand the postbaccalaureate educational 

opportunities of Hispanic students in our region and enhance the quality of our graduate 

programs to help a larger number of Hispanic and low-income students complete a degree in 

these programs. In accordance with 34 Code of Federal Regulations §§606.2 (a) and (b) and 

606.3, 606.4 and 606.5 regulations, Universidad del Este meets the eligibility criteria for the 

Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program. Universidad del 

Este - Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Project, through the creation of 

the Center for Graduate Support Services (CGSS) in Carolina, will offer academic support and 

services to the graduate student population at the main campus, including: academic advising, 

mentoring, assistance with development of writing and research skills, financial literacy, and 

orientation. It will also provide an integrative faculty development plan for the graduate faculty. 

The Center for Graduate Support Services at Universidad del Este -Carolina will facilitate the 

coordination and most importantly, integration of academic and administrative support services 

for the graduate programs, including services to faculty and students. The Center for Graduate 

Support Services will include facilities for student services, a research center, and five eclassrooms for the use of the graduate faculty and students at Universidad del Este –Carolina. 

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P031M105050 

Universidad Central del Caribe, PR 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

The proposed project seeks to strengthen the ability of the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) 

to increase opportunities for and to better serve Hispanic graduate students in allied health 

programs. To increase opportunities and outcomes in these fields, we have designed a 

comprehensive program involving: 1) student financial aid; 2) support for research, a critical 

component of graduate education; 3) collateral support for student adaptation to a demanding 

graduate studies environment; and 4) outreach initiatives to promote graduate programs in allied 

health. 

To help students meet the financial obligations related to their studies, the program would 

provide fellowships and aggressively identify government and non-government sources for 

additional student financial support. The program will also guide students in applying for aid to 

permit promising students to complete their studies in a reasonable length of time. 

As research is an integral part of graduate education, we propose to enhance Universidad Central 

del Caribe research facilities available to both students and faculty. A modest budget for student 

travel to attend professional meetings will help them create the professional network required to 

compete for postdoctoral positions. Additionally, the curriculum of the Master of Health Science 

(MHS) in Substance Abuse Counseling will be revised to include research activities. 

One reason Hispanic students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds fail to perform 

up to their potential is a lack of academic maturity and adequate prior education. The learning 

environment enhanced with research opportunities will help students build motivation and 

discipline for academic success. In addition, the program will create a multiple mentor and 

focused tutoring program to deal with issues identified as critical for student success such as testtaking skills, time management and English for scientific purposes. Group tutoring will be 

offered for gatekeeper or bottleneck courses such as the 10-credit Biochemistry and Cell Biology 

course and the Neuropsychopharmacological Aspects of Substance Abuse course as well as in 

critical academic skills such as the use of technology. 

To increase the number of students in graduate programs in allied health fields, we will engage 

in outreach to current bachelor’s degree students to make them aware of graduate programs, 

explain how these programs can prepare them for rewarding careers, and outline what is needed 

to qualify for admission and success. 

This comprehensive application will not only improve current opportunities and outcomes of 

students but will strengthen the new Ph.D. program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at 

Universidad Central del Caribe. 

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P031M105058 

Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), TX 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University-Kingsville (TAMUK) is a HispanicServing Institution whose student body comprises 66 percent Hispanics. Texas Agricultural and 

Mechanical (A&M) University-Kingsville is the most comprehensive university in south Texas 

and the only Institution of Higher Education (IHE) in the region with a Carnegie Classification 

Level I: Doctoral-Research Intensive. The university is accredited by the Southern Association 

of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Most of the university’s students are from southern Texas, 82 percent of the students are 

undergraduates, and over 50 percent receive financial aid. Housed in the Department of 

Bilingual Education at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University-Kingsville, the 

proposed South Texas Expansion Program for Hispanic Graduate Students (STEP-HG) is a fiveyear program, including 25 percent release time for two project directors who will oversee it. 

The project seeks to enhance the academic attainment of the university’s low-income 

postbaccalaureate Hispanic students by: a) offering them mentoring while earning advanced 

degrees; b) the modernization and redesigning of graduate programs so that they be offered via 

he most advanced distance education technology; c) expanding the quality and quantity of digital 

library services; and d) promoting professional development opportunities for faculty by funding 

research and Virtual Instructor and Peer Review training. The outcome of the five-year project is 

an expansion of the academic experiences and opportunities through a multidimensional 

partnership that includes the Secretary Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) UniversityKingsville, and the Hispanic graduate students of Texas. 

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P031M105048 

Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 

Individual Development Grant

ABSTRACT 

Texas A&M International University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution located in Laredo, Texas, 

proposes a Title V Part B: Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic American 

Program (PPOHAP) entitled Graduate Retention Enhancement at TAMIU (GREAT) to expand 

the postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for and improve the academic attainment of 

Hispanic students in the South Texas region. Graduate Retention Enhancement at TAMIU 

(GREAT) seeks to increase the number of Hispanic students who complete a graduate degree in a 

timely manner and are prepared to attain a doctoral degree or professional career in behavioral, 

biological, or mathematical sciences. 

The proposed Graduate Retention Enhancement at TAMIU (GREAT) activities are planned to 

address the following objectives: (1) Retention: Eighty percent of the participating fellows will 

be retained in the program to completion of their degree; (2) Engagement: One hundred percent 

of the participants will present the results of their research at least once a year in a symposium, 

or a regional or national conference; and 3) Graduation: By alleviating financial limitation, 80 

percent of the participants will successfully complete the Master’s program in 30 months. To 

achieve these goals, Graduate Retention Enhancement at TAMIU (GREAT) employs the 

following strategies: (a) provides funding to cover the expenses incurred by graduate students 

and eliminate the need for outside employment, thus significantly diminishing graduate student 

attrition rates; (b) provides academic research opportunities to Hispanic graduate students by 

working in close collaboration with a faculty mentor investigating current biological, 

psychological and mathematical research topics; (c) provides an academically stimulating 

environment that includes a seminar series for graduate students, which consists of research 

presentations by well-known, active researchers/academicians in the target disciplines who will 

also serve as role models and motivators exposing students to different ideas, topics, career 

opportunities, and the scientific methods used in their areas; (d) provides, under close 

mentorship, an opportunity for students to think critically, develop a research project, and present 

their proposal/research findings to their peers and to the greater academic community; (e) 

improves the departmental research and library infrastructure providing graduate students the 

opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to not only complete a master’s degree, but also to 

continue their graduate education at the doctoral or professional career level; (f) provides 

professional development activities for graduate faculty each year of the project; and (g) 

establishes a graduate student’s office that will provide a space for developing a continuous 

academic environment as students collaborate, interact and socialize. 

These activities will enhance the students’ understanding of the academic demands of a graduate 

program and provide them with the tools necessary for success. As a result of their cumulative 

experiences provided through the proposed initiative, participating students will graduate within 

30 months. These students will be prepared to enter a professional career or pursue a doctoral 

program in their respective academic field of inquiry. 

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P031M105026 

University of Houston–Downtown, TX 

Individual Development Grant

ABSTRACT 

The University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), with a minority enrollment of over 75 percent, 

has a reputation of being a campus of choice for minorities. Despite University of Houston–

Downtown’s College of Business being the second largest producer of business undergraduates 

in the Houston economic region, it does not currently offer a postbaccalaureate program. Thus, 

the goal of the project is to develop a Masters of Business Administration program that directly 

meets the needs of the student-professional. 

Based upon the results of a needs analysis of the target population, the proposed MBA program 

will use a concentrated hybrid delivery method with evening courses to meet the needs of the 

student-professional. We propose an aggressive recruiting program, and by using college 

resources, and hybrid delivery hope to have 90 percent retention, as the program supports and 

understands financial and family demands. Thus, the proposed MBA program objectives are to 

recruit, retain, and place minority MBA graduates in the managerial workforce in the Houston 

community. Highlights of the proposed services include the following: 

Highlights of Services to Recruit 180 Students over Five-Year Grant Period 

• Bilingual (English & Spanish) Brochures 

• Outreach to Local Professional, Civic, and Minority Associations 

• Information Sessions Including Family (Face-to-Face and Video Recorded) 

Highlights of Services to Achieve 90 percent Retention over Five-Year Grant Period 

• Graduate Program Assistantships 

• Student-Faculty Mentoring Program 

• Student Engagement Initiatives 

Highlights of Services to Place 135 MBA Graduates in Full-time Jobs 

• Professional Development Workshops 

• Summer Internship Program 

• Career Fair & Mock Interviews 

In 2008, the College of Business moved into a new 35,000 sq-foot building with state-of-the art 

classrooms and computing facilities at a cost of $34 million, enhancing our reputation as a 

growing provider of business education. Although the President supports the proposed MBA 

Program, University of Houston–Downtown is a very “lean” university and given tough 

economic times, start-up funds are not available for the proposed program. If funded, this grant 

will provide adequate funds to develop a Master of Business Administration program that may 

serve as a model for other minority-serving and Hispanic-serving institutions. In addition to 

continuous evaluation over the life of the grant, we will use the percent change over the five-year 

22
grant period of full-time students enrolled (anticipate N = 180) and receiving degrees (anticipate 

N = 135) as measures for assessing effectiveness. 

23
P031M105002 

University of the Incarnate Word, TX 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

Project Title 

Increasing Persistence to Graduation Among Hispanic Master’s Degree Students 

Project Description 

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is located in San Antonio, Texas, a city of 1.5 

million people and is the fourth largest private university in the state. The institution’s growing 

postbaccalaureate enrollment of 1,537 mirrors the diversity of the regional population and is 

composed primarily of ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanics who compose 41 percent of total 

enrollment. In spring 2010, University of the Incarnate Word was ranked 59th out of the top 100 

universities nationwide in awarding master’s degrees to Hispanics. 

The project described in this proposal is the result of a thorough institutional needs assessment 

and input provided from stakeholders at all levels of the university, including graduate students. 

Based on the assessment, the planning team selected Hispanic master’s degree students as the 

target population for the activities that will be carried out during the project period. The 

activities will endeavor to increase these students’ retention, academic performance, and 

persistence to graduation. 

Achieving this project’s two goals and five measureable objectives will be accomplished by: 1) 

creating a Graduate Support Center to coordinate academic and social activities for master’s 

students and engage them in graduate life; 2) establishing a Peer Mentor Program in which 

successful, more advanced master’s students mentor more junior master’s students in the same 

discipline; 3) beginning an academic and professional skills workshop program to assist student 

build or refresh skills that are essential in University of the Incarnate Word’s master’s degree 

program; 4) creating a mandatory discipline-based master’s student orientation to include a 

separate orientation for students’ family members; and 5) improving library services to support 

master’s student research and scholarship, which will involve hiring a full-time Graduate 

Research Librarian. 

An important component to this project will be the establishment of the Graduate Services 

Center (GSC). This permanent Center, which will be led by a full-time director, will coordinate 

and oversee academic and social support services for master’s students as well as all grantrelated task and activities. 

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25

P031M105040 

University of Texas at El Paso, TX 

Individual Development Grant 

ABSTRACT 

 A Model for Improving Doctoral Degree Completion at Emerging Research Institutions 

With Growing Hispanic Student Populations, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) 

proposes the implementation of an innovative graduate-level recruitment, academic support, 

monitoring, and professional development model that will assist underrepresented U.S. students 

enroll, make timely academic progress, and complete doctoral degrees in fields of national 

interest. The activities of the model will address the national problem of increasing the pipeline 

of Hispanic doctoral scholars and promote a culture of strong mentor-protégé relationships. 

These efforts will address factors that negatively impact the completion rates of Hispanics who 

enter postbaccalaureate programs as first-generation college students and have a non-traditional 

student profile. By design, the multi-component model will be available for replication as a 

whole or in part by emerging research institutions with a demonstrated interest in reducing the 

doctoral completion gap between underrepresented minority and white students. The proposed 

model adheres to a long-term institutional goal of recruiting and graduating an increasing 

number of Hispanic doctoral students who have the ability to join competitive academic 

environments across the nation. The anticipated outcome of this goal is to significantly 

contribute to the diversity of faculty and researchers in higher education throughout the United 

States.