# 

## 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

**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 FederalRegister 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 FederalRegister 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 (e-Application) via http://e-grants.ed.gov.  

# Table of Contents

Grants are listed in “state” order.

**Individual Development Grants**

# 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.

# 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.

# 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.

# 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.

# 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 center-Commitment 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.

# 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 University-Pueblo will develop a Graduate Student Support Center, implementing a host of online and on-campus 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.  

# 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 success-focused 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.  

# 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 low-income 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.  Need-based 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.  

# 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. 

# 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.

# 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 post-graduate 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. 

# 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 at-risk, 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.

# 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 University-Bayamon 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 low-income 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.

# 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 pre-professional 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.

**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  e-classrooms for the use of the graduate faculty and students at Universidad del Este –Carolina.

**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 test-taking 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. 

**P031M105058**

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

**Individual Development Grant**

**ABSTRACT**

Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University-Kingsville (TAMUK) is a Hispanic-Serving 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 five-year 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) University-Kingsville, and the Hispanic graduate students of Texas.

# 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.  

# 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 grant period of full-time students enrolled (anticipate N = 180) and receiving degrees (anticipate N = 135) as measures for assessing effectiveness.  

# 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 grant-related task and activities.

# 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.

U. S. Department of Education

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