1

FY 2023 DHSI NEW AWARDS (FUND DOWN) PROJECT ABSTRACTS 

Introduction

The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Division administers the Developing Hispanic–Serving Institutions 

(DHSI) Program which is authorized under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. 

The purposes of the program are to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the academic 

attainment of, Hispanic students, and to expand and enhance the academic offerings, program quality, and 

institutional stability of the colleges and universities that educate the majority of Hispanic students and 

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

In order to apply for a grant under Title V programs, an institution of higher education must have applied 

for and been designated as an eligible institution The notice announcing the FY 2022 process for 

designation of eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of eligibility requirements, was 

published in the Federal Register on December 16, 2021 (86 FR 71470). 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 DHSI program supports many institutional activities that include purchase of equipment for 

education and research; improvement of instruction facilities (construction, maintenance, renovation); 

faculty and staff development; curriculum revision and development; purchase of educational materials; 

student support services; community outreach programs; establishment or increase of an institutional 

endowment fund, and more.

Note: The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) as amended, section 503(b) was expanded 

to include: innovative and customized instruction courses designed to help retain students and move the 

students into core courses; articulation agreements and student support programs designed to facilitate the 

transfer of students from two-year to four-year institutions; and providing education, counseling services, 

and financial information designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or their 

families. The list of authorized activities in section 503(b) was also amended to use the term “distance 

education technologies” in place of “distance learning academic instruction capabilities.”

In FY 2023, the DHSI program received increased funds from Congress which allowed us to not only 

hold a new grant competition, but to fully fund 46 applicants who submitted high-quality applications in 

the FY 2022 grant competition, but due to limited program funding, were not funded. We call this process 

“funding down the slate.” Scores of these applications ranged from 105.67 down to 100.00. 

Total funding for these new awards was $26,714,003. Below are the abstracts for the newly funded grant 

projects.
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List of Awardees

 Institution Name State Award Amount Page

1 Amarillo College TX $599,995.00 4

2 American River College CA $599,706.00 5

3

Arizona Board of Regents, 

University or Arizona AZ

$578,994.00 6

4

Cal State LA University Auxiliary 

Services, Inc. CA

$600,000.00 7

5 Caldwell University Inc. NJ $600,000.00 8

6

California State University San 

Marcos Corporation CA

$599,857.00 9

7 Concordia University Texas TX $560,775.00 10

8 Del Mar College TX $505,560.00 11

9

Eugenio MarÃa de Hostos 

Community College, CUNY NY

$574,260.00 12

10 Houston Baptist University TX $599,281.00 13

11

Humboldt State University 

Sponsored Programs Foundation CA

$585,018.00 14

12 Indian River State College FL $600,000.00 15

13 Lake Tahoe Community College CA $599,947.00

16

14 Laredo College TX $600,000.00 17

15 Life Pacific University CA $597,346.00 18

16

McLennan County Junior College 

District TX

$572,038.00 19

17

Mendocino Lake Community 

College District CA

$491,097.00 20

18 Miami Dade College West Campus FL

$516,088.00 21

19 New Jersey City University NJ $599,699.00 22

20 Palo Alto College TX $592,750.00 23

21

Passaic County Community 

College NJ

$598,843.00 24

22

Pinal County Community College 

District AZ

$575,674.00 25

23

Research Foundation of CUNY on 

behalf of Lehman College NY

$599,010.00 26

24

Riverside City College/Moreno 

Valley College CA

$600,000.00 27

25

San Juan Bautista School of 

Medicine, Inc. (SJBSM) PR

$599,351.00 28
3 

26

San Mateo County Community 

College District College of San 

Mateo CA

$600,000.00 29

27

Santa Clarita Community College 

District CA

$600,000.00 30

28 Santa Fe Community College NM $599,295.00 31

29 Schreiner University TX $598,470.00 32

30

South Mountain Community 

College AZ

$593,081.00 33

31 Southern Adventist University TN $600,000.00 34

32 Southwest Texas Junior College TX $554,796.00 35

33

Texas A&M University - Corpus 

Christi TX

$600,000.00 36

34 Texas Lutheran University TX $565,859.00 37

35 Texas State University TX $594,337.00 38

36 Texas Woman's University TX $599,650.00 39

37

The Research Foundation for The 

State University of New York -OBO 

Purchase College NY

$599,992.00 40

38

The University of New Mexico - 

Taos NM

$564,987.00 41

39

The University of Texas Rio Grande 

Valley TX

$598,870.00 42

40 Union County College NJ $600,000.00 43

41

Universidad Ana G. Mendez, 

Cupey Campus PR

$572,126.00 44

42

Universidad Ana G. Mendez, 

Recinto Carolina PR

$599,984.00 45

43 University of Houston - Downtown TX $447,277.00 46

44 University of Redlands CA $589,746.00 47

45

Vaughn College of Aeronautics 

and Technology NY

$599,999.00 48

46 Wenatchee Valley College WA $490,245.00 49
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Amarillo College (AC), Amarillo, TX

ABSTRACT

Amarillo College (AC), Amarillo, TX, a comprehensive, two-year public community college 

(9,206 credit students in Fall 2021), lies in the heart of the Texas Panhandle and serves a 9,363 

square-mile service area, with most of its 319,000 residents concentrated around Amarillo, the 

largest city in a 120-mile radius. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and 

Schools and governed by a Board of Regents, AC offers over 190 transfer-oriented and 

technical programs to over 9,000 credit students. Mirroring the demographics of our area, 4,327 

of Fall 2021 students were Hispanic (47%). Institutional Hispanic student enrollment has 

grown from a quarter (25%) of the student population in 2007 to nearly half (47%) in 2021. 

AC serves a high number of underserved students. The majority are minority (60%); 47% 

Hispanic; 87% are employed; 53% are Pell-eligible, low-income students; and 68% are the first 

generation in college. 

Institutional analysis revealed that the majority of Hispanic student enrollment gains over the 

past three years have been in AC’s technical education programs, particularly advanced 

manufacturing, which have highly promising state and national labor market projections. 

Therefore, AC conducted a needs assessment to better understand the strengths and 

weaknesses of its technical education programs. The results revealed that AC’s advanced 

manufacturing programs do not meet student and industry needs because the program curricula 

and equipment is outdated and cannot teach students new Industry 4.0 skills required in 

industry practice. The advanced manufacturing programs are also underdeveloped with no 

work-based learning options and little to no support for underprepared students. AC also 

identified poor retention among technical education students as a critical problem, with multiple 

institutional weaknesses contributing to the issue. Housed on AC’s East Campus, technical 

education students are isolated from the comprehensive support available on the main campus. 

At the same time, AC technical education faculty and staff do not have ready access to usable 

data to inform interventions that can support increased retention, and technical education faculty 

need more support and training to develop their capacity to support diversity, equity, and 

inclusion. 

AC proposes, Preparing for the Future of Work, a Title V project with two initiatives: 

• Initiative #1: Revitalize Advanced Manufacturing Instruction... o Redesign advanced 

manufacturing courses to update curricula and equipment 

• Add I-BEST basic skills supplemental instruction into advanced manufacturing courses to 

support underprepared students 

• Develop new advanced manufacturing work-based learning courses 

• Initiative #2: Strengthen Support for Hispanic Students in Technical Education o Create 

new Success Team system for technical education to include development of a new First 

Year Seminar course section, coaching services, and data dashboards to support 

integrated, proactive services addressing academic and non-academic student needs 

• Conduct professional learning in diversity, equity, and inclusion for technical education 

faculty 

The proposed project addresses both competitive preference priorities for the FY2022 Title 

V DHSI competition—helping AC better serve its underserved students.
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American River College, CA

ABSTRACT

American River College (ARC) is applying for U.S. Department of Education Title V grant

funding to implement Project Adelante (Forward), which is designed to improve equity on

campus and help Latinx students develop a sense of belonging. A total of $2,997,753 is being

requested over five years for this purpose. The project has three activities:

1. Espacio: Creating a space for Latinx and low-income students.

2. Conexiones: Developing relationships with faculty, peers, and the college community.

3. Difusión: Providing outreach to K-12 schools in ARC’s service area

ARC is a state-funded community college in the Los Rios Community College District in

Sacramento, Calif. ARC enrolled 26,735 students in Fall 2021. The ethnic breakdown was:

Latinx, 28.3%; White, 38.1%; Asian, 11.7%; African American, 7.4%; All Others (includes

unknown), 14.5%. ARC’s Latinx students are low-income at a rate of 21.5%. While the

percentage of first-generation students on campus is 27.9%, close to 40% of Latinx students are

the first in their families to attend college.

Project Adelante has been established with five objectives designed to improve the success of 

the college’s Latinx students. These are:

Objective 1: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the fall-to-fall retention rate among ARC Latinx

students to 42.8%.

Baseline: 37.8%

Objective 2: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the three-year (150% time) graduation rate for

Latinx students to 10%.

Baseline: 5%

Objective 3: By Sept. 30, 2027, improve the percentage of Latinx students transferring to a

four-year institution to 11.7%.

Baseline: 6.7%

Objective 4: By Sept. 30, 2027, decrease the percentage of Latinx students requiring

remediation in any course to 69%.

Objective 5: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the percentage of new, first-time in college Latinx

students taking one or more core courses to 75%.

Baseline: 68.3%

The project will include a 100% time Project Director and an external evaluator. The costs for

these individuals will cover the management portion of the project (just over 24% of the total

request). Other costs include personnel and fringe benefits (64%); travel (2%); supplies (9%);

and other (1%).

ARC is responding for this project to both Competitive Preference Priority 1 and Competitive

Preference Priority 2. The project has incorporated student support for social, emotional, and

academic needs (CPP 1) and will increase academic access, affordability, completion, and postenrollment success.
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University of Arizona, AZ

ABSTRACT

Project ADELANTE: 

Advancing Culturally Responsive Place-Based Educational Opportunities for Latinx 

Students in the Borderlands -The University of Arizona 

In this Title V proposal, the University of Arizona (UArizona) seeks to strategically strengthen 

retention, degree completion, career readiness, and post-graduation success for Hispanic/Latinx 

and low-income students, where gaps exist compared to their peers. Through an intentionally 

designed suite of culturally responsive place-based educational activities, Project “ADELANTE: 

Advancing Culturally Responsive Place-Based Educational Opportunities for Latinx Students in 

the Borderlands,” will (1) increase students’ access to place-based culturally responsive 

educational experiences, (2) increase students’ career readiness and post-graduation 

success, and (3) strengthen institutional capacity to increase place-based culturally 

responsive educational experiences for our Hispanic/Latinx and low-income students to support 

their persistence rates, sense of belonging on campus and career readiness. Project 

ADELANTE leverages local expertise and knowledge, proximity to the U.S. Mexico 

“Borderlands” region, and evidence-based strategies to accomplish its objectives and activities. 

The activities designed for this Title V program will allow UArizona to expand and enhance the 

academic offerings, program quality, faculty know-how, and institutional stability critical to the 

success of our students. 

Project ADELANTE seeks to strengthen institutional capacity by establishing structures that can 

advance and sustain an intentional suite of culturally responsive place-based educational 

activities rooted within the unique U.S. Mexico Borderlands region. Strengthening structures of 

opportunity for students, grounded in place-based culturally responsive pedagogies and 

practices, will lead to greater college completion and post-completion success. The project 

necessitates an intentional and targeted approach, combining an interconnected set of highimpact, placed-based and culturally responsive practices including: 1) the development of an 

internship and career readiness program for undergraduate students placed with community 

partners in southern Arizona called the “Borderlands Service-Learning Program;” 2) the 

expansion of a place-based, culturally responsive first year writing program curriculum featuring 

the Latinx “Testimonio” tradition; and 3) placed-based professional development opportunities 

for UArizona faculty and staff in the form of a “Borderlands Fellowship Program.” 

To ensure long term sustainability and maximum impact, Project ADELANTE represents a 

strategic partnership between key units across UArizona: HSI Initiatives, the Critical ServiceLearning Program in the Spanish and Portuguese Department, Student Engagement and 

Career Development; Borderlands Education Center in the College of Education, Academic 

Affairs, and Cultural & Inclusive Experiential Learning Opportunities. 

Project ADELANTE addresses both 2022 Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP): CPP 1 (all 

priorities): The project is intentionally designed to meet students’ social, emotional and 

academic needs by promoting a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe climate at UArizona 

through its suite of culturally responsive and place-based educational opportunities; CPP 2 Part 

C: Project ADELANTE will establish a university wide system of high-quality data collection and 

analysis to track and catalogue culturally responsive and place-based educational opportunities 

at UArizona. This will allow UArizona to examine the relationship between student engagement 

and its impact on student retention, completion, and post-completion success.
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Cal State LA, CA

ABSTRACT

Project title: Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community and Student Success

Population to be served: California State University is located near downtown Los Angeles and

neighbors East Los Angeles and Monterey Park. Currently, there are 70% Hispanic, and 16%

White, 14% Asian and 5.5% African American and 1.9% American Indian students enrolled.

Despite CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 efforts, for Hispanics, the first-year retention rate has

fallen to 73% and graduation fell one point to 49% in 2022. At Cal State LA, about 30% are

first-generation, low SES, and students of color (CSULA, Institutional Effectiveness, 2022). 

There are currently no known or specified subrecipient activities at the time of application 

submission.

Goals: The overarching goal of the Title V project, Reclaiming Pedagogy, Community and

Student Success is to promote a culturally responsive campus climate with student-centered

policies and practices that lead to student completion and post-enrollment success. The project

will:

· Improve the overall learning climate/environment in and out of the classroom.

· Prepare administrative leadership, faculty and staff to support policies and engage in

practices that are responsive to students. The enhanced knowledge and skills of faculty/staff

and administrators fosters a better understanding of culturally responsive

· Improve curriculum for IHEs and GE courses (lower and upper division )with culturally

relevant practices and approaches → leads to IHE course; leads to improved practices for

community engagement; leads to better pedagogy; knowledge construction curriculum and

teaching practices.

· Student success through academic success learning communities, leads to improved student

engagement, which further supports higher retention and completion.

There are three interconnected components that include evidenced-based promising practices 

and strategies: 1) Asset-based Pedagogy and curriculum training for faculty. 2) CulturallyRelevant Leadership training for students, faculty, staff and administrators to shift the campus 

culture from mainstream approaches to learning how to be leaders for an HSI, to better serve

students. 3) Academic Success Learning Communities- Linked required courses focused on a

community-based pedagogy with workshop components of Wellness, Archival Research, and

Leadership for first year, sophomores and juniors. Expected Outcomes: The campus-wide

impact of this programming will: 1) Increase Student Success through an increase in retention

and graduation rates, 2) Prepare leadership, faculty and staff to be student-responsive, 3)Train

faculty in culturally responsive and asset-based pedagogies with curriculum resources, and 4)

Provide student-responsive supports throughout all levels of campus. This Title V project will

have the potential for a variety of contributions for evidence-based research, policies and

practices. Most importantly, it will reduce policies that pose barriers and instead, foster studentcentered policies for increased retention and graduation rates.
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Caldwell University, NJ

ABSTRACT

Caldwell University proposes a Title V, Part A, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions

(DHSI) project entitled, Project BEACON: Improving the Sense of Belonging, Engagement,

Achievement, Career Opportunities and Networking For Hispanic and Low-Income Students.

Caldwell University conducted a robust analysis to create a comprehensive development plan to 

address the institution’s strengths and weaknesses in academics, management, and financial

health. Leveraging the strengths and opportunities of the institution, Caldwell designed an

evidence-based plan to increase capacity to improve retention and workforce readiness for

Hispanic and low-income students while enhancing the institutional infrastructure to improve

fiscal stability and institutional management. This plan involves integrating effective staff and

faculty development, a robust suite of technology to support retention, and intentional

connections and opportunities for students between college and career by providing intentional

career preparation support, supplemental instruction, and guided academic and career 

navigation advising. Through the Title V project, Caldwell will further develop and implement 

Caldwell’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives while instituting a culture of 

inclusion throughout campus operations. Lastly, the Title V project will institutionalize efficient 

financial management and budgeting technology and practices that will support the project 

goals and objectives while strengthening the institution’s financial health. This Title V project is a 

natural progression of Caldwell’s current strategic plan, which is focused on improved retention 

for marginalized students, primarily Hispanic and/or low-income students, while further 

preparing faculty and staff to meet the needs of Caldwell’s increasingly diverse student 

population. The proposed project is guided by three overarching goals: Goal 1: Close academic

achievement gaps for Hispanic and low-income students. Goal 2: Improve workforce readiness

of Hispanic and low-income students. Goal 3: Create a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe

climate by fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for Hispanic and low-income students

and other underrepresented groups. There are three measurable project objectives: Objective 

1: By Year 5 of the project period, improve first-year retention of first-time full time Hispanic and

low-income students by 6 percentage points to 80% and low-income students 6 percentage 

points to 77%. Objective 2: By Year 5, 90% first-year Hispanic and low-income students will

demonstrate growth in career readiness between pre- and post-assessments. Objective 3: By

Year 5, increase the share of students who feel accepted by other students by 20 percentage

points and reduce the share of students considering leaving due to diversity or inclusion issues 

by 5 percentage points. The proposed project addresses both competitive preference priorities 

in that it is designed to

(1) meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs; and (2) increase postsecondary

completion and post-enrollment success.
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California State University- San Marcos, CA

ABSTRACT

“Los Pumas Prósperos: Hispanic Students Thriving at CSUSM” 

Located in San Diego County, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) is part of a 

statewide system of twenty-three top ranked campuses in the country and has been a Hispanic 

Serving Institution since 2010, with over 45% of the student body identifying as Hispanic. 

Through the Los Pumas Prósperos project, CSUSM continues its progression toward being a 

truly Hispanic-Serving Institution, committing to narrowing equity gaps, increasing enrollment, 

and providing holistic support services to support academic success for Hispanic students. 

Strategy #1: Thriving in Ecosystems for Enrollment: Create and enhance outreach and 

onboarding to be culturally validating for Hispanic and low-income students and offer guidance 

through the steps from acceptance to enrollment. 

Strategy #2: Thriving in Ecosystems of Engagement: Create and enhance cohorts and 

communities among Hispanic and low-income students, including academic, social, and mental 

health supports. 

Strategy #3: Thriving in Ecosystems of Education and Belonging: Create and enhance the 

culture of Hispanic-Servingness through campus wide investment in Validation Theory and 

professional development. 

Academic Goal: Develop and implement a coordinated campus-wide initiative that reflects an 

institutional priority and commitment to equitable degree completion through a learner-centered 

and integrated model of instruction and support. 

Institutional Goal: Drive a college culture shift to advance CSUSM’s Hispanic-Serving identity, 

as well as increase diversity and cultural-competency among faculty. 

Fiscal Goal: Increase student outcomes and close equity gaps to ensure alignment with 

system-wide goals focused on student equity and student success, as well as increase 

enrollment-based apportionment 

Objective Areas: 1. Access At least 60% of Hispanic freshmen will participate in services 

offered by the new Holistic Student Support Program: 1a. Financial wellness seminars; 1b. 

Mental health and wellness seminars;1c. Individualized educational plan; 1d. Connect with 

PUMAS student ambassadors for ongoing support. 2. Enrollment Increase by 20% the number 

of students who enroll after they receive an acceptance offer. 3. Persistence Increase the 1st to 

2nd year retention rate by 10% above 2020 baseline. 4. Persistence Increase the 2nd to 3rd 

year retention rate by 10% above 2020 baseline. 5. Career Pathways At least 500 students 

(with Hispanics equitably represented) will enroll in the pilot sophomore Career Course. 6. 

Completion Increase the 4-yr graduation rate by 5% and close the equity gap for Hispanics 

above 2021 baseline. 7. Completion Increase the 6-yr graduation rate by 5% and close the 

equity gap for Hispanics above 2021 baseline. 8. Faculty Professional Development Increase 

the number of faculty, administration, and staff that receive Validation Theory training and 

professional development. 

Competitive Priority #1: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs - Los 

Pumas Prósperos aims to support students academically through a cohort model to support the 

idea of familia at university, a focus on social-emotional health, which boosts academic success, 

and infusing of Validation Theory as a basis for campus events, improving outreach efforts, 

culturally infused curriculum, and creating professional development for administration, faculty, 

and staff at CSUSM. 

Competitive Priority #2: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, 

Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success - Los Pumas Prósperos contains a robust 

strategy to enhance outreach and enrollment efforts, support students through milestones, from 

onboarding and completion, commit to data collection and analysis, embedded academic, 

social, and mental health supports, and aligning academic and career pathways.
10

Concordia University Texas

ABSTRACT

Fueling the nation’s domestic and international talent force and ensuring a more prosperous 

future for all requires that Hispanic Serving Institutions such as Concordia University Texas 

(Concordia) identify and address perceived and real obstacles to Hispanic and low-income 

students’ postsecondary enrollment, persistence, transfer and graduation success. This is 

particularly significant in Texas where 51% of K-12 students are now Hispanic (Texas Education 

Agency, 2019) and the poverty rate for persons lacking postsecondary education is 19% (2020 

U.S. Census). 

The goals of the proposed Con Corazon Title V project are to strengthen enrollment, 

persistence, transfer, graduation, and career placement patterns for Hispanic and low-income 

students. Con Corazon translates from Spanish to English as ‘With Heart’, which coincidentally 

is similar to the Latin translation of Concordia, which encapsulates the commitment of faculty 

and staff to support student success. 

The Con Corazon project will strengthen Concordia’s academic programs by expanding our 

capacity to offer Summer Bridge programs and postsecondary pathway outreach and pathways 

orientations transfer students. It will strengthen our institutional management by expanding 

employee capacity to expertly Concordia’s Student Success Management Navigate system. 

The project will strengthen our university’s fiscal stability through improved enrollment, retention 

and graduation by Hispanic and low-income students, who at 34% and 44% respectively, are a 

growing percentage of Concordia’s enrolled population. The methods and strategies we plan to

use with funding from the Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions 

program are evidence-based. A key project strategy, Summer Bridge programs, were found to 

have potentially positive effects on degree attainment for postsecondary students according to 

the What Works Clearinghouse. 

The project responds to Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2: 

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Concordia will customize academic instruction and 

support leading to a stronger sense of belonging for Hispanic and low-income students through 

expanded Summer Bridge offerings which advance a sense of belonging. Summer Bridge 

programs have been shown strong evidence to impact outcomes of interest for diverse student 

populations. 

Competitive Preference Priority 2: 

The project responds to Competitive Preference 2 (c ) Increasing Postsecondary Education 

Access, Affordability, Completion and Post Enrollment Success by Establishing a System of 

High-Quality Data Collection and Analysis that Advances Persistence, Retention, Completion 

and Post-College Outcomes for Transparency, Accountability, and Institutional Improvement at 

Concordia University, Texas 

Concordia anticipates increased retention and transfer success of at least 10% as an outcome 

of the Con Corazon Title V project investments.
11

DEL MAR COLLEGE 

ABSTRACT

DEL MAR, CONECTAMOS, CONTINUAMOS, COMPLETAMOS (DMC3) PROJECT 

Our nation's economic and social success rests on the level of skills and knowledge attained by 

Hispanics, now the nation's largest minority population. Education is indisputably the key. 

Hispanic Serving Institutions are at the forefront of efforts to increase access and success 

among Hispanics pursuing a college education. This Title V Project, Del Mar, Conectamos, 

Continuamos, Completamos (DMC3), will greatly enable Del Mar College (DMC) to expand 

and enhance the support it provides to its underprepared, socio-economically disadvantaged, 

Hispanic and low-income students. The Project enables us to implement best practices, 

services and mechanisms to address the challenges DMC is facing as it navigates the 

complexities of student success as an historic Hispanic Serving Institution. DMC’s largely firsttime college student population is notably diverse, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and 

academically underprepared. Del Mar College has adopted four goals for DMC3: 1) Increase 

Hispanic and low-income persistence, retention and graduation by 2) implementing Guided 

Pathways that includes the use of meta-majors, enhanced onboarding processes, and clear 

pathways to careers and further education.; 3) Increase Hispanic and low-income retention 

rates through enhanced support and advising systems, and intervening when students are off 

track.; 4) Provide continuous professional development for all personnel associated with the 

college by offering a year-round calendar of training activities, including culturally relevant 

pedagogy and equity-minded to improve student learning and student services outcomes. The 

DMC3 Project directly addresses Competitive Preference Priorities 1and 2 by systematically 

deploying evidenced-based interventions to address all sub-components of both Competitive 

Preference Priorities. The fundamental elements of reform proposed by the DMC3 Project 

require $2,850,742 in Title V funding over the next five years. This investment puts in place key 

mechanisms for greater student success: 1) Enhanced Guided Pathways; 2) Redesign of 

onboarding processes; 3) Enhanced advising; 4) Generalist Success Coaches; 5) Peer 

Mentoring; and 6) Professional Development. Project outcomes include: 1) Increase the 

retention and persistence rates of Hispanic and low-income students; 2) Increase the graduation 

rates of Hispanic and low-income students; and 3) Increase in Culturally Relevant Pedagogyfocused professional development activities to faculty and staff. 
12

Eugenio María de Hostos Community College, The City University of New York, NY

ABSTRACT

Title V Application: Comunidad y Igualdad: An Integrated First Year

Experience and Beyond 

Eugenio María de Hostos Community College of the City of University New York was founded in 

1968 when a diverse group of community advocates demanded the creation of a highereducation space in the South Bronx. Hostos is a college with character, a college with a 

conscience. As a federally registered Hispanic-serving Institution, the College continues today 

to provide opportunities for intellectual growth and socio-economic mobility for Hispanic and 

other communities. Expanding educational opportunities and equity was at the very heart of 

Hostos’ founding, and Comunidad y Igualdad: An Integrated First-Year Experience and Beyond 

will help the college continue to fulfil its mission. Three Activities will offer students a 

comprehensive, engaging experience to improve student access, increase retention, and 

improve graduation. 

Activity1 focuses on expanding and improving academic attainment of Hispanic and other 

students through ensuring an integrated and inclusive first-year experience for each of our 

students. A summer bridge program, student-centered remote orientation onboarding modules, 

peer mentorship, financial literacy opportunities, and other supports will help all entering 

students (including part-time and transfer students) negotiate transitioning into higher education. 

Studies show that immersing students in a welcoming, inclusive environment promotes student 

success, and Hostos will strengthen this support. 

Activity 2 will will expand academic offerings and improve program quality through broad 

professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. Funding will support collaboration 

between faculty and advisory staff—Hostos’ just-completed Middle States Self-study (April 

2022) identifies this sharing of learning as a rich opportunity to bring faculty more effectively into 

the advising process. To improve teaching effectiveness, Hostos will make courses created by 

the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) available to cohorts of both fulltime and adjunct faculty. In addition, instructors will be encouraged to re-think curricula and 

syllabi to include issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. 

Activity 3 will expand Hostos’ successful supplemental instruction efforts. Hostos students arrive 

on campus with many academic needs, and pre-existing structures will be re-framed to more 

fully strengthen students’ academic capacities, especially in first-year gateway courses, to 

increase persistence and retention. 

These three activities are responsive to Hostos’ Mission, Strategic Plans, 2022 Middle States 

Self-study, and the Title V application’s Competitive Preference Priorities. The Activities’ 

promise as effective practices relies on data collected both internally and through examination 

of peer-reviewed studies. All activities will be assessed rigorously through the entire grant 

period, and practices deemed effective in improving student success will be institutionalized by 

the College thereafter.
13

Houston Baptist University, TX

ABSTRACT 

COVID-19 learning gaps only increased an already prevalent need for remediation in higher 

education and specifically at HBU. Houston Baptist University (HBU) is dedicated to improving 

student success by enhancing remediation programs to support students’ learning needs and 

timely graduation with the development of this Title V project: Learn Engage Achieve Persist 

(LEAP). 

As a four-year private institution serving nearly 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students in 

Houston, Texas, 77.3% of HBU students are minority (including 40% Hispanic and 23% African 

American). In Fall 2021, 58% of enrolled undergraduates received Pell Grants. The student 

population at HBU is changing rapidly, and the institution needs to adapt accordingly to 

accommodate its changing needs. It has achieved significant student success over the past five 

years, improving the overall fall-to-fall retention rate such that preliminary data shows Hispanic 

students nearly on-par with the overall graduation rate (HBU IRE, June 2022). However, 

enrollment in remediation classes continues to grow, and HBU has identified some areas for 

improvement to serve the Whole Husky student and particularly Hispanic students in 

remediation. 

After conducting a comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the institution 

and leveraging strong support centered around metacognition and the first-year experience for 

HBU Huskies, a focus on remediation and growth in identity as a college student guided the 

approach to Learn Engage Achieve Persist. To do this, HBU will implement four primary 

evidence-based strategies focused on growth in: 1) Math remediation; 2) English remediation; 

and 3) Whole Husky identity to focus on the student, including their mental health; which 

together bolster the university’s fundamental mission to 4) Support Student Success. 

A substantial portion of Title V resources will be dedicated to hiring personnel. Because of high 

enrollment in lowest level math remediation courses, faculty have not been able to provide 

careful attention to individual needs. By hiring additional faculty and staff for remediation 

courses, more focused one-on-one and small group remediation will support student needs. A 

Writing Center Director will help guide the university in supporting the writing needs of all 

students, but particularly our Heritage Spanish speaking students. Student Ambassadors will 

provide in-class support, small group instruction, and one-on-one tutoring. Additionally, mental 

health support groups facilitated in Spanish will be offered to students. English remediation 

courses will adopt new, more accessible reading materials and also redesign the teaching 

method to support student needs. For students wanting to pursue a STEM-focused degree but 

needing extra support, HBU will be developing and launching their academic RedShirt program, 

“OrangeShirt,” so students can stay on track with their peers, increasing retention and 

graduation rates. To best support these initiatives, additional equipment is another significant 

part of the budget. Adaptive learning software will be integrated to increase student confidence 

and knowledge. By upgrading the technology infrastructure, providing technology tools, as well 

as providing individual resources that students need but often struggle to afford, HBU will be 

able to better support its struggling Hispanic population. 

These innovative programs, along with others including the QEP, FYS Redesign, and 

connections with language and culture, will make a difference in supporting our Hispanic 

students in their academic and personal success.
14

Humboldt State University, CA

ABSTRACT 

Cal Poly Humboldt University (CPHU) is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) that is 

located in the northernmost part of California. The university is surrounded by the giant 

redwoods of the region and is isolated from other cities due to the mountainous terrain. The 

campus is 34% Hispanic and 49% of all students receive a Pell Grant. The overall enrollment 

has been declining significantly in the past 5 years. CPHU proposes a Title V DHSI project 

entitled: Caminar Juntos (Walking Together), a project that will increase retention and 

graduation for Hispanic, low income and other underserved students. The project will support 

these students as they develop a sense of belonging through academic support services and 

social integration efforts. The project will reduce retention and graduation gaps for students at 

Cal Poly Humboldt and transfer students from College of the Redwoods. 

Cal Poly Humboldt is a public 4-year university and part of the 23-campus California State 

University system. The proposal was developed with the concept of servingness (Garcia, 

Nunez, and Sansone, 2019 in Toward a Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for 

Understanding “Servingness” in Hispanic-Serving Institutions: A Synthesis of the Research) as 

the driver for all activities. 

With intention, this project is not a deficit model based on barriers to success, but rather it is 

based on supports to success. The strategies proposed are primarily based on Bettinger and 

Baker’s work, The Effects of Student Coaching in College: An Evaluation of a Randomized 

Experiment in Student Mentoring (2011), which focused on individualized student coaching 

interventions. 

Goal 1. Increase the percentage and number of Hispanic, low-income, and other 

underserved students who are retained and graduating with degrees from Cal Poly 

Humboldt. Academic Coaches will be trained to provide holistic, wrap-around services in the 

Innovative Learning and Transition Center. The Summer Bridge Academy will provide incoming 

Cal Poly Humboldt and transfer students in need of STEM and non-STEM Math Prep and skill 

development for Math and intentional coaching and guidance via Social and Life Learning 

seminars and supplemental instruction with incentives to succeed. The academy will be guided 

by social and emotional learning theory and will address needed academic skills and social 

resources for college success. Goal 2. Increase transfer success of Hispanic, low-income, 

and other underserved students through collaborative efforts such as development of a 

Redwoods Innovative Learning and Transition Center. Conduct orientations aimed at 

transfer students and first-year freshmen with a Guided Pathways and first year prescribed 

schedule that ensures clear pathways and clear career paths with the goal of graduation in 3 

years. Prescribed First-Year Scheduling will be made available to all participants, decreasing 

barriers in introductory and/or gateway courses with a heightened focus on math through 

culturally responsive practices. Faculty will take part in learning communities. Goal 3. Provide 

coaching and mentoring activities to increase academic skills, sense of belonging, and 

inclusion for underserved students. Provide year-round workshops and seminars along with 

curriculum adoption, training and pedagogy resources for the cultural center advisors on 

campus. Goal 4. Provide faculty, staff and mentors professional development to create a 

positive, inclusive and identity safe environment by fostering a sense of belonging. 

Professional Development will be implemented with relevant topics surrounding inclusion and 

fostering a climate of support. Advisors will engage in culturally responsive academic advising. 

Competitive Preference Priorities Addressed: Yes. CPP 1. Meeting Students Social, 

Emotional and Academic Needs. CPP 2. Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, 

Affordability Completion and Post Enrollment Success.
15

Indian River State College

ABSTRACT

Title: De las promesa to practice: Ensuring Hispanic student success at IRSC.

Indian River State College (IRSC) is a comprehensive college that transforms lives by

offering high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to more than 22,000 students 

annually

at five campuses on Florida’s Treasure Coast. Committed to cultivating achievement for every

student, IRSC provides a creative, dynamic, outcomes-oriented learning and teaching

environment in which student success is always the highest priority. IRSC is dedicated to the

belief that every student is capable of success through high-quality instruction, personal

attention, and effective support services.

IRSC’s service district is one of the most ethnically diverse regions in Florida with large

populations of Haitians, African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic residents,

including a growing Guatemalan community. During the past five years, our service district has

seen tremendous growth in our Hispanic populations. Demographic data show a 20% increase 

in

White, Hispanic; 31% increase in Black, Hispanic; 22% increase in Asian, Hispanic; and a 27%

increase in those who identify as two or more races, Hispanic.

IRSC is primarily a two-year degree granting institution and awards associate in arts,

associate in science, baccalaureate, and certificates. IRSC is served by 798 full-time 

employees,

including 253 full-time faculty, 912 adjunct faculty, and 563 part-time staff. IRSC had a total

enrollment of 16,308 students in Fall 2020, of which 32% were Hispanic 16% were Black, and

61% were female. The total underrepresented enrollment was 51%, while white enrollment was

43% for the institution. The 150% graduation rate for students is at 42% for female students,

38% for Hispanic students, 28% for black students, and 45% for white students. This suggests

that an equity gap exists between the graduation rates of students of color versus their white

counterparts. More than 40% of our student population receives Pell awards and 28.2% of

students are pursuing certificate or degree programs full-time.

Strategies: To address the challenges described in the CDP, Indian River State College is

proposing two activities: (1) improve Hispanic and low-income students’ well-being and

secondary achievement; (2) increase Hispanic and low-income students’ post-secondary 

access,

retention and degree completion. De las promesa to practice: Ensuring Hispanic student 

success

at IRSC is designed to increase Hispanic and low-income student success.
16

Lake Tahoe Community College 

ABSTRACT

Project Title: Caminos y Progreso 

Target Population: Latinx and low-income students in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., and the 

surrounding areas of California and Nevada; Ninth-12th grade students at South Tahoe and Mt. 

Tallac high schools. 

Services and Proposed Activities: Caminos y Progreso will include three distinct activities 

• • Activity 1: Pathways to College. This activity will focus on helping students be 

prepared for college through the development and expansion of a dual enrollment program for 

two local schools: South Tahoe High School (STHS) and Mt. Tallac Continuation School 

(MTCS). LTCC will develop and implement a collaborative model for dual enrollment that pairs 

high school teachers with LTCC faculty to co-teach dual enrollment classes. 

• • Activity 2: Student Success Teams by Meta Major. To assist students in 

progressing successfully through one of LTCC’s five meta-major pathways, grant funds will be 

used to develop a new initiative that will create a success team for each meta major. Incoming 

students will be assigned to a Success Team that will work collaboratively to provide integrated 

and wrap-around academic and support services. 

• • Activity 3: Equity-Focused Professional Development. This activity will focus on 

providing professional development opportunities to LTCC faculty, high school teachers working 

with them on dual enrollment courses, and classified employees working directly with students. 

This training will include an annual one-day on-campus professional development experience 

for educators, practitioners and community leaders centered on educational equity and social 

justice. 

Anticipated Results: This project will result in improved graduation/transfer and retention 

rates; services to 250 high school dual credit students and 1,000 other students; and 

professional development for faculty and staff, as illustrated below. Objective 1: By Sept. 

30, 2027, increase the three-year (150% time) graduation/transfer rate for Latinx students 

by 9 percentage points. Baseline: 19% 

Objective 2: By Sept. 30, 2027, raise the retention rate for all students by 17.5 

percentage points. Baseline: 37.5% (three-year average) 

Objective 3: By Sept. 30, 2027, provide credit-bearing dual enrollment courses to 250 

students. Baseline: 108 

Objective 4: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the average GPA for Latinx students by .126 

points. 

Baseline: 2.774 

Objective 5: By Sept. 30, 2027, 50 faculty members (full and part time) will be trained 

through an on-campus equity-based professional development opportunity. Baseline: 0 

Objective 6: By Sept. 30, 2027, LTCC will serve 1,000 students with grant-funded 

services. 

Baseline: 0 
17

Laredo College (LC)

ABSTRACT

The Learning Engaging & Academic Support through Data-driven Action (LEAD) grant project 

will provide Hispanic, low-income, and underserved students the academic and career 

pathways that foster retention, persistence and completion to graduation through studentcentered high impact practices guided by gathered and analyzed data. LC has 97.4% Hispanic 

enrollment.

Goal 1 Learning addresses the need to increase the number of Hispanic, low-income 

underserved students who will begin their first-year experience with a Pathways Summer Bridge 

Program and create eportfolios to document their efforts and experiences. First-year 

experiences* and eportfolios** are high-impact practices that increase student retention rates, 

student engagement, and graduation. Creation of an endowment will help to institutionalize 

these practices. (CPP2)

Goal 2 Engaging addresses the need to create a positive, inclusive, and identity-safe climate for

students through the LEAD Center***. The Center will include the services of highly trained

Licensed Professional Counselors beginning in the Pathways Summer Bridge and later on call 

to

provide services at the LEAD Center. (CPP1)

Goal 3 Academic Support will provide Hispanic, low-income and underserved students the 21st

century tools to increase their academic success. The ELearning Center will be enhanced to

include eLearning Wellness Hubs ****providing students opportunities for physical activity

connected to healthy eating, mental wellness and learning. Center for Teaching Excellence &

Learning Center (CTEL) will provide a professional development series to focus on learner 

centered course design using the latest technology tools for student learning to further equity,

diversity, and inclusion. (CPP1&2)

Competitive Preference Priority 1 (CPP1) addresses meeting the social, emotional, and

academic needs of underserved students at the LEAD Center: a positive, inclusive, and identity 

safe climate for students.

Competitive Preference Priority 2 (CPP2) addresses increasing postsecondary education

access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success. Students will participate in high

impact practices designed to make access, and success in the postsecondary education 

experience

to increase retention, engagement, and graduation.

Promising Evidence Studies:

* Ensuring Quality & Taking High-Impact Practices to Scale by George D Kuh and Ken 

O’Donnell, with Case

Studies by Sally Reed. (Washington, DC: AAC&U, 2013).

** EPortfolios: International Journal of ePortfolios, “Editorial: ePortfolios-The eleventh high 

impact practice.

(2016). Retrieved from http://theijep.com

*** Transition to College Intervention Report, Institute of Education Sciences, U. S. Department 

of Education, What

Works Clearinghouse. (2018, March). Retrieved from http://whatworks.ed.gov. Summer 

Counseling

**** Literature Review by David Rubis, (2020) Northwestern College, Iowa, reinforces the idea 

that increasing

physical activity in students improves academic performance, fitness and health, as well as 

social-emotional health.
18

Life Pacific University (LPU) 

ABSTRACT

Project Title: LPU Student Success Initiative

Life Pacific University (LPU) is committed to providing accessible, quality education and

student experiences intended to develop skills to actively engage as a member of a community,

effectively live in transformational personal competence and resilience, and live a healthy and

transformed life during and beyond college. The LPU student population is majority Hispanic

and includes historically underserved populations including underrepresented minority students,

first-generation, Pell-eligible, and academically underprepared students. The student body

represents a high need of support and strong integration into community life to ensure that they

are retained year by year through graduation. Currently, LPU’s retention rates, particularly for

these underserved students, are below those of peer institutions. LPU has identified strategies 

to improve these rates leading to increased student success, however the strategies require 

funding.

This project, the Student Success Initiative (SSI), is drawn from evidence-based research

and carefully crafted to address identified weaknesses through institutional goals focused on

increasing the success of Hispanic and other underserved students. To accomplish these goals,

the plan details two major activities: 1) Increase�retention and degree completion rates for

Hispanic and underserved students through an integrated and strategically sequenced student

success initiative that encompasses the summer LIFE Bridge program, increased usage of the

Academic Support Center, an expanded Student Success Coaching program, peer mentoring,

career preparedness, and the basic needs program, and 2) Strengthen capacity for faculty and

staff development in culturally sensitive pedagogy and research-based strategies through

Educational Development Programs and the creation of Certificates of Excellence in Student

Success.

The institutional analysis, research-based promising evidence, and the project design

sections lead to a comprehensive, deliberate implementation plan and evaluation plan for the

Student Success Initiative. Project outcomes will increase student persistence from the crucial

first year to second year, and completion of their educational programs as well as faculty and

staff development focused on enhanced teaching and serving Hispanic students, firstgeneration,

low-income, and academically underprepared students.
19

McLennan Community College 

ABSTRACT 

McLennan Community College (MCC) is a public, two-year Hispanic-Serving Institution. 

Located in Waco (McLennan County), Texas, halfway between Dallas and Austin, MCC serves 

a diverse student population of over 7,300 students per term. The Waco metropolitan area is the 

largest metro area in the state not served directly by a four-year public college or university. 

MCC’s Title V grant project, Cultivating Student Success and Persistence with Growth Mindset 

Intervention, will put into place innovative support structures designed to create enriching 

academic opportunities that foster student resilience and sense of belongingness for MCC’s 

diverse student population. Project components include building academic cohorts with adult 

students age 25+, enhancing faculty support systems by providing professional development for 

instructors of developmental education and gateway courses, and building faculty/staff to 

student mentoring relationships among students . 

The MCC Project will build institutional capacity to increase the number of Hispanic and lowincome students attaining postsecondary degrees and facilitate access, persistence, retention, 

and completion across the College. The Project will have measurable and significant outcomes 

as follows: (1) Decrease the rate of zero credits earned by first term FTIC adult learners by 5%, 

(2) Increase the average FTIC student first year course completion to 80% of adult learners, (3) 

Increase first fall to spring FTIC student persistence rate to 76% of adult learners, and (4) 

Increase annual FTIC student persistence rate to 62% of adult learners, (5) Increase the 

percentage of FTIC adult learners completing a degree or certificate within three years to 30%, 

(6) Increase the percentage of FTIC adult learners transferring to a four-year institution post 

MCC graduation to 34%, and (7) Increase the percentage of FTIC adult learners who become 

employed within one year of completing a degree or certificate. 

MCC is requesting $2,660,977 over five years to support the initiative and related activities. 

Competitive Preference Priority: MCC’s project addresses both of the Competitive Preference 

Priorities: 1) Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs and 2) Increasing 

Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. 

Contact: Dr. Johnette McKown, President, McLennan Community College, 1400 College Drive, 

Waco, TX 76708. 254-299-8601. jmckown@mclennan.edu
20

Mendocino College, Ukiah CA 

ABSTRACT

Mendocino College, a two-year community college established in 1973, serves one of the most 

isolated regions in California. The nearest four-year school, Sonoma State University, is more 

than an hour away for our centrally located students, and two hours away for students located 

on the periphery of both counties, with no public transportation available. Most students in Lake 

and Mendocino counties interested in a college degree start at Mendocino College, for both 

geographical and financial reasons. The average student population at Mendocino College is 

4,000 with 40% identified as Hispanic, making Mendocino College a Hispanic Serving Eligible 

Institution as of 2013. 

During this extensive and exhaustive planning process, issues of inclusion, transfer, student 

services, academic enrichment, retention, data management, and resource development 

emerged as the college’s top priorities. Mendocino College has as a priority in its institutional 

strategic action plan to improve retention and completion of minoritized students through 

equitable practices. As a response to post-pandemic needs, Mendocino College also aims to 

improve retention of second year Hispanic and minoritized students and their goal completion 

over the life of the grant. 

Activity One: METAS Project –

Mendocino Equitable Transition for 

Access and Success, supported by 

involving all areas of the college, will 

implement equity-minded and researchbased strategies to develop a college 

culture that promotes, expedites, and 

values student success among Hispanic 

and minoritized students. Activity one will 

comprise of six components, all of which 

are critical to improving the retention and 

success of Hispanic and minoritized 

students as they move through MC’s 

educational pipeline: METAS 

Objectives/Outcomes 

5 Year Goals 

1) Increase the Retention/Persistence rate 

of second year METAS students, (Exceed 

the current rate of 51.46% to 75% by 2027) 

Goal 1: Student Retention and Success 

2) Increase the number of METAS students completing key transfer courses, (Will 

increase from 21% to 30%) 

3) Decrease the unit accumulation of degree/transfer METAS students, (Accumulation will 

decrease from 68 units to 65 units) 

4) Re-design and implement equity-based 

practices by training student-facing staff 

using “Ready for Rigor” framework, (80% of 

student facing staff will be trained) 

GOAL 2: Professional Development, 

GOAL 3: Cultural Competence 

5) Build upon equity-based practices by having student-facing staff participate in the 

Career Ladders Project, (80% of student facing staff will be trained) 

6) Increase the award/degree/transfer 

completion rate of METAS students. (Rate 

will increase from 10% to 30% by 2027) 

Goal 1: Student Retention and Success 
21

Miami Dade

ABSTRACT 

Miami Dade College’s West Campus (MDC West) will implement the Models of Instruction for 

Latinx Literacy Advancement and Success (MILLAS) project. MILLAS aims to increase pass 

rates for Hispanic and low-income students in literacy gateway courses, increase the 

percentage of students who pass the next-level Gordon Rule writing courses, and increase 

literacy success in specific career preparation courses. 

Project activities will include: developing a Literacy Wellness Spa support menu, including (1) 

Focus Forward, a combination bridge and academy program to prepare students for future 

courses; (2) Just in Time tutoring, on-demand tutors who will be available to meet the student at 

a designated area on campus or virtually; (3) Literacy Cafes, a form of a Recitation Hall that 

includes planned and microlabs; and (4) English Polish, a residency-type experience to 

enhance English language skills and literacy for students who already have established careers 

or entrepreneurial ventures. MILLAS will provide faculty, staff, and student professional 

development, undergraduate research stipends, purchase and install SMART kiosks, and 

provide intrusive and comprehensive advisement to increase progression and completion 

benchmark achievement. 

Measurable objectives include: (1) increase pass rates in literacy courses by 10%; (2) maintain 

fall-to-fall retention rates to 75% among MILLAS students; (3) 75% of MILLAS students will 

participate in grant-sponsored extra-curricular activities; (4) increase retention of students who

pass next level Gordon Rule writing courses by 10%; (5) Yearly review of lessons learned and 

sustainable practices; (6) create MILLAS Literacy Wellness Spa supports to have 

interactive/engaging learning experience that increase a sense of belonging; (7) transform 

Literacy Gateway Courses into interactive/engaging learning experiences to increase a sense 

belonging; (8) Optimize the space and services by the Literacy Wellness Spa; (9) increase the 

number of students that maintain full-time enrollment in fall and spring semesters by 2% per 

year; (10) increase academic support for active learning and non-cognitive skills; (11) provide 

and equip students with the necessary skills to be successful in ENC1101; (12) provide students 

with wrap-around services. 

MILLAS addresses both Competitive Preference Priorities (1) “meeting student social, 

emotional, and academic need” and (2) “increasing postsecondary education access, 

affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success.”
22

New Jersey City University 

ABSTRACT

New Jersey City University will undertake a $3.0 million program of interventions intended to 

increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students who attain baccalaureate degrees at 

NJCU. This goal will be achieved by improving the 6-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time 

students and the 3-year graduation rate for full-time transfer students. 66% of NJCU’s 

undergraduate students belong to underrepresented minority groups, and 43% transferred from 

six nearby minority-serving community colleges. Like many of its peer institutions, NJCU strives 

to retain and graduate more of its undergraduates. 

The goal of this Title V grant-funded project, which aligns with NJCU’s four strategic goals from 

Transforming Lives, is to improve the graduation, persistence, enrollment and postsecondary 

success of Hispanic and low-income students at NJCU. This goal will be accomplished through 

a single activity: Holistic Assistance to Improve Learner Outcomes (HALO), which includes four 

Objectives. Each Objective will be addressed through a clear, customized Strategy: 

• Objective 1: Improved persistence through effective learner supports  Strategy 1: Academic 

support in Composition courses to improve persistence 

• Objective 2: Improved academic & personal success through effective support services 

Strategy 2: Intrusive “wrap-around supports” for underserved students 

• Objective 3: Increased transfer student success through improved transfer systems  Strategy 

3: Dual-admit agreements, curriculum alignment, transfer advisement 

• Objective 4: Improved quality of instruction in Composition courses  Strategy 4: Faculty 

professional development to support effective teaching 

The design and implementation plan for Wrap-Around Supports to Promote Student Success 

are informed by a thorough institutional analysis performed during our periodic accreditation 

process, as well as by evidence of promise derived from similar interventions at peer institutions 

with similar student populations. 

The evaluation of Holistic Assistance to Improve Learner Outcomes will measure its student 

outcomes and effectiveness against its objectives, goals, Comprehensive Development Plan 

goals, and Title V program performance measures, as well as program specific benchmarks: 

• Increased 6-year graduation rate from 36% to 41% for students utilizing HALO supports 

• Increased persistence from 74% to 90% for students utilizing HALO supports 

• Improved grades & GPAs among students utilizing HALO supports 

• Improved postgraduate planning & outcomes for students utilizing HALO supports 

• Increased 3-year graduation rate from 64% to 75% for transfer students 

• Increased persistence from 68% to 80% for transfer students 

• Increase in transfer students to NJCU from 753 to 880 

• Dual-admit agreements and transfer guides for community college partners 

• Embedded Tutoring and academic & career coaching for 600 students annually 

• Improved learning outcomes in revised courses or courses adopting teaching technology 
23

Palo Alto College, 

ABSTRACT

Palo Alto College (PAC), one of the five Alamo Colleges, began offering classes in 1985

with an enrollment of 231 students. Now in its 37th year, the college has an enrollment of 

10,559 students and continues to provide high-quality education in San Antonio and has been a 

pillar of the south side– a historically impoverished, educationally underserved, and 

predominantly Hispanic community. PAC requests $2,943,985 to fund its proposed Developing 

Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant project for a five-year period (October 1, 2022 –

September 30, 2027) with a targeted emphasis on Hispanic and low-income students in San 

Antonio. Project Avance, or “Advance” in English, is designed to establish college-wide best 

practices and support one activity, Increasing Student Enrollment, Persistence and 

Success, with three (3) supporting components: 1) Increase Student Support: developing 

comprehensive and collaborative academic and student service programs with the creation of 

the STEM & Agriculture Experiential Learning Center (SAELC) related to PAC’s STEM 

pathways, Agriculture and Horticulture programs 2) Growing Partnerships: strengthening 

industry and employer relations to increase student internship and service-learning 

opportunities, assist faculty with externships to gain insight to industry needs, and work with 

feeder high schools for summer bridge programs 3) Enrich Learning: increasing professional 

development for faculty to support curriculum design that incorporates career readiness and 

cultural competency for student success. 

Avance addresses Competitive Preference Priority 1: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and 

Academic Needs and Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary Education 

Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.
24

Passaic County Community College, NJ 

ABSTRACT 

Location: Paterson, New Jersey 

Name of the Project: Pathways to College Completion (PtCC) 

Located in Paterson, New Jersey, Passaic County Community College (PCCC) is a two-year, 

public, urban institution. Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 

PCCC serves 5,206 students, a predominantly low-income, minority student population, 61 

percent of whom are Hispanic. Based on comprehensive planning and analysis, PCCC has 

identified a key problem that is threatening institutional growth and self-sufficiency: Declining 

enrollments among new students, coupled with insufficient onboarding practices and use of 

support services, are contributing to low numbers of Hispanic and low-income students who 

complete postsecondary degree programs in a timely manner undermining PCCC’s selfsufficiency. 

To address this issue, PCCC proposes to implement a comprehensive project that will aid the 

transition of Hispanic and low-income students into postsecondary education and serve as a 

catalyst for program completion. The Project’s four components will include an Early College 

Initiative with four urban high schools; improved student on-boarding practices; extensive 

training for PCCC faculty and high school instructors in creating a welcoming environment for 

diverse students; and integrated holistic support services. As a result of the Project, the College 

anticipates increases in student enrollment, retention, and program completion. The Project will 

leverage and expand upon PCCC’s commitment to Guided Pathways. 

During the five-year project period, 2,000 Hispanic and low-income students and 100 faculty 

members and high school instructors will benefit. The Project directly addresses Competitive 

Preference Priority 1 and Competitive Preference Priority 2. The total cost of implementing 

this initiative is $2,997,806.
25

Pinal Community College, AZ

ABSTRACT 

Central Arizona College (CAC) is the only community college and institution of higher education 

in Pinal County, a 5,300 square mile region located between Phoenix and Tucson (map). This 

Title V project will confront the unacceptably low rates at which Hispanic and other traditionally 

underrepresented students persist and succeed at CAC and transfer to four-year institutions. 

Approximately 60 percent of our first-year students each year do not return to the institution for 

their second year of study. Hispanic students comprise 31 percent of our total student 

enrollment but only 11 percent of our graduates. The lackluster retention and completion rates 

of our male Hispanic, Native American, and African American students are particularly 

problematic. 

The low rate of retention creates problems for institutional management and the college’s fiscal 

stability. We are losing millions of dollars in potential revenue due to the great number of 

students not returning to the institution for their second year of study. 

To address these significant problems in academic programs, institutional management, and 

fiscal stability, we are proposing a Title V project that: 

• Revises the general education courses so that they are more relevant to students and contain 

approaches that deepen learning, enhance persistence, and increase the likelihood of students 

transferring to four-year institutions. 

• Provides students with financial literacy workshops and financial incentives to participate in 

them. These workshops will prioritize students in programs (Career and Technical Programs in 

particular) with high withdrawal rates because students (mostly males) are leaving to secure 

work in their fields of study before they graduate. 

• Provides structured learning assistance (a form of supplemental instruction) to first-year nonSTEM track students taking Math 141, a pre-requisite course for non-STEM majors, so more 

students pass this course and thus persist in their studies. 

• Employs an instructional designer to help faculty apply Universal Design Principles to their 

courses and use technology to support equity and other improvements in learning. 

• Provides faculty with professional development in asset-based inclusive pedagogy, to foster 

greater student engagement, improved learning, and the enhanced retention of students 

(Competitive Preference Priority 1). 

• Implements a coordinated approach to addressing students’ basic needs, so that students are 

less likely to leave the college because they need to work to meet their needs or for mental 

health issues relating to stress and trauma. (Competitive Preference Priority 2). 

Central Arizona College is requesting $2,894,780 in Title V funds for this five-year project. The 

College will provide $100,210.95 in matching funds to phase in the institutionalization of the 

project in its fourth and fifth years.
26

Lehman College, NY

ABSTRACT

Herbert H. Lehman College is the only senior college of the City University of New York

in the Bronx, the poorest borough of New York City and the second poorest county in New York

State (NYS). The percentage of Bronx residents who have a high school diploma is lower than

in the state and the nation. The percentage of Hispanics living in the Bronx is almost twice that

of New York City and almost three times that of NYS. Non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics

account for approximately 80% of all Lehman College students. Also of importance is the fact

that a large percentage of students at Lehman are poor and receive Federal support to attend

school.

Lehman College’s proposed program, SEAMLSS: Seamless Educational Advancement to

Maximize Lehman Student Success is designed to improve educational outcomes for Hispanic 

or low-income Lehman-bound transfer students enrolled in the Health Services Administration 

(HSA) program; a popular program for transfer students who are seeking to gain employment in 

the healthcare industry; the top employer in the Bronx. The SEAMLSS program has three goals: 

(1) increase persistence and graduation of Hispanic or low-income transfer students majoring in

HSA; (2) increase successful internship experiences; and (3) increase successful transition to

workforce or graduate school. To accomplish these goals, the program will: (1) Increase

retention and graduation of Hispanic or low-income students majoring in the HSA program

through improved, active, targeted advising; (2) Enhance the internship experience through the

use of technology; (3) Increase financial literacy among Hispanic or low-income students 

enrolled in the HSA program; and (4) Increase support for transfer students before, during, and 

after transfer, and before graduation.

To ensure meaningful data are collected to assess implementation and achievement of

project objectives, an evaluation team will evaluate the SEAMLSS project and collaborate with

the Lehman project team. If SEAMLSS is implemented we anticipate that 69.8% of all transfer

students entering Lehman in Fall 2026 (a 12.8% increase from Fall 2017) will successfully

graduate and if this trend is continued, the overall economic mobility for Bronx residents will 

increase.
27

Riverside City College/Moreno Valley College, CA

ABSTRACT

Moreno Valley College (MVC) is a two-year, publicly supported Hispanic Serving Institution, 

located in Moreno Valley, California. It is one of three accredited colleges in the Riverside 

Community College District and became California’s 111th community college when it obtained 

accreditation in 2010. Students attending MVC seek a variety of educational outcomes, ranging 

from personal development, career advancement, degree/certificate completion, or transfer to 

four-year universities. Student demographics reflect the diverse communities of Riverside and 

San Bernardino counties, from which the College draws most of its students. Of the 16,092 

students enrolled in 2018-2019 (the most recent non-COVID year), 64% were Hispanic, 11.3% 

were African American, and 16.05% were Caucasian. More than 58% were female, while more 

than 81% of MVC’s students received need-based financial aid. 

A major goal for Moreno Valley College is to transition from its history as a “specialized campus” 

to a comprehensive community college that offers a full array of standalone academic 

programs, as well as wraparound student services to ensure that students have the support 

they need to be successful. As a relatively young college still finding itself, MVC has benefitted 

from recent efforts nationwide to re-engineer the community college, so that the system is better 

able to serve the diverse socio-economic students enrolled in community college. These efforts 

include the use of the nationally recognized and research-based Guided Pathways framework. 

Through the proposed Title V project, entitled Engage, Empower, Succeed: Student Pathways 

Project, Moreno Valley College will be able to fully implement the Guided Pathways framework 

that it has been working steadily to adopt since 2018. Moreno Valley College’s Title V project 

will support this goal by engaging college administration, faculty, and staff to enact 

comprehensive changes across the entire college. 

Moreno Valley College plans to fully implement the Guided Pathways Framework by 

strengthening the six emerging student Engagement Centers under development to support the 

College’s six new “Schools.” These centers will integrate the delivery of instructional and 

student services that assist Hispanic and low-income students in attaining their educational 

goals and provide critical professional development to instructional faculty, counseling faculty, 

staff, and peer mentors. Grant funds will be used for the following: (1) to hire a Project Director 

to support the coordination of the engagement centers and ensure centers have the resources 

they need; (2) develop a Community of Practice in each School around which professional 

development, program expansion/enhancement, and services/resources will develop; and (3) 

engage Peer Mentors, targeting first year students. By fully implementing Guided Pathways, 

MVC will achieve the following long-term outcomes: 

(1) increase course completion rates for Hispanic and low-income students; 

(2) improve basic skills course completion for Hispanic and low-income students; 

(3) increase persistence of Hispanic and low-income students; 

(4) reduce excessive unit accumulation for Hispanic and low-income students; and 

(5) increase degree and certificate completion for Hispanic and low-income students 

Project staff will work with Title V Evaluator, Dr. David Trujillo, to evaluate the success of this 

project in achieving these outcomes, as well as its impact on the overall development of Moreno 

Valley College, as it works to achieve its vision as a comprehensive community college.
28

San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (SJBSM), PR

ABSTRACT

San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (SJBSM), a Hispanic-Serving Institution located in 

Caguas, Puerto Rico proposes a Title V Individual Development Program to expand educational 

opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of Hispanic students, enhance the 

University’s academic offerings, programs quality, faculty expertise, and institutional stability. 

The Project addresses Competitive Preference Priority 1 Meeting Student Social, Emotional, 

and Academic Needs; and Competitive Preference Priority 2 by Increasing Postsecondary 

Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. The Project Activity 

will enhance student support services, expand institutional physical and technological 

infrastructure, and improve academic success. SJBMS has a total enrollment of 453 students 

(100% full-time), 62 undergraduates of whom 100% are Hispanic, 19% male and 81% female. 

Contact: Dr. Yocasta Brugal Phone: 787-743-3038 ybrugal@sanjuanbautista.edu 

Although SJBMS is a recognized leader in higher education, many of its students, fail to achieve 

their academic goals due to limited academic and support services that will improve students’ 

academic performance. Through this Title V application, SJBMS aims to provide students with 

opportunities to develop the necessary skills and competency required in the nursing industry. 

The proposed Activity “Expand Opportunities to Improve Students’ Academic and Support 

Services” intends to: 1) Improve the nursing physical and equipment infrastructure of SJBSM 

and strengthen its’ institutional capacity; 2) Improve the nursing program’s curriculum and 

expand the student support services for enrollment, retention and graduation; 3) Enhance High 

School student Support Services to transition and succeed in Postsecondary Education (CPP2); 

4) Strengthening SJBSM’s Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Commitment (CPP1), and 5) Improve 

the student data collection and analysis, student support services and financial management 

with a digital platform (CPP2). 

The University's enhancement of its physical and equipment infrastructure; academic and 

student support programs; the strengthening in the use of technology-based educational 

resources; and the curriculum enhancement, will improve SJBMS’s ability to attract, retain, and 

graduate more students with the skills and knowledge required to be competitive in-demand 

occupations, or continue graduate or professional studies. 

Sample key measures: At the end of the five years, compared with current baselines: 85% of 

nursing students with academic deficiencies will be receiving structured tutoring services; the 

number of students failing core courses will be reduced by at least 20%; the students’ GPA will 

increase by at least 25%; 100% of students’ receiving financial literacy program; improvement of 

10% each year in soft skills and financial literacy skills and knowledge of students. The Activity’s 

budget dedicates: 51% for personnel and fringe benefits; 15% for contractual; 15% for supplies; 

12% for equipment; .6% for travel; and6.4% for physical facilities renovation.
29

San Mateo College, CA

ABSTRACT 

Pathway to Excelencia: Creating Equitable Opportunities through Progressive and 

Innovative Teaching and learning 

The College of San Mateo (CSM) has served the diverse educational, economic, social, and 

cultural needs of its community for 100 years, making it the one of the oldest community 

colleges in the state and the oldest of three colleges in the San Mateo County Community 

College District (SMCCCD). CSM has evolved into a multicultural institution that continues a 

tradition of educational excellence by providing a broad range of quality and innovative 

programs to serve the academic and vocational needs of its approximately 8,000 culturally and 

linguistically diverse students. The majority of CSM students come from traditionally 

underrepresented populations (52%), many are the first in their family to attend college (55%), 

almost half of students receive aid (45%), and over half of students attend part-time (59%). 

CSM’s Hispanic student enrollment has steadily grown from 19% in fall 2007 to 33% in fall 

2021. This upward trend is projected to continue over the next several years. 

An increasing percentage of Hispanic students served by the college presents CSM with both 

the challenge and the opportunity to increase the number of Hispanic students who graduate 

with STEM and other degrees and to provide evidence-based services and activities designed 

to improve student success for all CSM students. CSM will accomplish these broad goals 

through a multi-component project design that is based on research, best practices, strategies, 

and CSM’s own experiences shown to impact persistence, retention, and completion. CSM is 

committed to creating a socially just campus climate wherein everybody is welcomed and 

celebrated, and wherein everybody is an integral part of the campus. 

Strategies: Strategy 1: Develop undergraduate research course; Strategy 2: Expand math 

community of practice (Math CoP); Strategy 3: Develop Chemistry Associate Degree for 

Transfer; Strategy 4: Replicate STEM Center; Strategy 5: Expand antiracism training for 

tutors/students and support student-developed projects; Strategy 6: Expand HyFlex technology 

in classrooms; and Strategy 7: Upgrade planetarium. 

Goals: 1. Support student aspirations by creating equitable opportunities for all and committing 

to progressive and innovative teaching and learning (AP); 2. Enhance Infrastructure and 

systems to support CSM’s mission (IM); and 3. Improve student metrics and FTES for increased 

fiscal stability (FS). 

Outcomes: Measurable outcomes include changes in: graduation rates (Obj. 1-2); transfer-level 

math and English completion (Obj. 3-4); research opportunities (Obj. 5); students who pursue 

new Chemistry Associate Degree for Transfer (Obj. 6); faculty participation in math community 

of practice (Obj. 7); satisfaction with STEM Center services (Obj. 8); impacts of participation in 

antiracist training and projects (Obj. 9); satisfaction with new HyFlex classrooms (Obj. 10);

satisfaction with planetarium experience (Obj. 11); and increased FTES (Obj. 12). 

Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2: Both CPPs are addressed (Strategies 3, 4, and 5).
30

Santa Clarita Community College, CA

ABSTRACT 

The Santa Clarita Community College District, more commonly known as College of the 

Canyons (COC), is an innovative, fully accredited two-year public California Community 

College and a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. Located in northern Los Angeles County, 

the College proposes the Title V DHSI Project “A Comprehensive Approach to Improving 

Latinx Student Access, Engagement, and Success.” 

While Hispanic/Latinx students comprised 50% of the College’s student population in Fall 2021, 

only 29% of Hispanic/Latinx students complete a certificate or associate degree program within 

three years, compared to 43% of white students and 52% of Asian students. 62% of the 

Hispanic/Latinx and First Time in College (FTIC) student population receives financial aid, and 

this population is disproportionately impacted in completing degrees and/or certificates. 

Hispanic/Latinx students are also disproportionately represented in enrollment and completion 

of STEM pathways. This same group of students is also less likely to engage in student 

services, coupled with gaps in faculty training in Cultural Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) designed to 

meet the unique needs of diverse learners. COC’s Title V grant will address these primary 

problems: 1) low enrollment and success of Hispanic/Latinx students in STEM degree 

pathways, 2) low retention of Hispanic/Latinx first-time in college (FTIC) students, 3) low degree 

attainment, especially in STEM, and 4) need for CRP classroom training. 

Project Description- The proposed project solutions will be led by a Latinx STEM Student 

Success Team (LS-SST), modeled after the Research and Planning (RP) Group’s six success 

factors framework to ensure Latinx STEM students are Directed, Focused, Nurtured, Engaged, 

Connected, and Valued. Proposed strategies align with both Competitive Preference Priorities 

of (1) Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs and (2) Increasing 

Postsecondary Education Access, and Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. 

Project goals align with the institution’s three strategic goals of student Access, Engagement, 

and Success, where objectives include: (1) targeted outreach, onboarding, and holistic student 

support services (Access); (2) redesign of online courses and integration of Open Education 

Resources (OER) into academic pathways accompanied by STEM Skills Lab courses to help 

improve retention, success, and completion for Hispanic/Latinx FTIC (Success); and (3) robust 

professional development training in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy to strengthen the capacity 

and knowledge of faculty to better engage with and meet the diverse needs of its student 

population (Engage). Grant activities are informed by high-impact, research-based reforms 

meeting What Works Clearinghouse standards and leveraging work underway in OER best 

practices. 

Project Outcomes: The overall goals of grant activities are to increase the: 

• % of FTIC, Hispanic/Latinx students enrolled in STEM academic pathway by 5% 

• % of Hispanic/Latinx Low-Income students participating in support services by 25% 

• % of Hispanic/Latinx STEM students completing transfer–level STEM Math by 10% 

• % of FTIC, Hispanic/Latinx students graduating with a STEM degree by 9% 

• % of Hispanic/Latinx first-time STEM grads transferring to 4-year by 22% 

Allocation of the Budget: COC requests $3,000,000 in Title V funds over a five-year period to 

implement this impactful project.
31

Santa Fe Community College, NM 

ABSTRACT

Project: Exito en SFCC (Succeed at SFCC) 

Summary: SFCC serves approximately 4,000 students each academic year. In Fall 2021, 47% 

were Hispanic and 16% were other minorities. Students are primarily non-traditional adult 

learners (56%) and attend part-time (83%). SFCC has been named a college that is “Best for 

Vets” and “Military Friendly.” Established in 1983, SFCC is an associate degree and certificate 

granting institution. Certificates prepare students for entry-level work and supplement their skills 

for job advancement opportunities; associate degree programs prepare students for a career or 

transfer to a bachelor’s degree program; and dual-credit courses allow high school students to 

receive academic credit from both the high school and the college. 

SFCC is proposing for this grant application Exito en SFCC (Succeed at SFCC), a project that 

will provide outreach support for a college-going culture among area high school students; 

improve onboarding practices for incoming students; develop innovative new professional 

development activities; and improve the college’s infrastructure through the creation of “hyflex” 

classrooms. 

Objectives: SFCC has established the following measurable objectives for this project. 

Objective 1: By Sept. 30, 2027, SFCC will provide outreach on college-going to 1,200 

area high school students and their parents. 

Objective 2a: By Sept. 30, 2027, SFCC will improve the fall-to-fall persistence rate for all 

students to 58% and 

Objective 2b: By Sept. 30, 2027, SFCC will improve the fall-to-fall persistence rate for 

Hispanic students to 58%. 

Objective 3a: SFCC will increase the 150% (three-year) graduation rate for all students 

to 14%. 

and 

Objective 3b: By Sept. 30, 2027, SFCC will increase the 150% (three-year) graduation 

rate for Hispanic students to 14%. 

Objective 4a: By Sept. 30, 2027, 35% of all SFCC full-time students will be transfer ready 

after six semesters (earned at least 60 credit hours). 

and 

Objective 4b: By Sept. 30, 2027, 25% of SFCC’s full-time Hispanic students will be 

transfer ready after six semesters (earned at least 60 credit hours). 

Objective 5: By Sept. 30, 2027, 85% of all SFCC students will self-report a sense of 

belonging at the college. 
32

Schreiner University, TX

ABSTRACT

Focus Forward: Building a Better Future

Schreiner University (SU) is a private, four-year, liberal arts University nestled in the Texas Hill

Country city of Kerrville approximately 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. Schreiner has

become a beacon of hope for both rural and urban Hispanic students and their families seeking

quality university experience where students are known by name, not as a number. At 

Schreiner,

our students Enter with Hope and Leave with Achievement. As of Fall, 2021 our Hispanic

student population was 37% and growing.

Focus Forward is based, in large part, on the finding of multiple student focus groups, including

the Hispanic Club, Olé. Each focus group included several Hispanic students. Although the

initiatives for this proposal grew out of the student input, the proposed activities are linked to

plans and goals in SU’s strategic and annual plans and are consistent with our accreditation 

self-study outcomes and Strategic Enrollment and Management Plan. Successful 

implementation of

this project will help to resolve the major problems facing SU.

Focus Forward fully meets the Department of Education’s two competitive preference priorities:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability,

Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success

Successful implementation of this project will increase retention, persistence, graduation, and

enhancement of Hispanic students’ sense of belonging. It will increase the ease and numbers of

Hispanic students transferring from two-year institutions and help non-traditional and dual credit

students smoothly enter the University setting. The initiatives proposed in Focus Forward have 

been carefully considered. Like the rest of the world, our students, faculty and staff are doing 

their best to deal with Covid-related change fatigue. Changes being proposed are gentle and 

focus on building safe, strong, interpersonal relationships, providing a community of support 

both academic and personal, embracing asset-based teaching and learning, celebrating diverse 

cultures and each other, while focusing on the whole student rather than just academic issues. 

Initiatives in this proposal only include activities SU can reasonably sustain with no assumption 

of increased funding. Total five-year budget request is $2,993,498.
33

South Mountain Community College, AZ

ABSTRACT 

Project Title: Students to Professionals: Learning in the Context of Careers 

Target Area: AZ-007, The South Phoenix Community 

Project Budget Request: $2,940,842 

Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP) Addressed: 

CPP #1: Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs 

CPP #2: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, and Post-Enrollment 

Success 

South Mountain Community College (SMCC) serves the key point of access for higher 

education in South Phoenix community, a highly diverse geographic area. Enrolling students are 

predominantly young with 82.5% between the ages of 20-34 (52% aged 20-24), first generation 

students (70% from institutional FAFSA data), and low-income. The significantly high 

percentage of first-generation students indicates that SMCC students typically have inadequate 

college and career resources to draw from through their families and networks. This reality 

captures the key to SMCC’s working to serve its students more intentionally. Project 

activities are designed to provide “provide high-touch practices for students, including advising 

and experiential learning” to improve connection (belonging) and success (Dr Gina Ann Garcia). 

Project practices will include building family engagement, especially important for SMCC’s 

young student population, by using bilingual materials and outreach to family members. 

SMCC proposes to establish a Career Services Hub and related career minded-practices to 

benefit Hispanic students, who comprise 58% of the SMCC student body. SMCC’s Title V grant

proposal has three goals: 1. Advance a student success agenda; 2. Meet community and 

employer needs; and 3. Deploy career-minded practice to achieve institutional excellence. 

Grant activities will target building intentionality in services to students: (1) Establish a Career 

Services Hub to serve the career and job readiness needs of Hispanic and other low-income 

students; (2) Coordinate with Fields of Interest (FOI) work and programming, counseling, 

academic advising, employer needs and other career-related considerations; (3) Promote 

Work-Based Experiences (WBE) through a career-minded practice, allowing students to 

participate in apprenticeship, clinical experience, co-op, externship, field experience, internship, 

job shadowing, preceptorship, research, and service learning; and, (4) Use a Storytelling 

Institute Model to improve students’ social, emotional, academic and career development. 

Outcomes for Hispanic and other low-income students include: (1) Discover skills, identify their 

passions, and match those factors to a rewarding career path, benefiting from the Pipeline AZ 

cloud-based workforce ecosystem; (2) become work and career-ready through high-touch 

interaction with SMCC career services staff assistance with strategies for successful résumé 

writing, and practice and tips for successful interviews; (3) improvement of students’ first-year 

experience as a consequence of exploring students’ FOIs, confirming a program or degree 

pathway, understanding the financial considerations for his or her career, and meeting with the 

students’ advisory teams; and,(4) students will experience enhanced emotional capacity, 

appreciation of the experience of life, and enhanced communications skills from participation in 

the Storytelling Institute. 

The project will implement recently identified best practices of high-performing HSI institutions 

by weaving career-minded practice throughout the entire campus community.
34

Southern Adventist University, TX

ABSTRACT

“STEM Success” Program 

Southern Adventist University (Southern) proposes to establish a STEM Success program for 

Hispanic, low-income, and other underserved student populations. The main program goals 

include the following: 

(1) Present these high school students with a compelling case for pursuing postsecondary 

STEM degrees as an investment in their future; 

(2) Retain them after enrollment through high-quality mentoring programs, targeted curriculum 

improvements focused on at-risk student groups, and directed access to resources addressing 

basic needs (food, transportation, counseling); and 

(3) Graduate students in a fewer number of years and prepare them for immediate employment 

after graduation as a result of hands-on classroom training with state-of-the-art STEM 

equipment, paid internships, and paid undergraduate research. 

Accomplishing these goals will involve further interdepartmental collaboration, an increase in 

student workforce for the existing peer-to-peer mentoring program, engagement of alumni and 

donors, and the hiring of additional staff to execute program plans. 

Measurable Outcomes Include: 

MO1. Increase the number of Hispanic high school students and their families who understand 

financial aid resources for college and access those tools. 

MO2. Increase the ACT/SAT scores of Hispanic high school students as a means for improving 

college enrollment and acceptance and financial aid. 

MO3. Increase collegiate enrollment of Hispanic high school students at Southern, or 

elsewhere, as a result of the STEM Success program's community outreach work. 

MO4. Decrease the total percentage of gateway and core Gen Ed course sections where 10% 

or more of students in a given course earn grades of D or F. 

MO5. Increase the percentage of Hispanic college students engaged in paid undergraduate 

research and internships as means for career preparation. 

MO6. Improve Hispanic student retention percentage between freshman and sophomore years. 

MO7. Improve the 4- and 6-year graduation rates for Hispanic students. 

MO8. Decrease student loan debt for Hispanic students as result of paid research, paid 

internships, and quicker graduation. 

MO9. Initiate comprehensive job placement tracking system and increase percentage of 

Hispanic students employed in STEM careers within one year of graduation.
35

Southwest Texas Junior College, TX

ABSTRACT

VIDA Project

Applicant: Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) is a two-year public community college

located 86 miles west of San Antonio in Uvalde, Texas. SWTJC serves one of the most diverse

and economically disadvantaged regions in Texas. The region’s population is 90% Hispanic, 

and the poverty rate is more than 50% higher than the national average. Fall 2019 enrollment 

was 7,038 students, of which 87% were Hispanic and/or low income.

Significant Problems: SWTJC is facing five identified significant problems:

• The region has an unmet need for mental health resources and support

• The institution lacks a plan for equity assessment & improvement

• Dual Enrollment to College disconnect and low matriculation rates

• Assessment tools are inefficient and cumbersome

Project Description – SWTJC has designed the VIDA Project which addresses the problems

and responds to both Competitive Preference Priority 1 and 2. The objectives and tasks of the

VIDA Project are:

• Objective 1.0: Improve academic and student support services for underserved students to

meet social, emotional, and academic needs.

o Task 1.1: Develop VRC Framework

o Task 1.2: Implement Equity Teams and Institutional Assessment

o Task 1.3: Provide DEI Professional Development opportunities

• Objective 2.0 Increase the access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success

of underserved students

o Task 2.1: Develop 1+1+2 Articulation Agreement

o Task 2.2: Develop E-Report
36

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, TX 

ABSTRACT 

TITLE V OPERATION GRAD

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) is an expanding regional university, 

committed to preparing students for the careers of today and tomorrow. TAMU-CC is 

designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) which 

serves the Coastal Bend Region which is a nine-county area that stretches along Texas’ Gulf 

Coast and is home to a population of 529,314 persons. Corpus Christi is predominantly 

Hispanic (63.8%) (US Census 2021). The current TAMU-CC student undergraduate enrollment 

is 8,262 as of fall 2021. Of these undergraduates, 49% meet the definition of underserved as 

stated in the HSI application guidelines. 

Through this application, TAMU-CC proposes to implement one Activity –

Operation GRAD. There will be two components to this activity (1) the Development of a 

Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) Program will focus on the academic needs of 

underserved students and will include Sense of Belonging (SB) modules. 

SLA will focus on academic and social success but will also highlight the current services 

available to students on campus and provide priority assistance to underserved students, both

academic and social, including tutoring, writing center services, Student Support Services, SSSSTEM, and SSS-Teacher Prep Program. In the TAMU-CC early alert system, STARFISH, a 

unique identifier will be created for an SLA cohort that will enable better tracking and monitoring 

of services utilized and/or when an intervention is needed including the need for resources and 

staff outside the SLA program. 

(2) Infrastructure upgrades for underserved student learning spaces throughout the campus that 

include laboratory upgrades, library innovation, and create new and upgraded computer and 

learning spaces. The campus-wide computer lab system has become outdated, and students do 

not see the areas as useful spaces. By renovating and updating the computer and learning 

spaces and creating a more effective way to track usage by students, we will have data to show 

what services are most utilized and how to improve available student resources. Based on other 

best practices and current literature, it is imperative to have updated facilities for interactive 

learning experiences. 

Operation GRAD will also include SLA evidence-based research and evaluation. The external 

evaluators will review all data with the ultimate goal of constructing a research study that can 

ultimately produce evidence that speaks to the efficacy of SLA and/or SB (separately and in 

combination), meets the most recent What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards 

for group design studies or regression discontinuity studies as specified in version 4.1 of the 

WWC Standards Handbook and Procedures Handbook and other WWC publications (e.g., 

WWC’s Systematic Review Protocol for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Interventions, 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Document/1298), and addresses outcomes and focuses on 

outcome domains specified in version 4.0 (August 2019) of the WWC’s Supporting 

Postsecondary Success Review Protocol 

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/ReferenceResources/ 

WWC_supporting_postsecondary_success_protocol_4.0_08-01-19_sxf.pdf ). 

Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2: Operation GRAD addresses both competitive 

preference priorities.
37

Texas Lutheran University, TX

ABSTRACT

Texas Lutheran University (TLU) is a private 4-year institution located in Seguin, TX. Seguin is 

located approximately 30 miles east of San Antonio, 40 miles south of Austin, and 130 miles 

west of Houston. Historically, the university enrolled a predominately white and significantly 

Lutheran student population from its inception until the early 1990s. In 1993, 20 percent of 

enrolled students were non-white or international. TLU officially received Hispanic-Serving 

Institution status in 2011 with an enrollment of 25 percent Hispanic students. By 2021, TLU 

enrolled a minoritized majority student population with 44 percent Hispanic and 8 percent 

African American. While enrollment of Hispanic students has steadily increased, graduation 

rates remain below the overall TLU rate. The Title V proposal will create the Bulldog 

Undergraduates Engaging iN Opportunities for Success (BUENOS) Center for Excellence 

(BUENOS Center). The BUENOS Center will meet the needs of a diverse student population 

through enhanced and inclusive academic support programs targeting academically at-risk 

students, four-year plans for all students with integrated academic and career planning from 

matriculation to graduation. To meet the academic support needs of TLU students, this 

proposal will create an asset-based and validation focused workshop series called Platicas, 

BUENOS Amigos and Mentors (BAM) mentoring program, and an overhauled New Student and 

Family Orientation. To meet career development needs, this proposal will create the Holistic 

Exploration of Careers by Hands-on Opportunity (HECHO) program. HECHO is a Spanish word 

that means “made” or “done”. HECHO at TLU will be designed to ensure that students’ career 

development experiences address personal exploration and experiential learning. Lastly, the 

establishment of the Center for Information Equity and Learning Outcomes (CIELO) will provide 

an equity data lens for data collection, analysis, and programmatic recommendations. The 

proposal focuses on two primary goals supported by six objectives.

Project Goal 1: Improve undergraduate degree attainment of Hispanic students by 

strengthening academic skills for success.

Objective 1: By 2027, increase percentage of Hispanic undergraduate degree students who 

graduate within four years of entering college to 43% from a baseline of 33%.

Objective 2: By 2027, 75% first-year Hispanic undergraduate degree students will participate in 

academic workshops designed to increase student retention, performance, and graduation.

Objective 3: By 2027, 75% of Hispanic undergraduate degree students will receive library 

training in Information Literacy.

Project Goal 2: Enhance and expand the career development and student support for 

Hispanic students.

Objective 4: By 2027, establish a permanent Spanish Heritage course, Center for Information 

Equity and Learning Outcomes (CIELO) and Bulldog Undergraduates Engaging iN 

Opportunities for Success (BUENOS) Center for Excellence (BUENOS Center) for students that 

coordinates academic, student support, and career activities. Objective 5: By 2027, 75% of 

first-year, Hispanic undergraduate students will participate in one or more career development 

activity related to experiential education (e.g., externships, shadowing opportunity, and personal 

assessments). Objective 6: By 2027, 75% of first-year, Hispanic undergraduate students will be 

paired with a BUENOS Amigos and Mentors (BAM) Leader within their first full semester.
38

Texas State University, TX

ABSTRACT

Project Title: Proyecto Excelencia: Advancing Academic Excellence through Intentional

Student Support, Transfer Navigation, and Faculty Development.

Overview: Proyecto Excelencia will improve the academic attainment of Hispanic and other

underserved students by increasing equitable student success at Texas State University 

(TXST),

enhancing access to student academic support, strengthening transfer student navigation

processes, and providing professional development opportunities for faculty centered on equity 

minded approaches.

Target Population: Hispanic students, underserved students including low-income and firstgeneration students, and TXST faculty.

Services and Proposed Activities: There are three primary activities designed to address

persistent challenges in producing equitable student success. Activity 1 will focus on the 

creation of an Academic Help Center with Success Navigators and Coaches that will serve all 

incoming and current freshman and transfer students who encounter barriers to success or who 

are identified through a predictive analytics factor-specific model as needing high-support during

their transition to college. Personalized guidance will be provided to students based on their

identified support needs (e.g., academic, emotional, financial, and/or social) to drive academic

success through motivation and guidance to campus support programs. Activity 2 will improve

the transfer navigation process and increase transfer matriculation to TXST through a Transfer

Articulation and Navigation Center. Center staff will initiate new transfer articulation agreements

with community colleges, produce an online repository of course equivalency guides and other

information pertinent for transfer students, and provide direct student transfer advising to

facilitate the transfer process. Activity 3 will provide professional development for faculty to

build asset-based mindsets and modify instructional practices for lasting changes that will create

equitable student outcomes and improve students’ sense of belonging on campus.

Anticipated Results: Proyecto Excelencia is premised on findings from similar institutions that

effective pathways to academic success for Hispanic and underserved students begin with a

successful transition into the institution and that first year and transfer students benefit from

unique guidance through graduation and career attainment. A combination of academic and

social engagement, with the support of professional staff and faculty advocating for student

success, will improve Hispanic student matriculation, sense of belonging at TXST, persistence

and timely completion of degrees at TXST.

Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP). Both CPPs will be met. CPP1: Evidence-based

student support mechanisms and faculty development to build asset-based mindsets will foster 

a sense of belonging and inclusion for underserved students. Further, the proactive, individual

student support Centers proposed in this project will improve students' social, emotional, and

academic development. CPP2: The project’s wrap-around support services for transfer and

current students at critical transition points offer underserved students a path to academic

achievement and recovery, resulting in greater access, affordability, completion, and success.

High-quality data collection and assessment of student success indicators will be conducted

throughout the project to determine project activity effects on student success and institutional

improvement.
39

Texas Woman’s University, TX

ABSTRACT

Project Overview: TWU is proposing for this Title V grant program Reimagining and Improving 

Student Equity in Nursing (RISE), a project that will focus specifically on the university’s College 

of Nursing by expanding its BSN program to a new location, implementing wrap-around support 

services, and serving minority and low-income students to help them complete a four-year 

degree. The specific activities proposed are: 

• Developing a BSN program at the TWU Denton campus that will enable the university to 

increase the number of students earning a bachelor’s degree and filling much-needed 

vacancies in area healthcare businesses. 

• Providing holistic support to BSN students, including developing a Student Services 

Department specifically for nursing students, offering tutoring, and developing a new Navigator 

program to provide students with personalized support from application to the program through 

graduation and job placement. 

• Improving faculty equity will focus on training existing faculty to recognize cultural differences 

in their students and change their curriculum to better meet the needs of a diverse students 

population and improving the hiring process for nursing faculty to attract a more diverse 

applicant pool. 

Activity Objectives: The objectives for this project have been carefully developed and are 

based on the performance measures from the project Request for Applications: 

• Objective 1: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the number of students enrolled in the Bachelor of 

Science in Nursing degree program at the TWU Denton Campus by 620 students. 

• Objective 2: By Sept. 30, 2027, increase the percentage of Latinx students in the BSN 

program by 15 percentage points. 

• Objective 3: By Sept. 30, 2027, post a fall-to-fall retention rate of at least 95% for Latinx BSN 

students. 

• Objective 4: By Sept. 30, 2027, graduate 360 BSN students from the TWU Denton campus. 

Competitive Preference Priorities: TWU is responding to both CPPs: 

• Competitive Preference Priority 1: Meeting student social, emotional, and academic needs. 

• Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, 

completion, and post-enrollment success. 

Budget: TWU is requesting $2,998,112 over a five-year period. This request represents 54% 

for salaries and fringe benefits; 4% for travel; 14% for equipment; 13% for supplies; 11% for 

contractual; and 4% for other.
40

Purchase College (SUNY) (Purchase), NY

ABSTRACT

Purchase College, SUNY (Purchase), located on 500 acres in Westchester County, New York, 

proposes Leveraging Impactful Strategies and Transforming Outcomes for Student 

Success; (LISTO for student success). The project has four goals: Goal 1. To increase 

academic success of Hispanic and low-income students and provide support along the pathway 

to graduation (CPP1). Goal 2. To reduce systemic barriers that lead to an achievement gap for 

Hispanic and low-income students (CPP1). Goal 3. To improve the efficiency of institutional 

assessment, decision-making, and resource allocation (CPP2). Goal 4. To increase staff to 

deliver student services and programs that improve student retention. The project will serve 

Hispanic and other low-income students from their first year to graduation. 

Through LISTO, Purchase will: establish Residential Learning Communities, a Summer 

Institute, and peer mentoring; expand Cornerstone Connect; and provide experiential learning 

through an Emerging Hispanic Leadership Program, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Purchase in 

the City. In addition, the program will hire three staff to support program activities, improve 

cultural competency through faculty and staff professional development, and establish a 

technology infrastructure that supports collecting and analyzing student programs. 

As a result of the proposed Title V program, Purchase anticipates the following outcomes: By 

Year 5, the achievement gap (AG) for Hispanic and low-income students will be reduced from 

an 11-point difference to a five-point difference in five years. By Year 5, the sophomore oneyear retention rate for Hispanic students will increase from 76.5% for the fall 2020 cohort to 81% 

by Year 5. By Year 5, six-year graduation rates will improve for Hispanic students from 57.4% to 

61% and low-income students from 60.1% to 64%. By Year 5, 90% of staff/faculty will have 

participated in online training and will demonstrate improved cultural competency. By Year 5 

students’ sense of belonging will increase from 3.68 to 4.5 (CPP1). 

By the end of Year 1, an assessment-management system will have been procured and 

implemented, and all identified campus “super-users” as well as a representative from each unit 

on campus will have been trained in the new platform. (CPP2). By Year 1, three support staff 

will be hired and trained to deliver culturally competent student services and programs. 

Finally, LISTO will address Competitive Preference Priority (CPP 1) by creating a positive, 

inclusive, and identity-safe climate, and CPP2 (c) will be addressed by enhancing data 

collection.
41

University of New Mexico – Taos, NM

ABSTRACT

Caminos Project 

University of New Mexico – Taos (UNM-Taos) is a public two-year Hispanic-Serving institution 

in Taos, NM. UNM-Taos serves 1,200 students per year, 56% of whom identify as Hispanic. 

Hispanic residents of the institution’s service area are lower income (by $8,723) and have lower 

educational attainment (26% more Hispanic residents have high school or less) than white 

residents. A rapid uptick in housing costs and increasing socioeconomic inequity between 

wealthy white residents purchasing second homes and Taoseɦos who have lived in the area for 

generations are making it increasingly difficult for Hispanic and low-income residents to remain 

in Taos. These effects have been exacerbated by the pandemic, which upended the region’s 

tourism- and service-based economy. 

In reviewing institutional data, UNM-Taos has identified that Hispanic and low-income student 

rates of retention and graduation are too low; in particular, the enrollment, retention, and 

graduation rates of Hispanic male students (e.g., -44% enrollment decline), students with 

disabilities (e.g., lower GPA than students without disabilities), and students in Career and 

Technical Education programs (e.g., -31% drop in retention) require additional focus. 

UNM-Taos proposes the Caminos Project, which will 1) strengthen proactive advising and 

support approaches, particularly for those target populations; 2) increase offerings in highdemand career and technical education fields to prepare students for gainful employment 

and/or transfer after graduation; and 3) develop faculty and staff ability to support Hispanic 

and low-income student retention and completion. Hispanic and low-income students will 

develop engaged relationships with the institution at each stage in their educational career from 

new student orientation to help navigating academic and non-academic resources and support 

as they enter the workforce and/or transfer to a university. 

This proposal addresses Competitive Preference Priority #1 Meeting Student Social, 

Emotional, and Academic Needs and Competitive Preference Priority #2 Increasing 

Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment 

Success. Reasonable and necessary costs to support the implementation of this project totaling 

$2,828,538.68 are requested for the Caminos Project.
42

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX

ABSTRACT 

Puentes: A Cultural Wealth Model for Latinx Student Success 

This proposal aims to implement a comprehensive and innovative approach to enhancing Latinx 

student success that integrates a cultural wealth model in the areas of Culturally Responsive 

Coursework, Pedagogy, Student Services, and Family Engagement. Applying this model across 

these four areas at UTRGV will not only expand educational opportunities but also improve the 

academic attainment of Latinx students. Integrating a Latinx cultural wealth model, UTRGV can 

foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among our students and provide them with the 

knowledge, skills, and learning tools to be successful in their coursework and post-graduation 

careers. 

We propose forming four learning collaboratives centered around culturally sustaining 

pedagogies and praxis in the areas of academic and student services. These four learning 

collaboratives engage faculty, staff, students, and families in: 1. developing new coursework in 

ethnic studies; 2. professional development for faculty in culturally sustaining pedagogy for 

syllabus redesign; 3. professional development for staff in key areas of student services; and 4. 

development of a sustainable model for family engagement. 

By deliberately leveraging the cultural wealth that students and their families possess at one of 

the largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the country, this proposal aims to accomplish four 

important objectives: 1. Increase the number of Latinx students that succeed in in gateway/core 

curriculum courses. 2. Improve Latinx student persistence. 3. Increase capacity to effectively 

serve students. 4. Improve and increase Latinx family understanding of college culture and 

student expectations. Achieving these four goals, will greatly enhance the academic 

achievement of all students, in particular Latinx students.
43

Union County College, NJ

ABSTRACT

Union County College, located in northern New Jersey, proposes a Title V project entitled 

Preparing Union Students for Career Success. The College serves a student population that 

is predominantly people of color (41% of students are Hispanic/Latino; 30% of students are 

Black/African American) and low income. Components of the project will serve all students at 

Union. The project meets both Competitive Preference Priorities. 

The project addresses six institutional goals: 

• Academic Programs (AP) Goal 1: Expand academic offerings and career preparation of 

students in high-demand occupational areas, specifically in Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and 

Cyberforensics, including establishing a Cyber Center; 

• AP Goal 2: Increase retention of all students, with a focus on part-time students, by improving 

support services and scheduling options; 

• Institutional Management (IM) Goal 1: Develop a more robust structure for Career Services, to 

include expansion of internships and experiential learning opportunities; 

• IM Goal 2: Collect data on post-graduation/separation student outcomes to inform program 

and service improvements; 

• IM Goal 3: Improve faculty and staff professional development and onboarding to include 

topics such as using data to inform course or instructional modifications, supporting part-time 

students, and providing effective and efficient service through the College’s One Stop; and 

• Fiscal Stability Goal 1: Increase enrollment in high-demand fields, including Data Analytics, 

Cybersecurity, and Cyberforensics. 

The project has four major components: 

• Career Services: Create a structure for Career Services that align with academic programs, 

promote experiential learning, and engage students in active career planning and exploration; 

develop a Career Center as a hub for student career exploration and training; create and 

implement a strategy for tracking former students’ careers. 

• Retention: Expand the number of courses and programs offered at alternate times conducive 

to part-time students; Improve student services by improving onboarding/ training of One Stop 

employees. 

• Academic Programs: Establish a Data Analytics A.S. program; Expand Cybersecurity and 

Cyberforensics programs by integrating internships; create a Cyber Center to function as a hub 

for students in these programs, providing state-of-the-art technology. 

• Professional Development: Formalize/standardize onboarding training for student services 

employees in One Stop; Expand professional development across the institution; Implement a 

data tool to facilitate collecting and accessing disaggregated student outcome data in a 

dashboard format. 

Expected outcomes include: 

• A.S. program in Data Analytics established; 

• Fall-to-fall retention rate increased from 46.3% to 51% for all students, from 47% to 51% for 

Hispanic/Latino students; 

• 100% of student services employees complete expanded onboarding training program; 

• At least 10 agreements completed with regional employers to host internships; 

• Enrollment increased from 40 to 55 in Cybersecurity, from 8 to 16 in Cyberforensics, and from 

0 to 15 in Data Analytics. 
44

Universidad Ana G. Mendez, Recinto de Cupey, PR

ABSTRACT

Universidad Ana G. Mendez, Recinto de Cupey (UAGM), a four-year Hispanic Serving 

Institution in San Juan, Puerto Rico, aims to develop and implement an inclusive climate for all 

students where they enjoy a sense of belonging through academic, research and college 

preparation, that integrates financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and cultural enrichment. UAGM 

Cupey proposes to address both of the following competitive preference priorities: 1. 

Meeting student social, emotional, and academic needs and 2. Increasing postsecondary 

education access, affordability, completion and post-enrollment success. The current 

proposal intends to develop a transformational and comprehensive project called Proyecto 

Abrazo that will educate the university community about diversity and inclusion through a series 

of designed activities (reflection, research, training, curricular enhancement, learning modules, 

short educational videos, among others). Proyecto Abrazo will also develop high impact 

practices that consider students’ needs, real life experiences and academic goals to provide 

them with a variety of opportunities (including professional development) to help them achieve 

academic success, as well as reach personal well-being. Students, faculty, and staff will also 

build asset-based mindsets and teaching and learning methodologies concerning race, gender, 

ethnicity, culture, language and disability status. The active participation of administrators will 

ensure that all revised and new activities are sustainable beyond the duration of the project. The 

products generated through Proyecto Abrazo will be disseminated through annual meetings and 

will include research projects and publications that showcase the project’s most significant 

activities, best practices and recommendations as to how to promote diversity and inclusion on 

campus. More importantly, this project will provide UAGM’s community with solid training 

modules, short educational videos, enhanced courses, a revised first year seminar, as well as 

more inclusive student support services that will result in a truly fulfilling university experience.
45

Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus, PR

ABSTRACT 

Universidad Ana G. Méndez – Carolina campus (UAGM-Carolina) proposes a project to the 

Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program entitled “Strengthening Pathways 

for Student Success” to improve and expand our capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income 

students. The proposed Project addresses the Competitive Preference Priorities as indicated in 

34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and the Supplementary Priorities (86 FR 70612) established by the 

Department of Education Secretary in December 2021. The Project aims to strengthen 

pathways for Hispanic and low-income students pursuing a postsecondary education by 

increasing access to academic and psychosocial support services designed to help them 

successfully complete their studies. The goals of the Project are to: G1) Increase access to 

postsecondary education and improve college readiness of Hispanic and low-income students 

through outreach activities and expansion of career track dual-enrollment programs; G2) 

Increase student persistence and academic success by implementing social-emotional learning 

(SEL) practices to strengthen the mental health and wellness of Hispanic and low-income 

students; G3) Improve career readiness of Hispanic and low-income students through 

experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for success in 21st century job market. 

To fulfill the goals, in alignment with the institutional priorities and needs, the proposed Project 

will: 1) Increase freshmen admission/enrollment yields through outreach activities and the 

expansion of the dual-enrollment program; 2) Increase the overall retention rate by through 

social-emotional learning practices and student support services focused on mental health and 

wellness; 3) Establish a biopsychosocial laboratory to support teaching-learning processes of 

the Psychology, School Psychology, and Clinical Social Work academic programs; 4) Increase 

technological resources and support specialized faculty development to support the Engineering 

Technology curricular components; and 5) Increase the number of experiential learning 

opportunities in Biomedical Sciences to improve career readiness and competitiveness of 

students in the Science & Technology academic programs. All proposed activities and studentcentered services can be linked to positive academic outcomes as defined by the What Works 

Clearinghouse. To this extent, the Project addresses Competitive Preference Priority 1 by 

enhancing student support services, including a freshmen immersion program, peer mentoring, 

counseling, clinical social work and school psychological services to strengthen academic and 

psychosocial competencies. Meanwhile the Competitive Preference Priority 2 is met by 

increasing access to postsecondary education with a comprehensive pre-freshman program to 

help high-school students transition and prepare for college, and by enriching teaching-learning 

processes thorough socio-emotional learning practices and experiential education opportunities 

to strengthen students’ career readiness and competitiveness.
46

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD), TX

ABSTRACT

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second largest public 4-year university the 

Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the United States. As a Hispanic- and minority-serving 

institution, UHD has increasingly become the college of choice for many minority students, 

especially first-generation students. Hispanic and minority students are at the core of the 

student population we educate (Spring 2022, 82.6%). Multi-year pathways have demonstrated 

high effectiveness in various higher education institutions (Bailey, Jaggars, and Jenkins; 2015). 

When implemented with fidelity, structured pathway models can target the educational needs of 

first-generation and minority students (Scrivener, Weiss, Ratledge, Rudd, Sommo, & Fresques; 

2015; Miller & Weiss, 2021). UHD will implement a targeted pathways program geared towards 

degree completion with teaching certification in critical areas of need. The Pathways to 

Teaching in Critical Areas of Need (PTCAN) will expand and enhance the services firstgeneration, Hispanic students need for success. The PTCAN Program at UHD seeks to: 1) 

increase the social and emotional well-being of prospective first-generation and minority 

teachers; 2) Increase the academic success of participating students; 3) increase firstgeneration and minority prospective teacher retention rates; 4) increase first-generation and 

minority prospective teacher graduation rates; 5) increase the number of UHD first-generation, 

minority students graduating from UHD with bilingual/ESL teaching credentials (critical areas of 

need). The outcomes from the PTCAN program will be trifold. First, we will be meeting the 

holistic needs of our students while they are enrolled at UHD. Second, UHD will be increasing 

the graduation and retention rates at our university because students will be surrounded with 

extensive support services. Third, we will be serving the community and the state of Texas by 

placing highly qualified teachers in critical areas of need who reflect student demographics.
47

University of Redlands, CA

ABSTRACT

Title: Proyecto Dirección: Building belonging and Latinx student success at the University of 

Redlands 

Significance: 

The University of Redlands first received federal designation as an Hispanic-Serving Institution 

in May 2021 and is deeply committed to Latinx student success. Proyecto Dirección (PD) is part 

of a five-year strategic plan that will strengthen efforts to elevate the representation of Latinidad 

on campus by adopting a framework of servingness to increase Latinx undergraduate and 

graduate student engagement. 

Goals and Primary Activities: 

Proyecto Dirección will implement a developmental model of Latinx student engagement that 

will result in a stronger sense of belonging, while building leadership and mentoring skills and 

connections that will contribute to continued success. PD will build on existing high-impact 

practices to increase Latinx student engagement through these five strategic initiatives: 1) 

Summer Bridge, 2) First-Year Journey, 3) Students Together Empowering Peers (STEP), 4) 

First-Year Seminar, and 5) Transfer Student Success. In addition, PD will create the following: 

1) a leadership academy to cultivate and strengthen vital skills, 2) a program fund to initiate 

student-led cultural, education, and political programming, and 3) intercultural competence 

training. The grant will support the work of a Project Director, an Institutional Research and 

Effectiveness HSI Specialist, a Campus Diversity and Inclusion HSI Specialist, Graduate 

Student Assistants and Mentors, and an Advisory Board. 

Expected Outcomes and Contributions: 

In addition to meeting students’ social, emotional, and academic needs and increasing 

postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success, 

expected outcomes for Proyecto Dirección include: 1) improved attitudinal measures of 

attachment of Latinx students to the institution, 2) increased feelings of efficacy and agency by 

Latinx students 3) decreased incidence of early warning reports for Latinx students, 4) 

increased persistence, retention and graduation rates for Latinx students, and 5) enhanced 

Latinx student participation in organizational leadership roles. 

Evaluations will include benchmarks to monitor progress toward objectives and to assess the 

impact of grant-funded activities. In addition, through our Race in Education Analytics Learning 

(REAL) Lab, we will collaborate with research partners campus wide to analyze, learn from, and 

share the unique experiences of participants within a small liberal arts institution. The scholarly 

impact of this research will result in data-informed advocacy and equitable policies/practices at 

our own institution and will contribute to the literature on how particular practices contribute to 

Latinx student outcomes at private institutions, especially those that are newly designated HSIs. 

Population to be Served: 

Latinx students, who represent more than 40% of enrollment at the University of Redlands, will 

be directly served by PD. Additionally, by improving its servingness to local communities, the 

project will also benefit large Latinx populations in six Southern California counties (Imperial, 

Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego).
48

Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology, NY

ABSTRACT

Project Title: Increasing Hispanic Student Participation in High-Need, High-Wage 

Aviation Careers 

Target Area: Increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students who have access to 

and complete articulated Aviation related degrees and career opportunities in a service area 

that is one of the most diverse areas in the nation, where poverty is high, and educational 

attainment is low. 

Goals: G1: Update and scale-up a regionally relevant, high-demand, high-wage Aviation 

Maintenance pathway supported by curricular maps, support services, and physical facilities 

that facilitate student access, retention, completion, and post-graduation workforce 

outcomes. 

G2: Create a holistic student support system that addresses students’ academic, career, 

social and emotional, and mental health needs, and prepare them for success in highdemand careers. 

G3: Increase student outcomes and close equity gaps to ensure viability, reduce financial 

impact on students, and ensure strong external stakeholder relations. 

Objectives: 

1. Pathway Access (GPRA measure d) 

Increase by 20% the current enrollment ibn the Aviation Maintenance program (with 

Hispanics proportionately represented). 

2. Retention (GPRA measure b) 

Increase the percentage of Hispanic first-time, full-time degree-seeking students who were 

in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and remain enrolled in the 

AM pathway the following year by 10 percentage points. 

3. Degree Completion (GPRA measure a) 

Increase the percent of Hispanic first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students 

graduating with an Aviation Maintenance degree within two years (for an AS) and 4 years 

(for a BS) of enrollment by 10% (Baselines: 

AS (Fall 2018 cohort) = 13%; 

BS (Fall 2016 cohort) = 33%) 

4. Student Engagement & Connection 4.a: Increase the number of STEM students who 

enroll in and complete an industry-based internship by 20%. (GPRA d) 

4.b: Engage at least 200 students per year in career-focused grant events. (GPRA d) 

5. Stakeholder Engagement -Increase the number of regional, state, and national industry 

partners offering internships and/or co-operative education to Vaughn students. 

Strategies/Outputs: S1: High-Demand, High-Wage Aviation Maintenance Degree 

Pathway; Promote enrollment, persistence, and feeling of inclusion through holistic wraparound student services. Strategy #2: Career-Focused, Experiential Learning: 

Experiential learning, apprenticeships, career advising. Strategy #3: Institutional & 

Industry Partnerships: Regional Aviation Board, workshops, speaker series. 

Competitive Priorities: CPP#1: The project’s goals and objectives and associated services 

are designed to Meet Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs by creating well 

mapped degree pathways, provide support services to address student preparation 

(summer bridge, peer coaching, targeted advising), and a summer bridge focused on 

community building. CPP # 2: Vaughn’s project is career focused, creates academicindustry partnerships to promote apprenticeships and career-based learning. 
49

Wenatchee Valley College, WA 

ABSTRACT

Contact Person: Brett Riley, Vice President of Administration, briley@wvc.edu 

Overview: Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a 

legacy of enrolling a diverse student body. As a public, two-year community college WVC 

serves a large rural area in North Central Washington state with higher-than-average poverty 

levels and a large number of residents that lack a high school education. WVC enrollment 

reflects the income levels of the service district with over 70% of students who qualify for needbased financial aid including over 50% who qualify for Pell grants. One of the strengths of the 

college is that approximately 47% of degree seeking students are students of color, including 

3% Native American and 39% Hispanic students. 

The Puente: Bridges to HSI Excellence project will improve outcomes and institutional culture 

for Latinx, low-income, and first-generation students at Wenatchee Valley College. This project 

will scale and sustain culturally responsive teaching practices (CRTP) in gateway classes and 

improve the onboarding and navigation processes for incoming students to improve retention. 

WVC will build participation in the trainings to improve curriculum development through 

enhanced use of dis-aggregated data to document the improved learning outcomes and 

retention for students. The increases in retention rates will result in increased enrollment 

sufficient to sustain the professional development support for faculty and improved navigation 

support services offered to students. 

Project Goals and Objectives: 

Goal 1: Create an improved campus climate by providing professional development 

opportunities to build asset-based mindsets and improved teaching practices. 

Objective 1a: Faculty engage with asset-based mindsets and CRTP trainings 

Objective 1b: Faculty adopt CRTP curriculum into coursework. 

Goal 2: Establish equity-minded, data-informed culture of inquiry on campus. 

Objective 2a: Faculty and staff training on Tableau. 

Objective 2b: Faculty adopt the equity-scorecard framework. 

Objective 2c: WVC program/departmental area plans incorporate disaggregated data 

Goal 3: Implement evidence-based practices to advance student success through improved 

advising and navigation services. 

Objective 3a: Incoming students will meet with a College Navigator to establish a 2-year plan 

and learn about academic and non-academic supports available on campus and in the 

community. 

Objective 3b: Increased advising and navigation support will result in a 3% increased fall-to-fall 

retention rate by the end of the second cohort. 

Budget: WVC is requesting a total of $2,750,338 for the five-year project which will fund 

personnel ($1,869,133), benefits ($569,205), travel ($52,000), supplies ($45,000), and subcontracted services for training and evaluation ($215,000).