More than 100 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) will receive a total of $107.4 million to strengthen and expand educational opportunities for Latino students, the U.S. Department of Education announced this week. The HSI program provides grants to make college more attainable for Latino students and allows institutions to enhance their academic offerings, program quality and institutional stability.
Four Colorado colleges and universities are among the recipients and include: Adams State College, Otero Junior College, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Trinidad State Junior College.
About $100 million of the funds are designated for 109 grants that will enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) components at schools that enroll a high percentage of Hispanic students. The grants may be used for purposes such as scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching, the construction or renovation of facilities, purchasing educational materials, academic tutoring or counseling programs, teacher education, and student support services.
In addition, approximately $7.8 million is being awarded through the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program. Thirteen grants will be given to schools to assist them in furthering educational opportunities for students through faculty development, curriculum development, academic tutoring and mentoring, and other services.
“We know that Latinos will play an integral part in helping America reach President Obama’s goal of having the highest college graduation rate in the world by 2020,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “These two programs will help to spur academic achievement for Hispanic students, especially within STEM programs, which are key to building a highly skilled workforce that can compete in a global marketplace.”
Both programs fund grants for a total of five years.
A Hispanic-Serving Institution is defined as an eligible institution of higher education that has at least 25 percent Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate enrollment students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of the application.
More information about the Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant programs are available at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/index.html.