A 5-year, $5.8 million grant was given to Texas State University by the U.S. Department of Education to develop and improve support services and strategies enhancing success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, according to an article by San Marcos Daily Record.
The Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics and Articulation Program (HSI STEM), sponsored by the Education Department, will provide around $1,138,000 annually for the duration of the grant. Texas State University was one of the 21 public universities to be awarded funding this year.
The main objective of the HSI STEM program is to increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics. HSI STEM also aims to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions in STEM fields.
The grant, titled IMPACTing STEM Success at Texas State (or IMPACT) will improve and develop the STEM success pipeline through high-impact services that will strengthen STEM success through professional development and research.
Dann Brown, dean of University College at Texas State and principal investigator on the grant, states:
Notification of our receipt of this new award could not come at a better time. As of this year, our College of Science and Engineering has achieved a record-setting enrollment of 6,253 students and is now the university’s largest college.
Another initiative of the grant is to develop and strengthen mentoring as a means to improve STEM student success. In line with this initiative, STEM students will be served by success coaches, peer-led team learning leaders and STEM mentors. Funding will be available for mentor and STEM student professional development and a research immersion activities. Workshops developing cultural fluency will also be offered to enrich the diverse STEM student experience.
In addition, a community of scholars will be involved in developing individual and collaborative research teams on Hispanic and low-income student success in STEM.
“Documenting impacts of initiatives on the success of Hispanic and low-income STEM students will be key to data-informed decision making in University College,” said Brown. “This year’s HSI STEM grantees were challenged to develop proposals that could be evaluated from a researcher’s point of view. This level of analysis will bring us to a deeper understanding of what is working on the behalf of our students and their success.”
