By Jonathan Morales

2021年9月23日

萨克拉门托 State’s work to support Latinx and other underrepresented groups is getting a significant boost, thanks to $8 million in new funding from two five-year U.S. Department of Education grants.

美国教育部今天宣布，这笔拨款只适用于被指定为西班牙裔服务机构（hsi）的学院和大学。 自2015年获得联邦指定以来，Sac州立大学获得的资金总额已超过1600万美元。

大约30%的萨克州立大学学生认为自己是拉丁裔。

• 美国教育部宣布2021财年拨款奖励，以展示对公平、卓越和机会的承诺

“A key part of our work to become an antiracist and inclusive campus is to enact systemic changes that eliminate inequities and promote our students’ success, and the projects funded by these grants will do just that,” University President Robert S. Nelsen said.

“That 萨克拉门托 State has received not just one but two HSI grants is a testament to the work being done by our faculty and staff not only to help our students realize their dream of a college degree but prepare them to have successful and fulfilling careers after graduation.”

The first grant, a $3 million Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant, will launch a new project called “Degree with a Purpose: Integration of Career Development and Financial Wellness into the College Experience.”

"These grants from the U.S. Department of Education are further proof that 囊状态 is on the rise and continues to put students first.” ——国会女议员多丽丝·松井

DHSI项目向hsi提供资金，以扩大拉丁裔学生的教育机会，帮助他们坚持到毕业。 “有目的学位”项目旨在通过在整个大学经历中优先考虑职业发展，解决代表性不足和低收入学生的教育和经济障碍。

该项目将把早期职业准备、财务健康和以工作为基础的学习纳入新入学学生的入学指导等项目； 帮助教师将这些主题整合到现有的课程和项目中； 并为学生提供专门的咨询和个人职业规划。

“Students, particularly first-generation and other underrepresented students, are often unaware of where help and career exploration opportunities are available,” said Viridiana Diaz, associate vice president of Strategic Student Support Programs and a co-director of the grant. “Degree with a Purpose will establish career development and readiness as the central priority of a college education by supporting students in making informed choices early on while building momentum towards a degree of value and a rewarding career.”

Melissa Repa, director of 囊状态’s 职业中心 and the grant’s co-director, said research shows a disconnect between students’ classroom learning and employer and community needs.

“This DHSI grant provides resources not readily available to help students succeed throughout their academic journeys to help them achieve their career and financial goals,” Repa said.

The second grant, a $5 million HSI STEM grant, will fund a new program called “STEM4Equity,” which aims to increase the number of Latinx and low-income students graduating with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees.

该项目将协助教师重新设计课程，以适应文化，并与雇主的需求保持一致； 扩大同伴辅助学习计划，为四门高入学率、高失败率的STEM课程的学生提供服务； 创建STEM转学中心，支持转学生； 并促进领导活动、微型实习和传统的带薪实习，以培养拉丁裔和低收入学生的STEM身份，为他们的职业生涯做好准备。

特别是后一种策略与DHSI补助金相一致，将这些项目作为学生支持的努力联系起来。

“STEM4Equity aspires to transform STEM education at 囊状态 by creating equity and workplace relevance in courses, student peer programs, and degree programs,” said Lynn Tashiro, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the principal investigator on the HSI STEM grant with Vice President for 学生事务 Ed Mills.

“The program brings resources to the University that will enable faculty to create equitable learning environments and expand the curriculum to give students real-world skills,” Tashiro said.

DHSI和HSI STEM赠款是第五次和第六次授予囊状态作为HSI。 In 2015, the University received $2.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education to launch 项目激励, a program to improve the academic success of underrepresented students.

In 2017, the University was awarded an additional $2.6 million Department of Education grant for Comprometid@s, a project to increase the number of Hispanic and bilingual teachers and in 2018, 囊状态 从国家科学基金会获得了150万美元 for professional development for STEM faculty. The University in 2019 received an 另外180万美元来自国家科学基金会 to launch a Peer-Assisted Learning program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and create a leadership academy uniting science and engineering faculty and students.

“萨克拉门托 State is a hub of intellectual and personal growth, propelling our region forward with innovative programs that remove barriers for first-generation, low-income, and minority students, while also providing vital support for the career development,” Congresswoman Doris Matsui said. “While we work to build back better and create the opportunities of tomorrow, it is essential that we provide the tools to foster our next generation of innovators and leaders, including in STEM fields.

“I thank President Nelsen and the entire University community for their dedication to providing these opportunities and making sure that our region’s students continue to thrive well into the future. These grants from the U.S. Department of Education are further proof that 囊状态 is on the rise and continues to put students first.”