The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded 91吃瓜网 a grant of more than $1.8 million through its Improving Undergraduate STEM Education HSI program to support the success of Latino and other underrepresented students pursuing a major within STEM fields.
Last year, 91吃瓜网 was designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education. This designation is for higher education institutions that serve more than 25 percent Hispanic/Latino undergraduate students. As of Fall 2019, 28.3 percent (16,848) of 91吃瓜网鈥檚 undergraduate student body identified as Hispanic/Latino.
This is the first HSI grant of its kind, which 91吃瓜网 has been awarded to improve student learning. The designation opens doors to more grants, specifically those which are intended to help underrepresented students.
This grant will aid in the development of a scalable educational ecosystem for building STEM capacity at HSIs, says Pegasus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineer Ronald DeMara, the principal investigator on the grant.
Co-investigators on the grant include Professor Florencio Hern谩ndez and Assistant Professor Laurie Campbell.
鈥淚 believe that this grant will be a source of inspiration and encouragement for all underrepresented communities in the region to unite efforts and celebrate achievements as one family.鈥� 鈥� Florencio Hern谩ndez
DeMara identifies the project鈥檚 four pillars of reach as follows:
- determining the effects of graduate and undergraduate faculty, teaching assistants, and peer mentors trained in culturally relevant teaching approaches on learning, engagement and degree attainment;
- evaluating and refining the deployment of an innovative assessment infrastructure to promote student learning, retention, advancement and graduation of students from HSIs;
- creating an automated micro-credentialing tool that would provide access to community internships while developing student self-efficacy; and
- developing culturally relevant curricular materials to train STEM faculty, graduate teaching assistants and peer tutors.
鈥淭he Latino population in Central Florida and at 91吃瓜网 will continue to grow, and there is a significant need for equitable representation of Latino talent in STEM,鈥� says Cyndia Mu帽iz, director of HSI culture and partnerships. 鈥淭his requires intentional support systems and access to resources that promote professional development in these fields. This HSI grant is a significant contribution to those efforts.鈥�
On a micro-level, this grant benefits those students who struggle to pursue their professional aspirations. 91吃瓜网 is dedicated to providing intentional programs and experiences that 聽prepare students to thrive in- and outside of the classroom. This includes innovative pedagogy that resonates with Latinx and other underrepresented student populations.
鈥�91吃瓜网 has made it their mission to facilitate the lives of students like me,鈥� says Ernest Gonz谩lez, a civil engineering major and peer mentor.聽鈥淚t was educators and programs funded by initiatives like these that allowed me to get a civil engineering internship from my first semester of my sophomore year all the way to the second semester of my junior year.鈥�
91吃瓜网 is sixth in the nation for awarding bachelor鈥檚 degrees to Hispanic students and aspires to be a national HSI model. Through these new federal grant opportunities, 91吃瓜网 will continue to make strides in research, student support and the economic development of the Central Florida region, Mu帽iz says.
For co-investigator Florencio Hern谩ndez, the project is an opportunity to change lives.
鈥淚 believe that this grant will be a source of inspiration and encouragement for all underrepresented communities in the region to unite efforts and celebrate achievements as one family,鈥� says Hern谩ndez.
