Hillsborough Community College (HCC) has been awarded a $4.3 million grant -- the largest in its history -- from the U.S. Department of Education. The money will be used to renovate classrooms and labs and enhance the college’s ability to educate Hispanic and at-risk students. In addition, HCC's Dale Mabry campus will use the grant to increase the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.
“The grant will be instrumental in improving our success rates in gateway STEM courses on the Dale Mabry campus, and by extension will impact our retention, graduation and transfer rates,” says Bob Wynegar, dean of associate in arts at the Dale Mabry campus. “With the funding provided by this grant, we will address courses in mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics. ”
HCC received a previous grant in October of 2010 in the amount of $3.1 million for its development into an HSI Title V school (Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions). In order to become an HSI, a school must have at least 25 percent of Hispanic students enrolled as undergraduate full-time students. HCC plans to use this most recent grant as well as the money received last year to increase the degree completion rates of Hispanic and at-risk students by assisting these students through difficult math and science courses.
While the school has several years to use the grant, plans to put the money to use immediately are underway.
“The activities within the grant are spread over a five-year period,” says Wynegar. “Within the first year (Oct. 1, 2011-Sept. 30, 2012) students should begin to see newly designed mathematics courses, as well as technology and infrastructure improvements to our tutoring area, known as the Learning Commons. ”
Writer:
Kimberly Patterson
Source: Bob Wynegar, Hillsborough Community College
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