Cal Poly Pomona has received about $8 million in federal funding to support the university's mission of cultivating success, diversity and an inclusive polytechnic education.
The new funding will have an extensive impact on the campus community - from early childhood education to graduate studies.
The university was recently notified by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture of four major grants that support student success at Cal Poly Pomona.
"These grants illustrate Cal Poly Pomona's comprehensive commitment to student success," said Cal Poly Pomona President Soraya M. Coley. "We understand that our students need a spectrum of resources while on the path to graduation, and this funding will bolster innovative programs that support students now while also teachings skills and knowledge that will benefit them long after they leave Cal Poly Pomona."
More information about each of the grants:
Project Caminos (Cultivating Access and Mentoring through Institutional Networks and Opportunities for Success)
Grant Amount: $3 million over five years
Funding Source: Title V Part A Hispanic Serving Institution
Project Caminos seeks to eliminate the equity gap by better preparing students for success and graduation and to support a diverse skilled workforce for the regional, statewide and national economy. The grant will allow Cal Poly Pomona to create a path for under-served students within the region toward upward social and economic mobility.
The grant will increase access for high school and community college students to Cal Poly Pomona through outreach and financial literacy workshops, campus tours and other support services.
The grant provides funding for the Early Start/Bronco Scholars Program, which provides comprehensive support for students' transition to Cal Poly Pomona and from the first year to the second year. Support includes summer math bridge, financial literacy education, holistic advising and coaching, peer and professional support and mentoring, and an AI text/chat bot. The plan also calls for faculty development to help them engage with Hispanic students and close the equity gap.
The grant will focus on Hispanic/Latino Cal Poly Pomona students and local area high school and community college students, especially those who are academically underprepared.
Project LOGRAR (Leveraging Opportunities for Graduate Research and Resources)
Grant Amount: $2.68 million over five years
Funding Source: PPOHA (Title V Part B for Graduate Studies)
This grant will enhance Cal Poly Pomona's infrastructure and services to help graduate students (primarily Hispanic and other underrepresented minorities) successfully finish their degree.
The university will offer financial aid, financial literacy training, tutoring and writing assistance, invite guest speakers from industry and create a collaborative research experience to bolster the graduate student experience. Faculty development will focus on strategies to support underrepresented students.
CPP also plans to establish a Graduate Resource Center on campus, providing a location for students to network, study and hold meetings. The center will include staff members to help student's access university resources and services, as well as internship opportunities in the community.
CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program) Grant
Grant Amount: $1.3 million over four years
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Education
The Children's Center plans to add infant care and expand toddler care services and pilot evening care hours, thanks to a four-year, $1.3 million federal grant awarded to the Division of Student Affairs at Cal Poly Pomona.
The grant will support additional staff, furnish classrooms, upgrade facilities and provide professional development for teachers. The center aims to offer infant and expanded toddler care by fall 2021. It will pilot evening care hours Monday through Thursday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning spring semester 2020, one of the first in the CSU system to do so.
No More Silos: Multi-disciplinary and data intensive training for careers in agricultural and natural resource industries and agencies
Grant Amount: $1 million over four years
Funding Source: USDA NIFA Hispanic Serving Institution program
The "No More Silos" project will provide immersive multi-disciplinary experiences to 100 underrepresented students across the California State University system. Students across the 23 CSU campuses who are interested in careers or graduate school in food, agriculture, natural resources or human sciences are eligible for these paid fellowships.
Students will develop scientific and professional skills by engaging in mentored fellowships in science, big-data analytics, agricultural journalism and public policy. In addition, about 80 students will attend a five-day workshop to develop skills in big-data analytics. They will also receive career mentoring through leadership and scientific communication workshops and emerge with greater discipline-specific knowledge and skills, improved critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improved knowledge of multi-disciplinary team approaches to problem-solving, and personalized roadmaps that articulate career goals and the steps needed to achieve them.
Cal Poly Pomona is collaborating with CSU Monterey Bay on the grant.