$3M Grant for Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans

On Oct 18, 2024

New Jersey City University (NJCU) has been selected to receive up to $3 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education under its Fiscal Year 2024 grants to support the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program (PPOHA).

The federal grant will be in the amount of $600,000 for the budget period spanning Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 3, 2025 and is anticipated to be active for five total years at this funding level.

The grant funding was announced on October 15, 2024 during a check presentation ceremony on campus as Congressman Rob Menendez and Congresswoman LaMonica McIver joined NJCU Interim President Andrés Acebo and other academic leaders.

The grant submission was authored by Muriel K. Rand, M.S.W., Ed.D, NJCU Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, in collaboration with the Office of Research Grants & Sponsored Programs. The grant will support “The Professional Pathways Project” which is designed to help students attain graduate professional degrees and meet their career goals, enabling more Hispanic and low-income students to become professionals and faculty in higher education.

President Acebo said: “I can’t think of a better way to culminate Hispanic Heritage Month than to celebrate this award. The grant is an investment in our mission, of course, and is also an investment in our city, state and nation. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Congressman Rob Menendez and Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for their support and commitment to advancing educational opportunities for underrepresented students and underserved communities.”

“The Professional Pathways Project at New Jersey City University is a vital tool for the next generation of Hispanic and lower income leaders to access career and educational training,” said Congressman Rob Menendez, U.S. representative in New Jersey’s 8th congressional district. “I applaud the Biden-Harris Department of Education for providing $3 million over the next five years to help ensure this program’s success, and I know that this will help change the lives of countless New Jerseyans.”

Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, the newly-elected U.S. representative in New Jersey’s 10th congressional district said: “New Jersey City University, recognized as a national leader in advancing students’ upward economic mobility, is at the forefront of delivering accessible, equity-driven, and transformative education. The recently announced $3 million in federal funding over the next five years to expand post-baccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic students will further strengthen this commitment to access and equity, creating even more opportunities for all students to achieve their dreams.”

As an immediate outcome of the grant, NJCU will create a new Master’s of Social Work degree. In line with NJCU’s refreshed mission, this is a vital addition to the university’s academic portfolio because New Jersey, like the rest of the nation, is facing challenges related to a workforce shortage in its critical social services and behavioral health sectors.

An additional early outcome of the grant will be new microcredential in Multicultural/Multilingual Services, and the enhancement of the curriculum in the Educational Technology Leadership (Ed.D.) doctoral program and Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Civil Security Leadership, Management & Policy program to be more culturally responsive, inclusive, and flexible.

Professor Rand said: “We are thrilled to be able to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income graduate students who obtain professional degrees. This funding will also help our graduate students give back to their local communities in careers that provide service to others.”

Another measurable outcome of this project is the increased retention of Hispanic and low-income students through the creation of an Advocacy, Inclusion, and Support Team that will provide direct services to students and will implement faculty learning opportunities focused on culturally responsive, inclusive, and asset-based practices.

John Grew, Ph.D., CRA, Interim Director of Research, Grants, and Sponsored Programs, and NJCU Professor of Biology added: “Most NJCU students come from humble beginnings. Our Title III- and Title V-funded services support academic success and access to economic self-sufficiency among this student population.”

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