Saint Elizabeth University Gets $2.3M to Aid Hispanic Students

On Oct 1, 2020

Saint Elizabeth University has been awarded a five-year grant of nearly $2.3 million to increase first-year retention and university graduation rates among Pell-eligible Hispanic and other low-income college students.

The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic–Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program authorized under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965. To qualify for the grant, institutions must be designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS) and have 25 percent enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) Hispanic students.

Saint Elizabeth University is a designated Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving Institution of 1,300 traditional undergraduate, Continuing Studies (adult undergraduate) and graduate students. Currently, 67 percent of all SEU undergraduates are Pell-eligible with 74 percent of those being Hispanic students.

“SEU takes great pride in continually furthering our mission to be a community of learning for students of diverse ages, backgrounds and cultures. This prestigious award will enable us to expand educational opportunities for and improve the academic success of our Hispanic students, many of whom are first-generation college students,” said Dr. Helen J. Streubert, president of Saint Elizabeth University.

Over the next five years, 100% of the $2,262,810 federal grant will go toward enhancing SEU’s support of mathematics preparedness, developing critical social-emotional and cognitive skills for long-term college success, and maintaining academic and campus life engagement. In addition, this grant funding will strengthen SEU’s technology infrastructure, enhance learning spaces, and reinforce student support for experiential learning.

This year, DHSI reviewed 249 grant applications and awarded 118 grants nationwide. New awards totaled $6.3 million. Since being designated a Hispanic Serving Institution in 2018, this is the first grant received by Saint Elizabeth University under the DHSI program.

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