UTSA receives $2.6 million grant to research Hispanic student retention
(Sept. 4, 2014) -- UTSA President Ricardo Romo, along with Congressman Joaquin Castro, today announced a five-year $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will go to the UTSA Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE). The Sustainable Support System for Student Success (S5) grant will be used to support research on Hispanic student retention.
More than 70 percent of students at UTSA are minority and more than 50 percent are first-generation students, giving the university the unique opportunity to provide educational experiences that help these groups succeed academically.
The grant will allow ATE to work with community colleges and high schools in the surrounding area to ensure Hispanic students are college ready upon graduation. The new research will support work the academy already is doing, including developing culturally responsive support systems for underserved students.
ATE will be tasked with several goals. The grant will increase the number of Hispanic students who major in critical teaching shortage areas, as well as help at least 75 percent of students graduating from the program find employment or enroll in graduate school. Research and best practices in Hispanic retention found will then be disseminated.
Other goals for the grant include developing a task force to align the ATE vision with the UTSA Graduation Rate Improvement Rate (GRIP).
Lorena Claeys, executive director and research associate for the Academy for Teacher Excellence; Margarita Machado-Casas, associate professor in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies; and Guadalupe Carmona, associate professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, developed the proposal on the university’s behalf and will conduct the research.
------------------------------
For more information, visit the UTSA Academy for Teacher Excellence website.
Connect online with UTSA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Events
The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.
Various LocationsDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main CampusFiesta Arts Fair features contemporary art from more than 100 artists from across the U.S., Fiesta favorite foods, drinks, live music by local and regional performers, and a Young Artists Garden providing opportunities for budding artists to learn, explore and express their creativity.
UTSA Southwest CampusJoin the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event is to achnowlege the graduating seniors and induct the new cohart of scholars to our program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140,) Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome