NOVEMBER 1, 2022 — Alberto Cordova, associate dean for undergraduate student success in the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP), was awarded a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve student success rates at UTSA.
The Title V funding, called La Reforma: FRoM COVID-19 to Graduation, will enable HCAP to provide students with financial fluency, improved mental health and well-being, and will increase persistence and retention rates, particularly among UTSA’s Hispanic population.
“Student success and well-being go hand-in-hand,” Tammy Wyatt, vice provost for student success, said. “At UTSA, we have adopted a comprehensive and holistic approach to supporting our Roadrunner community to help students build a foundation for healthy living and academic success. I am excited about the additional opportunities this funding will allow us to explore.”
The grant comes at a perfect time, as the university and the HCAP student body work to move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
When it entered the post-pandemic phase of education, UTSA identified three key barriers to student success: financial management, mental health and academic performance. Students — particularly first-generation students — indicated that lack of experience and resources left them unprepared to balance family, work and school demands.
Moreover, many students experienced exacerbated mental health conditions, including symptoms caused by stress from financial difficulties and family dynamics, hunger and other acute crises prompting increased feelings of hopelessness during the pandemic.
Through this grant, HCAP and the university plans to supplement and strengthen services specifically for at-risk students by implementing three programs designed to address each key barrier.
“The funding from the U.S. Department of Education will help HCAP launch many programs to improve students’ experiences while at UTSA and their prospects of finishing the degree program, with the necessary skills to succeed in their careers,” said Lynne Cossman, dean of HCAP. “We are very proud of Dr. Cordova for landing this funding and look forward to scaling HCAP’s programming to benefit all UTSA students by the end of the grant’s funding period.”
To address students’ financial management skills, HCAP will build and offer a series of financial fluency sessions that progressively build on previous content so that students can move from financial literacy to fluency.
As part of this series of courses, the college and UTSA will identify financial ambassadors: undergraduate, paid part-time wage earners with the responsibility of reaching out to peers and connecting them with relevant services. For example, ambassadors may be placed at the UTSA's Whataburger Resource Room, a key touchpoint for students in need of support.
In addition to the financial fluency sessions, HCAP plans to bolster UTSA’s mental health efforts by bringing additional well-being and mental health training to students. Although there are more than 100 individuals at UTSA who have completed Mental Health First Aid training, the majority are administrative and/or advising personnel. By bringing this training to students, the university is more likely to reach students in need.
The final aspect of the grant funding will address academic support to increase retention. The college plans to re-engage “stop-out” students caused by the pandemic by increasing support via peer mentors and tutors, well-being certification counseling and data tracking.
“This grant will allow us to draw on our experiences and expertise to further serve our students,” Cordova said. “This grant will continue the collaborative work we invest in our students to help them thrive.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program prepares middle and high school students for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participants learn about problem-solving systems, develop greater awareness of STEM careers and strengthen their research skills.
UTSA Main CampusArchaeology 101 will introduce campers to archaeology and build on learned skills through experimental activities (like cave painting, weaving, and garbology).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusThe camp exposes rising high school juniors, rising seniors and incoming college freshman to the many facets of the criminal justice system. Students will have opportunities to learn the functions of police in society and apply scientific theories to criminal investigations by examining a mock crime scene.
UTSA Main CampusThe Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center invites you to join us for the Summer Bridging Institute. This institute will focus on being lifelong growers and continually seeking to increase our skills as educators.
UTSA Downtown CampusArchaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.