Engel secures grant for Hispanic students at Mount St. Vincent

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The College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV) will offer a new support system for its growing Hispanic student population, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Education secured by Rep. Eliot Engel.  

The $458,473 allocation will go to a summer program for incoming high-needs students, a full-time literacy specialist and an online tutoring service for students struggling with academics. 

This year, about 45 percent of the school’s first year students are Hispanic, many of whom are from New York City and Westchester. Sarah Stevenson, the dean of CMSV’s undergraduate college, said the grant aims to provide those students with the tools they need to graduate from the school once they arrive.

“It’s really our recognition that many students need more significant support than simply saying, ‘Okay, here’s your classes, good luck,’” Ms. Stevenson said. “It’s not enough. Our goal is to get the vast majority of students who come through our door to graduation.” 

While the college already has the highest graduation rate in the country for Hispanic students majoring in the sciences, Ms. Stevenson said that students often start their freshman year at CMSV in need of support as they transition from high school to college. 

In April, the non-profit Excelencia in Education released a report highlighting the need to close the education completion gap for Hispanic students. According to the report, 20 percent of Hispanic adults in the U.S. held an associate’s degree or higher. 

CMSV’s summer program will focus on preparing students both academically and socially before they begin the school year. The literacy specialist, as well as online tutoring, will be available for students once they are immersed in their coursework. 

For many students, the new tutoring system will mean receiving help even if they are not comfortable coming to the school’s academic resource center in person. The system is also expected to be useful for late-night homework challenges, when professors may not be available. 

Ms. Stevenson hopes the new services will provide students with the support they need to succeed. 

“One of the things we found is that students’ persistence in college has to do with both their capacity for success and their rationale and motivation, and that can come from a sense of belonging in college — that feeling of, yes, I am here, I belong here,” she said. 

College of Mount Saint Vincent, CMSV, Sarah Stevenson, Eliot Engel, Maya Rajamani

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