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Press Release March 28, 2006
Evergreen Valley College and San Jose State University Launch $ 3.4 Million Partnership to Improve Transfer Rates of Hispanic Students
- Increasing completion rates of “gateway” classes
- Increasing coordination between SJSU and EVC counselors and faculty
- Extending mentoring and tracking of students once they reach SJSU
The mission of the partnership is to develop, implement, and institutionalize a set of structures and processes on both campuses to increase Hispanic student success.
The signature ceremony was attended by San José/Evergreen Community College Chancellor Rosa Pérez, Evergreen Valley College President Dr. David Wain Coon, SJSU President Don W. Kassing, as well as grant co-writers Richard Regua, an English Professor at EVC and Enlace Program chair, and Dr. George Castro, Professor Emeritus at SJSU and an Enlace mentor.
Evergreen Valley College President Coon made opening remarks in which he noted that the EVC/SJSU grant proposal had not only been completely funded through Title V, but had also been awarded the third highest score in the nation out of more than 200 grant applications.
SJECCD Chancellor observed that the effects of programs like Enlace and grants such as the Title V grant for Hispanic Serving Institutions would invigorate the entire EVC campus. Chancellor Pérez noted that such grants “are at the entire center of our mission—they give us models to follow and successes to point to.”
Congratulatory remarks were also offered by SJSU President Kassing and EVC Enlace Program chair Richard Regua.
EVC’s own Victor Garza Jr., and current SJSU student Jessica Rodriquez shared their experiences with the Enlace Program. Victor is a graduate of SJSU, and Jessica will be graduating from SJSU in May. Both credited the Enlace Program with much of their success.
The ceremony ended with signatures and handshakes from Presidents Coon and Kassing, and Professors Regua and Castro.
The first component of the program will take place at Evergreen Valley College and address low coursework completion rates in Math, Science, and English courses for Hispanic students. The nationally recognized Enlace Program will train a group of faculty in techniques proven to increase transition and success rates of students. These techniques include culturally sensitive instruction, tying outcomes to assessment, a strong emphasis on mentoring, and peer tutoring.
The second component is direct collaboration between counselors and faculty at EVC and SJSU to weave a support system for Hispanic students as they transfer. This collaboration will occur at all levels of support, including transfer counseling, mentoring and tutoring. This component will also include a Summer Bridge Program aimed at helping Hispanic transfer students deal with issues that arise for first-generation college students. According to Dr. George Castro, this is the first time such a program has been offered to community college students.
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For more information on Title V or the Enlace Program, please contact Frank.Espinoza@evc.edu or Richard.Regua@evc.edu
Months of hard work by dedicated college educators and community mentors came to fruition on March 9, 2006, with the Title V Hispanic Serving Institution partnership signing ceremony between Evergreen Valley College and San José State University.
Title V is a federally funded program to strengthen institutions of higher education. There is a national concern about the need to improve the transfer rate of Latino students from community colleges to universities, especially since 70 percent of Latinos begin their higher education experience in community colleges. Faculty at Evergreen Valley College wanted to build upon the success experienced in its unique Latino achievement program called “Enlace” and wrote a grant that got the attention of funders in Washington D.C. The $3.4 million grant is based upon principles and techniques developed in EVC’s Enlace Program, will span five years and consist of three main components: