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PPOHA

School of Education

Concordia Awarded $3 Million Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Grant
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Purpose

  1. Increase access to SOE graduate programs for Hispanic and low-income students by promoting programs to undergraduate and master’s level students and offering financial assistance.
  2. Creation of the Vocación Graduate Resource Center (GRC) for multi-tiered support. The center will coordinate and systematize the support efforts provided by the SOE into a cohesive space for student persistence measures. The GRC will be a central location for academic advising/success coaching, writing support, networking, and access to services like health & wellness, and counseling for Master’s and Ed.D. students.
  3. Initiation of a formalized faculty-student mentoring program in the Ed.D. program to ensure that all student populations receive equal access to faculty mentors.
  4. Degree redesign that provides a pathway from master’s level to doctoral level programs and adds a practicum component for the doctoral level.
  5. Professional Development for all graduate level faculty and course developers in the SOE who will be trained on specifically designed academic instruction in English (SDAIE) and asset-based mindset strategies.
  6. Improve “belonging” for Hispanic students by making a more welcoming and inclusive community in the SOE.
  7. Increase enrollment and graduation rates of Hispanic students.

Grant Activities

Female teacher with elementary students

Graduate Resource Center

Develop a virtual and in-person Graduate Resource Center

  • Create a virtual and in person “Vocacion Graduate Resource Center” with academic advising/success coaching, writing support, professional networking, skill-building workshops, wrap-around services including health and wellness, counseling, and group tutoring services
  • Center will primarily be a virtual service targeted at Concordia University Irvine’s large online community of MA students
  • Hire two academic advisor/success coaches and one writing coach for the GRC
Male teacher pointing to the white board

Professional Development

Implement Professional Development for Faculty and Staff

  • Provide professional development for all graduate faculty and course developers in the SOE around Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) and asset-based mindset strategies
Female teacher teaching a student

Communication and Outreach

Enhance a Communication and Outreach Plan to community partners

  • Promote SOE programs to UG and MS students
  • Increase enrollment of Hispanic students in SOE programs by expanding community partnerships to include: UG information sessions, community college transfer strategies, and communication with adults in the education system to cultivate awareness of SOE programs
  • Target Concordia University Irvine Hispanic undergraduates, potential community college transfer students and working adults in the local K-12 higher education systems.
  • Activities will include engaging with Hispanic families and students, recognizing the central role of family support in the Hispanic community

Programs

M.A. Program

M.A. Program

Create a streamlined pathway from the MA to EdD programs

  • Redesign the MA curriculum to create a clear and streamlined pathway from MA to EdD level programs (8,14) Identify classes that can be cross-listed
  • Change the transfer policy to allow up to 6 units of transfer credit from the MAED/MAEL programs into the Ed.D. Two 3-unit courses from each of the five masters’ programs will be evaluated for similar subject matter and rigor (24)
  • Add an EdD program practicum course in which doctoral candidates teach a master’s level course. (25)

EdD Program

EdD Program

Launch a Future Faculty Fellows Program

  • Create a formalized EdD Faculty Fellowship program- “Future Faculty Program” to provide tuition and stipend assistance
  • Title V funds will be used to provide stipends for selected Hispanic students in the EdD program (25)
  • Communication strategy throughout California and surrounding states to attract talented Hispanic scholars (25)
  • Add an EdD program practicum which will involve EdD students teaching MA program classes

Create a formalized mentoring program for EdD students

  • Create a formalized faculty/student mentoring program in the EdD program which includes first-year EdD students mentored by the PPOHA Grant Director. Mentors will assist students with navigating the complexities of the degree program and with professional networking opportunities.(14)

KPIs

By 2027:

Increase the number of Hispanic EdD graduates by 15%
Increase the overall graduate student enrollment by 20%

Objectives Annual Performance Indicators
By 2027, increase the number of Hispanic students
enrolled in SOE master’s programs by 15%		 2023: Establish Outreach Activities
2024: Increase enrollment by 3%
2025: Increase enrollment by 7%
2026: Increase enrollment by 11%
2027: Increase enrollment by 15%
By 2027, increase the number of Hispanic students
enrolled in the Ed.D. program by 10%		 2023: Redesign pathways to Enrollment
2024: Increase enrollment by 2%
2025: Increase enrollment by 5%
2026: Increase enrollment by 8%
2027: Increase enrollment by 10%
By 2027, Reduce the percentage of Hispanic graduate students
on academic probation by 25% by improving student academic and wrap-around services		 2023: Assign academic advisor/coaches to students on academic probation
2024: Reduce percentage on probation by 5%
2025: Reduce percentage on probation by 15%
2026: Reduce percentage on probation by 20%
2027: Reduce percentage on probation by 25%
By 2027, 80% of SOE faculty and staff
will attend asset-based mindset and SDAIE professional development each year		 2023: 20% of faculty and staff trained
2024: 40% of faculty and staff trained
2025: 60% of faculty and staff trained
2026: 70% of faculty and staff trained
2027: 80% of faculty and staff trained
Increase by 25% over five years the number of Hispanic students
reporting a strong connection to the university		 2023: Establish baseline
2024: Increase connection 10% over baseline
2025: Increase connection15% over baseline
2026: Increase connection 20% over baseline
2027: Increase connection 25% over baseline
Increase total number of Hispanic students
awarded master’s degrees in the SOE by 15% in five years		 2023: Establish Graduate Resource Center
2024: Increase graduation rate by 3%
2025: Increase graduation rate by 7%
2026: Increase graduation rate by 11%
2027: Increase graduation rate by 15%

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