Berkeley City College (BCC) announced that it has been awarded a highly-competitive nearly $3 million Developing Hispanic Serving Institution grant from the Department of Education to expand supportive services for Latinx and marginalized students. This is the College’s first grant since being named a Developing Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the US Department of Education in 2020. As a population that has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, these additional academic and student support services come at a critical time.
“Berkley City College serves as a critical resource for the growing Bay Area Latinx communities - and this grant demonstrates the dedication of our faculty, staff, and administrators to implementing educational strategies to support our diverse student population,” said Dr. Angélica Garcia, President of Berkeley City College. “As a Chicana and first-generation college student, I am humbled to serve as President for a college that ensures students from all backgrounds have access to higher education with the resources they need in order to succeed.”
The nearly $3 million grant will be awarded in approximately $600,000 increments over the next five years. The funding will allow the College to increase Latinx and marginalized student retention and graduation rates by providing enhanced support and advising; assistance transitioning from high school to community college and post-secondary education into careers; a FAFSA completion and financial literacy campaign geared towards Latinx students; increased outreach and recruitment of Latinx students; and expanded professional learning opportunities for student success staff, faculty, administrators and the community.
“We spent weeks working on our ‘Conocimiento Los Caminos’ grant application before submitting it to the Department of Education in May of this year,” said Dr. Stacey Shears, BCC Vice President of Student Services. “We are grateful to the faculty, classified professionals, and administrators who helped secure this important funding and we look forward to offering these expanded services for Berkeley City College students.”
This most recent grant award is part of a Peralta Community College District-wide initiative to expand services for marginalized and minoritized communities by interrogating and transforming our systems with an equity advancing lens.