About HSI-STEM
Overview
Strengthening the Impact by Providing Undergraduate Educational Development Opportunities, Sí Puedo, is the second, five-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI-STEM) and Articulation Programs grant awarded to California State University, Long Beach. The U.S. Department of Education awarded the $5.8 million grant to expand and enhance educational opportunities for, and to improve the academic attainment of, Latino and other low-income students. Sí Puedo will be implemented in collaboration with CSULB’s College of Engineering (COE) and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM). The goal of Sí Puedo is to close the achievement gap in STEM baccalaureate degree attainment for Latino and other low-income students, with particular emphasis on first year students
Freshman Activities
- Student Transition for Enrichment and Performance (STEP) into STEM
- Excellence through a Community of Engaged Learners (EXCEL) Learning Communities
Transfer Activities
- Summer Bridge to The Beach
- STEM Transfer to The Beach Orientation
- Excellence through a Community of Engaged Learners (EXCEL) Learning Communities
- Articulation Road Maps
Family Activities
HSI-STEM Workshops
Faculty Development
- Faculty Development
Mission & Goal
Mission
Hispanic Serving Institution – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (CSULB HSI-STEM) Sí Puedo grant at California State University, Long Beach will foster Latino and low-income student success by providing culturally relevant enhanced learning opportunities and STEM specific academic support.
Program Aim & Goals
Entitled Sí Puedo, Strengthening the Impact by Providing Undergraduate Educational Development Opportunities, is the second Title III, Part F HSI-STEM and Articulation Programs grant awarded to CSULB for the purpose of supporting Latino and low-income students pursing STEM degrees.
The program aims to close the achievement gap in STEM baccalaureate degree attainment for Hispanic and other low-income students by:
- Improving student academic success;
- Improving timely degree completion and retention;
- Increasing degree attainment; and
- Developing model transfer programming.
Through these efforts, we plan to increase the number of Latino and low income students attaining highly valued degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
HSI Designation
Hispanic Serving Institutions evolved in the 1980s to increase the percentage of underrepresented Latino students who were enrolled in colleges and universities. The title, Hispanic Serving Institution, indicates that the institution has at least 25 percent Hispanic full-time equivalent enrollment with at least 50 percent Hispanic students qualifying as low-income.
CSULB first became designated as a HSI university in Fall 2005 when 8,663 Latino students enrolled at the campus, representing 25.1 percent of undergraduate and graduate students. CSULB was one of 33 U.S. colleges and universities to receive the designation and was the only four-year institution in California to receive the Title V grant to address the educational and professional obstacles experienced by Latino students.
The first HSI grant entitled Mi Casa: Mi Universidad was obtained in 2006. The 5-year developmental grant aimed to integrate Latino students and their families into the university environment by addressing their educational needs through outreach, support, and cultural relevancy.
The first HSI-STEM grant was obtained in 2011 as collaboration between the NCLR/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training and the colleges of Engineering and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Through various activities, including mentorship and research exposure, the program aimed to increase the number of Latino students attaining highly valued degree in the STEM.
Rationale
CSULB has a rich history of providing outstanding educational opportunities to students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in STEM. The HSI-STEM Sí Puedo project will significantly contribute to the alignment of CSULB’s educational practices with the needs of our students by the intentional integration of the grant activities within the existing student success programs in the colleges of Engineering and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Both colleges are highly committed to CSULB’s strategic pillars of transformation, equal access, and a greater community. Grant activity alignment guarantees that the grant evaluation data will feed into the process of programmatic development in both colleges leading to institutionalization.
Leadership & Staff
The CSULB HSI-STEM Sí Puedo initiative is led by a group of dedicated professionals in their respective areas of research and teaching which includes the project directors, senior management, evaluator, and full-time staff.
Project Director
Dr. Eric Marinez
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Co-Project Directors
Dr. Tracy Bradley Maples
Interim Dean
College of Engineering
Dr. Krzysztof Slowinski
Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Evaluation, and Advising
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Staff
Helen Barriere, MS
Program Manager
helen.barriere@csulb.edu
Natalia Gatdula, MPH
Fiscal Manager
Natalia.gatdula@csulb.edu
Lark Crumpler
Student Programs Coordinator
lark.crumpler@csulb.edu
Mamta Pednekar, MS*
Web Coordinator
mamta.pednekar@student.csulb.edu
Evaluator
Project evaluation will be led by the Center for Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness (CEEE) at CSULB.
Senior Management
Dr. Eric Marinez, Program Director
Dr. Tracy Maples, Co-Program Director
Dr. Krzysztof Slowinski, Co-Program Director
Dr. Dhushy Sathianathan, Associate Vice President for Academic Planning
Dr. Mahmoud Albawaneh, Director, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
Dr. Don Haviland, Director, Center for Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness
Helen Barriere, Program Manager