In October 2021, Santa Rosa Junior College was selected to receive a Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant for the District’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Health Sciences programs. The Department of Education’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HSI-STEM) awards will total approximately $4.69 million over a 5-year period.
- What is the Avanzando Initiative?
The District’s goals for the HSI-STEM Educational Initiative are aimed at improving the academic success and completion rates among Latinx students and increasing the number of Latinx and other low-income students attaining STEM and Health Science certificates, degrees, and transfer. Paired with the opening of the new Lindley Center for STEM Education in spring of 2024, the Avanzando Initiative will add to the intentional resources SRJC directs to support STEM and Health Science students.
The Avanzando Initiative addresses challenges faced by Hispanic, low-income, and first-generation community college students pursuing Health Science and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) certificates, degrees, and 4-year college and university transfer admissions. Avanzando’s partner institutions include Sonoma State University, Cal Poly Humboldt, and Pacific Union College.
- Avanzando Program Goals
- Improve academic success and move Hispanic and other low-income students rapidly into core math and science courses and through program completion.
- Increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining certificates, degrees, and transfer in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the health sciences.
- Develop model transfer and articulation agreements between SRJC and four-year institutions in STEM fields.
- Avanzando Proposed Activities
To achieve the overarching goal of increasing Health Science and STEM certificate, degree, and transfer completion for Hispanic, low-income, and first-generation SRJC students, Avanzando will undertake the design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of critical activities by:
- Developing STEM & Health Science Learning Communities
- Building and supporting a STEM student pipeline
- Providing opportunities for SRJC students to shadow health science & STEM professionals
- Partnering with transfer institutions Increasing the number of Associate of Science for Transfer degrees
- Strengthening articulation and transfer pathways for new STEM degrees
- Creating research courses for SRJC students
- Contact Information