September 12, 2024, Santa Rosa, CA — Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) today announced that they have been awarded a $3 million grant, to be received over 5 years, from the U.S. Department of Education under the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program. This grant will fund the college's latest initiative, Transformando, aimed at enhancing SRJC’s ability to serve its growing Latinx and underrepresented student populations.
Since 2014, SRJC has held its HSI designation, a federal recognition for institutions with at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment. Currently, 42% of SRJC's student body identifies as Latina/o/x, a demographic the college is deeply committed to supporting. With the launch of the new Transformando initiative on October 1, 2024, SRJC will build upon its mission to improve educational outcomes for these students while fostering a more inclusive campus community.
"Being an HSI-designated institution is about more than receiving federal funding,” said Dr. Angélica Garcia, Superintendent/President of SRJC. “It's about creating equitable pathways for success and addressing systemic inequities. This grant allows us to expand our work in building systems that support students holistically, both academically and personally.”
The Transformando initiative has three core goals:
- Improve Success: Enhance course completion rates for Hispanic and low-income students, particularly in math, English, and online courses.
- Foster Belonging: Build a sense of belonging for Hispanic, low-income, and first-generation students through culturally relevant curriculum and professional development for faculty and staff.
- Cohesion: Streamline student support services to guide Latinx/Hispanic students seamlessly from enrollment to graduation or transfer.
SRJC has two other established HSI initiatives, Lanzamiento and Avanzando, both offering tailored resources including financial aid, tutoring, and peer coaching to help Latina/o/x students achieve their academic goals. Additionally, SRJC collaborates with UC Berkeley scholar Dr. Gina Ann Garcia on the "Transforming HSI for Equity & Justice" initiative, reflecting the college’s dedication to promoting equity for all students.
For more information on SRJC’s HSI initiative, please visit www.hsi.santarosa.edu.
