Grants in Action

Hispanic-Serving Institution designation opens opportunities for all students

Two major federal grants have been awarded to Mount Mary since August, a $4.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education and a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation.Both of these grants were awarded to schools designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI); Mount Mary became a HSI in spring 2020 and is one of two schools in Wisconsin eligible for such grants.

“Proyecto Descubrir,” or Project Discovery¹, is a four-year program to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income women enrolled in STEM programs by 10 percent. This $4.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will address a gap in Hispanic and low-income women enrolled in a STEM degree program through a multi-pronged approach to remove barriers and increase retention and completion.

“STEM by Design”2 is a program developed through a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation awarded in June. This program will introduce strong technology elements throughout the institution and
offer a human-technology interface degree program.

“These grants confirm the caliber of the University’s programing and leadership, and highlight our trajectory,” said Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Julie Landry. “Mount Mary is withholding nothing to close the educational and opportunity gap for these women as we cultivate and maintain an inclusive community.”

While these grants are focused on increasing access to education for Hispanic students, both grants have a campus-wide impact that will increase access for all students. For instance, the HSI STEM grant will fund the remodeling of the Caroline Hall Lounge, Gerhardinger Center Lounge, Ewens Center and the STEM department office to create a multicultural center and to make the lounge spaces more user-friendly by incorporating features such as tables with charging stations for portable devices.

Another significant gain for Mount Mary’s campus community is a third recent award, Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS), a $120,000 four-year grant through the U.S. Department of Education³ that provides funds up to $1,000 per year to eligible student parents to cover child care costs at an approved child care provider. Funds are paid directly to the child care provider. One option will be the new on-campus Wauwatosa Day Care and Learning Center located in Trinity Woods that is slated to open in late fall 2021.

These new grants for 2021 bring the five-year total to $19.3 million in federal support.

(1) The Hispanic-Serving Institutions – Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics and Articulation Program (HSI STEM) grant in the amount of $4,646,922 is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

(2) This material is based upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation under Grant No. 2122881. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions
or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

(3) The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant in the
amount of $120,000 is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Education.