HispanicBusiness

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Postsecondary Education has awarded South Texas College $559,773 as part of its Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program for the college to enhance its Dual Enrollment Engineering Academy over the next three years.

The academy, or DEEA, is a program South Texas College started this fall that gives high school juniors the opportunity to begin working toward a college degree in engineering and graduate their senior year with a high school diploma as well as an associate of science degree in engineering.

The money will be used to expand student services support, such as summer internships, industry mentoring, college tours, scholarship searches and workshops, volunteers opportunities, academic tutoring, and testing reviews for the ACT and SAT, according to Guadalupe Chavez, coordinator of the college's dual enrollment academies. "We have witnessed the impact that added student services and support have had on the academy, not only to the success of the students in the program, but to student retention as well."

South Texas College, which is one of 14 colleges nationwide to receive a grant to increase enrollment of Hispanic students, currently has 48 students enrolled in its DEEA program. The new grant funding will be used to offer expanded student services, including summer internships, mentoring, college tours, scholarship searches and workshops, volunteer opportunities, tutoring, and reviews for the ACT and SAT, Ms. Chavez explains.

The college has also received $58,275 in additional grant funding for DEEA from the Texas Guaranteed.

"We want to help students get a jump start on the competition in this competitive field and what better way to do that than offer them a chance to earn an associate's degree in their chosen field for free! The only requirements for the academy's students are a strong commitment to high academic standards and a passion for engineering. If they put in the interest and time, they will be successful," Nick Gonzalez, director of high school programs and services for the college, said in a release.