Cypress College is the recipient of a $2.8 million federal Title V grant intended to improve graduation and transfer rates. The U.S. Department of Education awards the grants to colleges and universities across the country as part of the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program.
Title V grants are highly competitive — 43 recipients were selected for funding across the country from a pool of 223 formal applications in the 2019 cycle. The 5-year grant will bring $2,773,406 to Cypress College to help fully implement the Guided Pathways model — a transformational approach to operations designed to eliminate barriers students encounter in their educational journey.
Recently ranked as the top community college in California, Cypress College operates on a belief that we owe it to our students to continually be our best so they can be their best. Congruent with this philosophy, the college’s grant focuses on clarifying the path from admission to completion.
“Receiving this grant validates that work that we are doing at Cypress College to genuinely walk this educational journey in tandem with our students,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “I am proud of the work we do and of our commitment to student success. True commitment to helping students means that we are always looking for ways to improve. I am thankful to our employees who worked tirelessly to develop the Title V grant proposal. Receiving this grant means more students will achieve their goals.”
Based on evidence, the Guided Pathways model shows great promise in improving students’ graduation and transfer outcomes. Cypress College’s project incorporates three components and five distinct strategies, which were selected to address friction points that contribute to identified problems experienced by students. These strategies are organized around the Guided Pathways pillars to follow best practices established by leading community colleges.
Cypress College’s Title V project, titled Enhancing the Student Experience through Guided Pathways, will benefit the current 16,000-plus students, along with thousands of students who will follow in future years. Every student who attends Cypress College will have an improved institutional structure that facilitates achieving completion.
In alignment with the Guided Pathways goals, this Title V project will shorten the amount of time students need to complete their programs of study, improve their chances of university transfer and degree or certificate attainment, and reduce the cost of instructional materials by eliminating those items that don’t move them closer to their goals.
In fall 2018, 49% of the 16,042 enrolled Cypress College students were Hispanic, and 65.5% of these students received financial aid; nearly half of all students are first-generation college students. This means the long-term results are likely to positively impact the most vulnerable communities in the college’s service area.
About Title V:
The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. These grants also enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability. Title V is a component of the U.S. Higher Education Act.