SEASIDE, Ca., November 21, 2018 – A collaborative project between California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Hartnell College has been selected to receive funding under the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (Title V) in the amount of $3,750,000. The award, expected to span over a total of five years, will help fund the collaborative “Making Accessible and Effective Systems for Teacher Readiness Outcomes (MAESTROs) Project” between the two institutions.

MAESTROs aims to enhance retention and completion rates for Hispanic and low-income students and prepare students to graduate and fulfill teacher workforce needs through three main activities.

1. Developing and enhancing student support systems through the revision of the first-year experience on both campuses to improve students’ experience and retention rates. More specifically, dedicated staff at both institutions will lead to program growth through improved services, academic supports and enhanced advising.
2. Increased collaborations between advisors and counselors at each institution to facilitate smooth transition from Hartnell to CSUMB. Join planning opportunities will support successful transitions between institutions and increase transfer and completion rates of teachers.
3. Support program curriculum and delivery improvement through review and improvement of the curriculum to ensure it is meeting the needs of the students. Additionally, provide workshops and activities to strengthen faculty/staff effectiveness in addressing diverse learning styles, cultures and students with disabilities. Improve service learning experiences through strategic partnerships with local schools leading to a smooth transition into the workforce after program completion.

 

We greatly appreciate this support from the U.S. Department of Education for a program that is so important for our region. This grant will enhance our partnership with Hartnell College and help us jointly develop more teachers who are prepared to meet the unique needs of the students in our diverse K-12 classrooms.”

— CSUMB President, Eduardo M. Ochoa

CSUMB and Hartnell College share a strong working relationship and history in shared programming to serve the growing numbers of Hispanic and low-income students who are under-prepared for college and Teacher Education Pathway programs.

 

Hartnell College and CSUMB have joined forces to 'grow our own' teachers in the Salinas Valley. Rather than relying so heavily on teachers coming from outside our region, we are cultivating the talent that already exists here. These students have roots in our communities and want to contribute to improving quality of life and to strengthening their communities by educating the next generation of leaders."

— Hartnell College Superintendent/President, Willard Lewallen

Programs such as MAESTROs directly support the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025, which is a university-wide initiative to ensure that all students have the opportunity to be successful and graduate according to their personal goals, positively impacting their future and producing additional graduates to power California and the nation.