Northeast Texas Community College recently learned that it is the recipient of a $3 million Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Title V grants are highly competitive and NTCC was one of only 78 higher educational institutions to receive the award in 2022.
“Applying for grants of this magnitude requires a lot of research and hard work without any guarantee of success. Needless to say we were thrilled to learn that our project was funded and look forward the impact it will have on our campus,” Anna Ingram, Associate Vice President for Instruction, said.
Title V grants are available to colleges that are Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) – which means at least 25% of its student population identifies as Hispanic. Title V projects must be designed to expand opportunities and increase educational attainment for Hispanic students. This is the fourth Title V award NTCC has received. Currently, Hispanic students make up about 34% of NTCC’s student body.
The grant will be distributed over the next five years and will fund a variety of projects and new positions. The goal of the project is to increase diverse students’ sense of belonging in the college environment – both inside and outside of the classroom.
“We saw great success with our last Title V grant, which focused on improving student completion and transfer rates. However, through working closely with students, we learned that there are many factors that contribute to their performance in college that may have little to do with academics. With this grant, we hope to take a more holistic approach to student success,” Erika Garza, Director of Title V Grants/Director of Academic Success, said.
The new Title V grant has four key goals/outcomes. The first is to implement a multicultural center on campus that offers success coaches, cultural competency and equity training and mental health services. The second is to transition underserved students to college. The third goal is to improve planning, institutional effectiveness and research. The last goal is to improve student financial support.
The grant will fund eight new positions on campus for the five-year award duration; two full-time success coaches, two high school transition coaches, a full-time mental health counselor, a grant writer, an institutional effectiveness assistant, and a Work4College program coordinator.
“Not only will these new positions improve our ability to serve students, they will also benefit our local economy by providing new jobs. Adding staff will greatly increase our capacity to offer comprehensive students services and advising,” Dr. Jonathan McCullough, Executive Vice President for Advancement, said.
While the grant specifically targets the needs of Hispanic students, all NTCC students can benefit from the services.
“Awards like the Title V grant help us accomplish things that just wouldn’t be possible with our regular operating budget. We want our students to not just make it through college – we want them to thrive. This grant will help us provide the extra services that can help them do that,” Ingram said.
Some of the new Title V positions are already listed and qualified individuals are encouraged to apply at www.ntcc.edu/hr.
