New Grant to Focus on Enhancing Hispanic Student Success

Dominican University is the recipient of a new $3 million federal grant aimed at amplifying the university’s support of its Latine students and accelerating it toward excellence as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. 

The Title V grant, entitled “Avanzamos: Advancing Dominican University from Hispanic-Enrolling to Hispanic-Serving,” will close equity gaps by creating additional career readiness opportunities for the 63% of Dominican University undergraduates who identify as Hispanic.

“We will be focusing our efforts on improving Hispanic undergraduate student retention, persistence, credit hour accumulation, four-year graduation rates and career outcomes,” explained Lisa Petrov, Title V project director at Dominican University and a professor of Spanish. “Our experience and institutional data tell us how important career mobility is to our students and their families. By embedding career development courses across the curriculum — from their freshman through senior year - students will be more prepared for those career-ladder jobs they desire.”

Over the five years of the project, career development courses will be required for all undergraduates, work-based learning opportunities will be expanded, and increasing internship opportunities for students will be a goal.

Additionally, the project will centralize and strengthen efforts for holistic student advising and support services with a goal of increasing student outcomes and closing equity gaps. An enhanced First Year Experience and advising structure will equip students with more tools to navigate their academic planning and career aspirations while providing the foundation for holistic supports that meet their personal, financial and wellness needs.

The Office of Hispanic-Serving Initiatives will provide direction, research and leadership to “help coordinate HSI innovation while enhancing and expanding the university’s culturally inclusive and welcoming climate for all,” Petrov said. To help students thrive, the office will focus on creating research-based practices, policies, curriculum and institutional culture; offering bilingual and bicultural programming for students, families and the community; and creating community engagement to elevate the university’s HSI profile.

“Coordinating and celebrating our Hispanic-serving initiatives in a visible and centralized way will foster a sense of belonging for our students,” Petrov said. “When students feel they belong, they persist and achieve their goals.”

Faculty, too, will be a focal point of the grant through professional development aimed at putting the experiences, strengths and needs of Hispanic students at the forefront.

“Latine — and all students — can expect to feel the impact of this grant over time as they experience greater institutional capacity to holistically meet their needs, supporting long-term academic success,” Petrov added. “They will have more opportunities to develop career readiness for after graduation. And as they collaborate with a new Office of Hispanic-Serving Initiatives they can help DU become the Hispanic-serving institution they need it to be.” 

An open forum is planned to present more information about the grant’s goals, objectives and activities.  

As a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) since 2011, Dominican has grown from a Hispanic-enrolling institution to a model for how to truly serve today’s diverse Latine student populations, notably through the creation of the Center for Cultural Liberation, which supports students from historically marginalized backgrounds, and through Ministry en lo Cotidiano, a leadership development and faith formation fellowship for undergraduates interested in experiencing faith-based service in Latine communities in the Chicago area. 

The Department of Education defines a Hispanic-Serving Institution as one with an enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic. As of 2021, there were 559 designated HSIs across 24 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to HACU, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.