UTB-TSC receives nearly $500K to promote Hispanic student success

UTB-TSC has received nearly $500,000 in federal dollars to extend postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for Hispanic students, U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi announced Monday.

The project aims to improve the graduation rate of Hispanic and low-income graduate students in the areas of math and computer science, to improve the job prospects of these graduates, and to attract more Hispanic and low-income students into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

"We must continue to offer educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley," Ortiz said. "This grant will assist Hispanics in our community who seek master’s and doctoral degrees. I am well aware that people from all walks of life need the appropriate tools to succeed. If we can help these South Texans progress in their education, we have made a world of difference in our community."

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College plans to use this grant for a variety of purposes.

The school will engage in faculty mentored research to keep graduate students focused, create a speaker series where successful scholars and minority students would be presented as role models, foster outreach to high school students, and create a buddy-mentoring between graduate students and undergraduates.