The U.S. Department of Education awarded the School of Education a $2.8 million Title V Grant to fund the Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program. The purpose of the grant is to implement programs to achieve parity among Hispanic graduate students and other underrepresented groups in retention and graduation rates.

The grant will offer two options for students seeking a master’s degree in education (MEd): 1) a complete online MEd or 2) a hybrid master’s degree that combines online classes with traditional face-to-face classes.

Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 will be awarded to Hispanic and low-income students in the second through fifth years of the five-year grant. The first scholarships will be awarded for the fall of 2011.

 “The program will provide flexible course delivery for working adult students,” said Dr. Robert LeBlanc, UST School of Education dean. “We will concentrate our efforts on achieving Hispanic graduate student enrollment that mirrors the percentage of Hispanics in Houston and the surrounding area.”

Proposed solutions include developing master’s courses in education for online delivery in dual language instruction, special education and educational leadership. This grant will increase IT infrastructure for the entire University, as well as online and hybrid delivery of six masters-level education courses per year. By increasing access to and completion of these programs, the University of St. Thomas will not only boost enrollment, but will also help to fill the critical shortages of P-12 masters-level educators in these areas.

Additionally there are plans to develop and pilot an institution-wide Graduate Student Success Center that is specifically designed to provide assistance with graduate-level writing, research, and issues of academic/work/life balance. Graduate student fellowships are proposed to increase enrollment of Hispanics and low-income students in UST graduate programs.

“This technology-rich curriculum will help UST reach beyond the boundaries of Houston all the way to El Paso, Brownsville and Dallas,” said Dr. Rita Coombs Richardson.

Coombs Richardson collaborated with Janice Adamson, director of sponsored research, to secure the grant. Coombs Richardson will serve as the curriculum developer and Graduate Center director. She will be involved in curriculum development for both hybrid and online courses.

“Congratulations to Dr. Rita Coombs Richardson and Janice Adamson for their wonderful collaboration that led to this award,” said UST President Dr. Robert Ivany. “UST’s master’s education graduates are leaders who will train other teachers and thus have an influence far beyond a single classroom,” Ivany said. “The success of this program will impact the educational pipeline for Hispanics at virtually every level.”