Adams State’s “Building the Adams Experience” grant proposal awarded nearly $3 million in federal funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Adams State University was selected to receive nearly $3 million over five years through a federal Title V grant award to Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The grant is earmarked specifically for the Adams Experience, an innovative undergraduate curricular reform.

“From Cornerstone to Capstone: Building the ‘Adams Experience’” grant proposal was awarded an initial $591,783 by the U.S. Department of Education for the period of October 2020 through September 2021.

The Adams Experience project implements three strategic goals to create a new culture of support and connection for Hispanic and low-income students in their academic, personal and professional development, and to promote persistence and degree completion among Adams State undergraduate students:

• Develop and Implement High-Impact Practices across Curricular Programs. First-year seminars, e-portfolio, writing-intensive courses, and capstone experiences improve students’ academic engagement and performance, 21st-century skills, and competencies to support postsecondary degree completion and career readiness.
• Build Capacity to Implement Internships as a High-Impact Practice. Develop and implement an internship program designed to increase student engagement and success.
• Implement and Expand Grizzly Persist Workshops and Peer-Mentoring Program. Expand campus infrastructure for support services to address student-identified needs and foster Hispanic and low-income student persistence and degree completion.

The congressional Title V funding allows Adams State to push forward with an extensive, campus-wide reform of its curriculum based on deep self-study, interdisciplinary planning and research, and the principles of equity and inclusion.

The University’s plan for systemic change to increase student success develops campus capacity for high-impact educational practices, innovative linkages of student learning outcomes across disciplines, and new services to assist students transitioning into college in an integrated, holistic approach.

Teams of faculty and staff studied student data, access and achievement gaps, and weaknesses in institutional capacity to develop a program design that will nurture and support each student’s growth and intellect.

Title V federal Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program provides grants to assist HSIs like Adams State expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. The HSI Program grants also enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability.