By Atilla Azami—
At the end of 2011, NJCU received $9.2 million from the federal government for S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) programs, its largest grant in history.—
The Title V grant, also known as Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) program, was ascertained despite the stiff national competition with hundreds of other HSIs reaching for the same funds. In order to qualify as a HSI, the eligible institution must have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.
The chief objectives of the grants are to improve retention, tenacity, and graduation rates of STEM majors as well as increase the number of students enrolled in STEM programs. NJCU plans to meet these goals by partnering with Hudson County Community College (HCCC) as $5.3 million was bestowed as a cooperative grant to both institutions. HCCC and NJCU will work in partnership to develop the fluidity of transfers between each other as well as dual admission and dual enrollment programs.
In an interview with Ruddys Andrade, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs, he admitted that the grant is a direct reflection of high demand in the job market that calls for skills which could be procured through STEM programs. He elaborated that it’s essential for America to keep up in the ever-increasingly competitive global community.
“I think it’s really important that we continue on this path,” said Jason Cruz, 24, economics major from Union City. “This is where the high-paying jobs are and it’s good to see NJCU is capable of fulfilling those goals for further career aspirations.”
The Grants and Sponsored Programs department worked extensively preparing months in advance to ensure the effectiveness of the proposals for the grant with notable help from Dr. John Grew and Dr. Alberto Pinkas. In one of the proposals, NJCU received a perfect score.
To help future students, $1.2 million of the grant will be allocated to the NJCU Foundation fund. NJCU has 20 years to match the $1.2 million, through aggressive fundraising they plan to meet that goal within the next five years. This is the first time in NJCU history that the institution has been able to procure and use strictly public funds for an endowment, an achievement Mr. Andrade was especially fond of.
Dr. John Grew, who wrote one of the proposals for the grant, explained in detail the allocation of the funds. Approximately $1 million will be spent in the Science Building’s physical renovations including four biology labs on the second and third floor and student libraries on the third and fourth floor.
Several hundred thousand will be spent on technological upgrades including improved WI-FI access and more lecture capture and smart-boards. Nearly $400,000 will be spent on major instrumentation acquisitions such as Scanning Electron Microscope and NMR Spectrometer.
Some of the funds will also be used in supporting Supplemental Instruction as well as developing articulation agreements with the Science Departments of surrounding Associate Degree institutions.
Dr. Grew said, “[The Grant] is a small part of a global effort to reinvigorate entrepreneurial talent based on technology… and help minority and low-income students be part of that.”
Some of the improvements will be available as soon as next Fall semester, a timeline that some students are justly excited about.
Jane Sepulveda, 22, senior class president and geoscience major of Jersey City said, “it’s a move toward the right direction.” She then shared an anecdote in which Dr. Nurdan Aydin, Geoscience faculty, whom had taught at China before coming to NJCU. Jane said that Dr. Aydin was taken aback in the stark contrast of the student’s scientific aptitude in relation to those in China. Jane added, “it’s about time we put ourselves on the radar.”
