Central Arizona College has received a more than $2.8 million federal grant to increase Hispanic student retention.

The Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions, or Title V, grant comes from the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Ninety-seven percent of the project is funded by the  grant with the remaining $100,210 supported by Central Arizona College funds, according to a press release.

CAC will use the Title V grant funds to increase the retention rates of its Hispanic and other traditionally underrepresented students. The college will provide resources and educational opportunities to help these students complete their education at CAC and transfer to four-year institutions.

The grant will support:

• Revising general education courses to address relevancy and offer students classroom experiences that will help to deepen their learning and increase their likelihood of graduating and transferring to a four-year institution.
• Providing students with financial literacy workshops.
• Providing structured learning assistance to first-year, non-STEM track students taking Math 141, allowing more students to pass the course and continue with their studies.
• Assisting faculty in applying Universal Design Principles to their courses and using technology to support equity and other improvements in learning.
• Providing faculty with professional development opportunities that foster greater student engagement, improved learning and enhanced retention of students.
• Implementing a coordinated approach to addressing students’ basic needs.