Jersey City, N.J. – October 5, 2023 – Saint Peter’s University today announced that it has been awarded a $3 million Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program (DHSI) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The five-year grant was awarded for a project, titled Bienestar (Wellbeing) for All. DHSI grants enable Hispanic-Serving Institutions to expand and enhance academic offerings, program quality, faculty quality and institutional stability and to help Hispanic students and other low-income individuals complete postsecondary degrees.
“This year marks a milestone in Saint Peter’s history as we are celebrating our 25th anniversary as a Hispanic-Serving Institution,” said Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. “As we continue to commemorate this achievement, Bienestar reaffirms our commitment to the equitable success of all students and to our Jesuit mission to educate a diverse community of learners to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice.”
Bienestar for All will support four transformational activities:
- Creation of a Center for Inclusive Excellence. The Center will offer programs for students, faculty and staff that foster inclusion, sense of belonging and wellbeing.
- Curriculum and faculty development. The grant will enhance the Ignatian Seminar curriculum and will establish a program to support students returning to their studies after pandemic-related interruptions or other reasons.
- Development of the First Strut program. The program will serve first-generation students, offer a Career Closet that provides access to professional attire and expand participation in experiential learning through funded co-curricular opportunities.
- College readiness. The grant will enable the University to re-engage with high schools and other organizations through creative mentoring, leadership development and new outreach programs.
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For more than 150 years, Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment. To learn more, please visit saintpeters.edu.
Media Contact
Angeline Boyer
aboyer1@saintpeters.edu
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