As the largest non-white population at UConn and Connecticut\u2019s largest minority group, Hispanic\/Latino students are vital to the success of the University\u2019s mission and the state\u2019s economic and cultural well-being.<\/p>\n
Now, an initiative that helps students at UConn\u2019s campuses in Stamford, Hartford, and Avery Point is being expanded with a new grant to support the success of Hispanic and under-resourced students at UConn Waterbury.<\/a><\/p>\n Camina Conmigo (Walk With Me) is funded with a new $2.8 million project grant from the U.S. Department of Education and started last fall at UConn Waterbury, where almost 30% of students identify as Hispanic\/Latino.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been such a privilege to be able to create and collaborate to build and launch this program while considering the specific needs of our students and campus. We are committed to narrowing the equity gap and providing our students with the holistic support that they need to be successful at UConn Waterbury,\u201d says Nicole Ariyavatkul, UConn Waterbury\u2019s director of student success, equity, and inclusion.<\/p>\n Camima Conmigo is part of UConn\u2019s broader RISE initiative<\/a> (Resilience, Inclusion, Success, Equity) that targets support to under-resourced populations at the Waterbury, Hartford, and Stamford campuses.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want every student to know, regardless of their background or challenges they\u2019ve faced, UConn is a place where they can connect, succeed, and thrive. These programs create more resources to make that a greater reality,\u201d says Tadarrayl Starke, UConn\u2019s associate vice provost of the Institute for Student Success (ISS).<\/p>\n UConn aims to ensure that at least 76% of UConn Waterbury\u2019s Camina Conmigo first-year students return in the following year; that 85% or more are in good academic standing; and that at least half graduate within six years.<\/p>\n It also aims for at least 69% of its participants to report positive personal financial wellness \u2013 meaning they are able to find, navigate, and receive appropriate aid \u2013 as measured on the SERU Survey<\/a> (Student Experience in the Research University).<\/p>\n \u201cI am thrilled to see Camina Conmigo bolster Waterbury\u2019s commitment to Hispanic and under-resourced students, fostering an environment where every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential,\u201d says Fumiko Hoeft, UConn Waterbury\u2019s campus dean and chief administrative officer.<\/p>\n Camina Conmigo serves its participants in four key areas:<\/p>\n \u2022 Engagement and belonging: Creating Waterbury\u2019s first Learning Community, La Comunidad Intelectual<\/a>, modeled on communities at Storrs and Stamford; providing college success coaching and peer mentoring; offering cultural group and community service activities; and graduate school tours.<\/p>\n \u2022 Academic support: Training advisors in cultural competency; offering specialized First-Year Experience<\/a> courses; and supporting peer tutoring, academic mentoring, supplemental instruction, and summer math preparation.<\/p>\n \u2022 Financial literacy and wellness: Providing financial aid counseling; financial literacy workshops; assisting students with remaining eligible for financial aid; workshops to help students and their families fill out the FAFSA<\/a> (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and other financial aid documents; assistance with completing work-study employment processes; and student stipends to promote engagement with research, academic conferences, Experiential Global Learning<\/a> (study abroad), and other high-impact practices.<\/p>\n \u2022 Career preparation: Offering activities to help students explore majors and career pathways; holding seminars with alumni and other professionals; and organizing workshops to help students prepare for graduate school.<\/p>\n The University has bolstered services across its campuses over the past several decades to help Hispanic\/Latino students, along with students who are under-resourced, to help break down barriers to a UConn education.<\/p>\n The nation\u2019s Latino population grew by 23% over the past decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Connecticut strongly outpaced that number<\/a> with 50% growth between 2000 and 2012, with Hispanic\/Latino residents comprising about 17% of the population.<\/p>\n UConn\u2019s population of Hispanic\/Latino students has also grown significantly<\/a>: In 1990, about 3% of its undergraduates identified in that category, a number that had grown to 6% by 2012<\/a>. Now, almost 18% of UConn\u2019s undergraduates are of Hispanic\/Latino descent, with that number expected to continue rising.<\/p>\n