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Mini-Grant Success Stories – Brandman University’s Textbook Award Program

March 11, 2021

For the past three years, Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Mini-Grants have been awarded to member institutions in support of CVHEC’s mission to increase degree attainment rates. We will highlight how members’ innovative uses for the grants are positively impacting students in our CVHEC e-Newsletters. We begin telling this story with Brandman University which created the Textbook Award Program for 50 students.



CVHEC Mini-Grants support Brandman students in pandemic  

In an innovative use of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Mini-Grants Program, CVHEC member Brandman University funded the Textbook Award Program, reaching out to its students at three Central Valley campuses for immediate relief to about 50 participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CVHEC Mini-Grants, in various amounts up to $7,500 each funded by partner College Futures Foundation(CFF), are intended to support activities providing assistance and professional learning associated with Guided Pathways, Math Pathways, implementation Corequisite English and math course development (implementation of AB 705 and EO 1110), and advancement of Pathways for Associate Degrees for Transfer.

For this year’s cycle, in response to the COVID Pandemic and racial unrest last summer, the criteria was expanded to incentivize basic needs and equity, race and social justice work.

This led Brandman to use its Mini-Grant funds to create $150 book vouchers for undergraduate, first-generation students, reports Sonia Gutierrez-Mendoza, director of the Visalia and Lemoore campuses.

“When CVHEC expanded its criteria this year and called for initiatives that could help students during the pandemic, we asked our students ‘what are some of your pain points during this difficult time?’” she said.

“Over and over, we heard them say ‘we can’t buy textbooks because Financial Aid is not in yet’ so with CVHEC’s expanded criteria for the mini-grants, we created this program and notified recipients of their award right before the winter break, when expenses add up for their families.”

Richard Carnes, director of Brandman’s Modesto campus, credited Gutierrez-Mendoza for the Textbook Award ideaand its innovative appeal since the grants are usually applied to long-term pathways projects.

“Those long-term projects are good and necessary, but students need help now,” Carnes said.

“We told our students that CVHEC projects like the Mini-Grants demonstrate to them, and to our university team, that the higher education community here in our Central Valley is united and supportive of your endeavors and want to help make a positive impact on your success and persistence,” he added.

Gutierrez-Mendoza agrees. “Students can’t walk those pathways very well if they have pebbles in their shoes, or worse,” she said.  “When we told our students how CVHEC was there with its CFF partner to lend a hand, they were so grateful. To know that, even in a small way, this grant helped students persist in their college education is an amazing feeling.”

That gratitude was reflected in a letter campaign the students undertook thanking Dr. Ben Duran, CVHEC executive director, his team and CFF. The Brandman students, who are adult-learners, shared how the textbook awards positively impacted them during a difficult year.

Bethany Burnes

Bethany Burnes of Brandman University’s Visalia campus, who reported she has been off work for “what seems like forever due to COVID restrictions” while also welcoming her third child born on Christmas Day, said, “Things have been really tight with our household budget and with your assistance some of the pressure is now off of me and frees up some money for my babies. I appreciate this grant so much!”

Karla Melgar of the Modesto campus said the Textbook Award “was such a big help for me and my family since I’m the only one currently working full time.  Once again thank you!”

For Marybel Herrera, also a Visalia campus student who plans to graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, the award is “like the icing on the cake to my last semester at Brandman University. In a time like this, and all the changes that COVID has brought to everyone, this award is a nice change. Once again thank you!”

Duran commended Brandman University for responding to this year’s Mini-Grant program criteria expansion, which was intended to encourage CVHEC member institutions to create innovative ways to help students when the pandemic was having the greatest impact, and creating the Textbook Award Program to help fulfill that need with the grant funds.

“We applaud Brandman for identifying a basic need that was just in time especially during this period in our history when there has been so much uncertainty,” Duran said.  “We definitely want to see more students complete degrees and this simple use of our grant dollars shows the great impact a small grant can have when our members are allowed to use their creativity to connect with their students whose immediate needs they know best.”

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png 0 0 Pablo https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Pablo2021-03-11 16:45:492021-03-11 16:45:49Mini-Grant Success Stories – Brandman University’s Textbook Award Program

CVHEC Mini-Grants support degree attainment strategies

December 9, 2020

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Mini-Grants have been creatively used by faculty from member institutions for individual projects that help achieve the consortium strategy of increasing degree attainment rates.

Now in its third year, the CVHEC Mini-Grants program, currently funded by the College Futures Foundation, provides awards with a maximum $7,500 each.

Last year, the grants awarded for projects in various amounts provided assistance and professional learning associated with Guided Pathways, Math Pathways, implementation Corequisite English and math course development, and advancement of Pathways for Associate Degrees for Transfer. This new funding cycle is seeking to additionally incentivize Basic Needs and Equity, Race and Social Justice work.

One project last year funded a four-day workshop for faculty learning, strategies and techniques that have made the institution’s English coreq model successful.

Another produced a video capturing student voices for Guided Pathways and funded professional development for student services personnel to redesign student services for Guided Pathways.

A third grant supported faculty stipends for researching effective supplemental learning models/services and development of recommendations as well as travel to colleges to investigate supplemental learning models.

“These grants provide great incentive for faculty to undertake measures that will help their students pursue courses relevant to attaining their degree,” said Dr. Ben Durán, CVHEC executive director.

The filing period is now open for the CVHEC Mini-Grants and while there is no set deadline to apply, the funds must be expended prior to April 30, 2021 so applicants are encouraged to submit their request as soon as possible to get started on their respective projects.

For more information or to receive another application packet (first distributed in October), contact Duran (bduran@csufresno.edu) or Angel Ramirez (angelr@csufresno.edu) in the CVHEC office.

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png 0 0 Pablo https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Pablo2020-12-09 15:07:332020-12-09 15:07:33CVHEC Mini-Grants support degree attainment strategies

CVHEC Mini-grants are back!   

November 9, 2020

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Mini-Grants for member institutions will be offered again in 2021 with an eye towards pandemic and equity-related activities.

Applications are now being accepted. This round of grants will be capped at $7,500 per institution and must be expended by April 30, 2021.

As a result of COVID impacts, CVHEC was able to adjust its budget and offer another round of CVHEC Mini-grants forinstitutions to meet needs on their campuses.  The mini-grants are intended to fund activities of faculty and staff for implementation, assistance and professional learning associated with Guided Pathways, Leading from the Middle, Math Pathways, implementation of AB 705 and EO 1110 and advancement of Pathways for Associate Degrees for Transfer. New to the list are basic needs and equity.

“In response to the COVID Pandemic and calls for equity and racial justice, we are adding Basic Needs and Equity, Racial and Social Justice to the list of activities the dollars can provide assistance toward,” said CVHEC Executive Director Ben Duran.

He urged CVHEC members to get the word out and encourage their staff to submit applications as soon as possible.

“The last round of grants were well received and impactful in assisting our member campuses to improve student success and completion,” Duran said.

Application forms with details were sent to members in October. For any questions, contact Duran (bduran@csufresno.edu) or Angel Ramirez (angelr@csufresno.edu) in the CVHEC office.

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png 0 0 Pablo https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Pablo2020-11-09 21:42:552020-11-09 21:42:55CVHEC Mini-grants are back!   
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