Several schools in the Houston area will receive a number of federal grants totaling $2,980,739 to serve their Hispanic and underrepresented student populations, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced. The grant funding comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, and it is anticipated that each grant will be sustained for a total of 5 years.
“In Texas, more than one in three individuals identify as Hispanic, and I am proud to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions and their contributions to our state’s growing Hispanic community,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Quality education and diverse environments benefit everyone, and especially during these tough times I applaud Houston area schools for their work to secure these grants to better serve their students.”
| Entity | Grant Purpose | Award Amount |
| Wharton County Junior College | Increasing completion, persistence and transfer rates | $600,000.00 |
| University of St. Thomas | Expanding Engineering Career Opportunities for Hispanic Students | $600,000.00 |
| Brazosport College | Improving the student experience from orientation to graduation and afterward | $593,509.00 |
| Lone Star College-Montgomery | Increasing university transfer and degree obtainment | $587,230.00 |
| College of the Mainland | Improving STEM Learning Experiences and STEM Student Support Services | $600,000.00 |
The Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. The HSI Program grants also enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability.
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.