Texas A&M University- Kingsville was one of only 22 programs selected nationwide by the U.S. Department of Education to receive funding through a new Title V program supporting graduate programs and the students in those programs.

A&M-Kingsville will receive $574,000 this year and $2.7 million over five years through the Promoting Post-Baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Title V grant program. The project title at A&M-Kingsville is “Strengthening Graduate Education at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.”

The PPOHA program strives to expand graduate educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students. It also serves to expand and enhance graduate academic offerings in institutions of higher education that are educating the majority of Hispanic college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.

The A&M-Kingsville PPOHA award was announced by U.S. P. Ortiz (TX-27), who said in a statement, “We must continue to offer educational opportunities in South Texas. This grant will assist Hispanics in our community who seek master’s and doctoral degrees.

“I am well aware that people from all walks of life need the appropriate tools to succeed. If we can help these South Texans progress in their education, we have made a world of difference in our community. This award being made by the Department of Education is a move in that direction.”

The specific uses of the grant money for Texas A&M-Kingsville, according to Dr. Daniel A. Brown, dean of University College and the principle investigator of the grant, will be numerous. “We will be able to fund scholarships for master’s and doctoral students, upgrade classroom instructional technologies and purchase scientific equipment for graduate education using grant funds.

“In addition, campus-wide initiatives will be supported, including the Pathways to the Doctorate Symposium sponsored by the Texas A&M University System and subscriptions to the Texas Digital Library and turnitin® software, used to detect and deter plagiarism.

“We also will have the funds for a brand new initiative, a Texas A&MKingsville Javelina Research Symposium, which will provide opportunities for our students to present the results of their research to our campus and community.”

Title V is program within the U.S. Department of Education also known as the Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions Program. Colleges and universities may submit proposals to Title V which support specific types of activities. These activities, though, must be developed with the goal of increasing the ability of institutions which receive these grants to improve college success for Hispanic and low-income students.

In addition to the PPOHA program, Brown noted that University College also was awarded funding through the Title V program, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA). The title of the specific CCRAA A&M-Kingsville project is “Developing a STEM Success Pipeline at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Del Mar College.” This is a $2.3 million project in its second year, focused on helping students be more successful in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines at both A&M-Kingsville and Del Mar College— especially when Del Mar College students transfer to the A&M-Kingsville engineering program.