FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 8, 2002
CONTACT: GINGER HALL CARNES
DIRECTOR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
gcarnes@accd.edu

Palo Alto College Receives Largest Grant in Its History

(San Antonio, Texas) Palo Alto College, a 17-year-old community college on the Southside of San Antonio, has received a $2.5 million federal grant, the largest in its history. The college will cooperate with the Texas A&M University-Kingsville System Center-Palo Alto to provide supplemental instruction and tutoring to students throughout their years on the campus.

The five-year grant will enhance academic support at the campus for both institutions and create an endowment for student scholarships and faculty instructional innovation at Palo Alto. The award was announced by President Ana M. “Cha” Guzmán at a news conference on Oct. 8.

“Palo Alto always has done a tremendous job helping the under-prepared student who needs to acquire basic college skills,” Guzmán said. “But this grant will help all students, including those who have difficulty in the higher-level English, math and science classes by providing supplemental instruction and tutoring in those areas.”

The grant will enhance the college’s current English and Math Learning Centers and will provide a new Science Center, all of which can be used by TAMUK and Palo Alto students to receive academic support services. Each institution will have a director for the grant, who will work cooperatively to be sure that students from both schools have access to the services and that faculty share new teaching techniques to improve the success of students.

“The supplemental instruction targets historically difficult courses rather than identifying specific students,” explained Dr. Garry Ross, Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Texas A&M University-Kingsville System Center-Palo Alto. “The students will receive regularly scheduled, out-of-class learning sessions that combine study skills with content material. This will help all of the students earn the coveted bachelor’s degree.”

Palo Alto also will be able to set up a $400,000 endowment with these funds. The community college will have to raise $40,000 per year for five years, which will be matched by the U.S. Department of Education.

“By providing scholarship funds and by supporting the faculty in student learning through this grant, more students will be able to achieve higher grades and attain their associate’s or transfer to a four-year institution to finish school,” Guzmán said.

Since Fall 2000, Texas A&M University-Kingsville has offered junior- and senior-level classes at Palo Alto. This fall 500 students are enrolled at the TAMUK System Center, and 59 people have received bachelor’s degrees through the Center.

Palo Alto has received national recognition for its transfer rate. Some universities have reported that students who transfer from Palo Alto do better academically than those who started as freshman at the university.

“The high transfer rate of Palo Alto College students demonstrates that community residents are resourceful and can attain their personal goals when provided with the appropriate support services, such as those we will receive with this grant,” said Dr. Cecilia Gonzales, Dean of Science and Technology at Palo Alto.

The new grant is the largest in Palo Alto’s history. Palo Alto received a Title III grant for $1.5 million in 1993. Title III grants are available to higher education institutions with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Through that grant, Palo Alto College increased its contact with alumni and development efforts, and strengthened faculty development by providing an Instructional Innovation Center.

In 2000, the college received a five-year Title V grant, which focused on creating a Welcome Center to help students with admissions and financial aid services; creating open-entry, open-exit developmental courses; creating a Research Center to analyze data which will guide faculty and administrators to improve programs; and providing development funds for faculty and staff.

Title V federal grants are earmarked specifically for Hispanic-serving institutions. Palo Alto’s current student body is 69 percent Hispanic, and the System Center’s student body is 63 percent Hispanic.

Palo Alto College is located on the southside of Bexar County and is cited for its successful transfer rate, with students transferring to universities throughout the nation.