For the first time in Hostos Community College’s history, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has four active projects running simultaneously that advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the South Bronx.
In an era defined by the growing demand for STEM professionals, the importance of this funding at Hostos cannot be overstated. Situated in a landscape where underserved communities often face barriers to finishing STEM degrees, these initiatives are a testament to the College’s commitment to equity and creating upward socio-economic mobility via mentorship, support networks, and professional development opportunities, all of which are fundamental components of the institution’s recently-launched 2023-2028 Strategic Plan,
Hostos Elevating Justice.
Ten Hostos educators are involved in the success of each initiative as Principal or Co-principal Investigators (PI, Co-PI): Sarah Hoiland (Behavioral and Social Sciences), Yoel Rodríguez (Natural Sciences), Nieves Angulo (Mathematics), Antonio Varela (Behavioral and Social Sciences), Moise Koffi (Mathematics), Amy Ramson (Public Policy and Law), JungHang Lee (Mathematics), Biao Jiang (Natural Sciences), Norberto Hernández Valdés-Portela (Behavioral and Social Sciences), and Diandra Jugmohan (Co-Director of Proyecto Access and the NSF-funded MACCS program).
Latino Students Can Succeed in STEM Programs
Professors Yoel Rodríguez and Antonio Varelas are partners of the historic $1.5 million grant from the NSF, “Collaborative Research: HSI-Hubs: Intersectionality as Inquiry & Praxis: Race, Class, Gender & Ethnicity for Student Success in STEM.” He was invited to participate in this groundbreaking initiative by CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Director Ramona Hernández. The collaboration is aimed at improving recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latino/a/x students in STEM programs, and it also includes peers to collaborate with at Lehman College and the University of New Mexico (UNM).
Professor Rodríguez presenting his research at the Hostos Research Center last April.
The grant from the NSF’s Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Program is part of a $3 million largesse to be shared equally between CUNY DSI and the Institute for Study of Race & Social Justice at UNM. The funding will support the creation of resource hubs at Hostos and Lehman College, and UNM to serve HSIs across the nation. The project aims to:
- Examine institutional data across various partner sites to assess equity in admissions, enrollment, retention, degrees awarded, and post-degree outcomes;
- Develop and convene communities of practice, consisting of faculty fellows and other stakeholders across project sites in order to share and learn about equity initiatives that have been implemented in other institutions and develop action plans for home institutions; and
- Use communications strategies to position intersectionality as equity.
“It is an honor for Hostos to be part of this partnership with CUNY DSI and Lehman College and be able to contribute to deciphering the obstacles that prevent Latino/a/x students from attaining higher success in the STEM fields,” shared Rodríguez.
Hostos to Train the Future Cybersecurity Experts of the South Bronx
Mathematics Professor Nieves Angulo leads the $650,000 NSF grant awarded to the Hostos Technical Education in Cybersecurity (H-TEC) Project along with Professors Moise Koffi (Mathematics) and Amy Ramson (Public Policy and Law).
From left to right, Professors Amy Ramson, Moise Koffi, Nieves Angulo, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Andrea Fabrizio at the Cybersecurity Summit in June.
Cybersecurity is a growing industry that connects and relates to all fields and disciplines and is increasingly a part of our everyday lives. In response to the growing need for skilled professionals, Hostos has developed a Cybersecurity program that will be available in the coming academic year. The program, developed within the Math Department, will work in tandem with the Continuing Education and Workforce Development division, providing certifications and credentials, as well as articulating with the New York City College of Technology, CUNY.
“This grant addresses the severe shortage of qualified technical cybersecurity workers, both in the region and the nation. The H-TEC program focuses on the development of an online state-of-the-art cybersecurity degree program,” said Professor Angulo. “It will embed modules into curricula leading to industry certifications, use experiential project-based learning, and education about regulatory and law enforcement compliance while developing communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The H-TEC online program will impact a wider range of individuals due to its comprehensive curricula and online delivery modality.”
The College has been pioneering efforts to position itself as an innovative cyber skills force in the Bronx, such as the celebration of the Cybersecurity Summit on June 8, in which participants explored the question of how to better prepare students for careers in this growing and vitally important new industry. Hosted by President Cocco De Filippis and Community Advisory Council (CAC) Chair Elías Alcántara, the Summit provided Hostos faculty and students an opportunity to discuss the skills, education, and future outlook of this field.
There’s Always HOPE for Student Parents and their Kids at Hostos
Professor Hoiland serves as the PI of the Hostos Oasis for Parents’ Education (HOPE), a program funded by a $2.3 million five-year grant (2022-2026). Now in its second year on campus, 17 student parents and their children benefited from the program. HOPE is a Two-Generation (2Gen) STEM summer initiative for college-ready parents and their kids. It offers STEM and social science courses in a holistic 7-week program for student parents, known as HOPE Scholars, and a STEM-focused on-campus academy for their children. Approximately 400 participants will participate in the HOPE Program over the five-year grant period. Professors JungHang Lee (Mathematics), Biao Jiang (Natural Sciences), and Norberto Hernández Valdés-Portela (Behavioral and Social Sciences) serve as CO-PIs.
The HOPE program hosts professional development events for families during the summer.
As part of their professional and personal development events, HOPE hosts “Lunch & Learn” sessions during which student parent participants (HOPE Scholars) get vital information about academics, professionalism, and wellness from in-house experts from Transfer Services, the Carlos L. González Counseling Center, the Hostos Health and Wellness Center, and Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis. The series is one of several interventions to reduce time poverty for HOPE Scholars, providing a bevy of resources while they take a break for lunch and eat healthy food.
Hostos Set on Empowering Mathematics and Computer Science Scholars
In a significant stride towards enhancing the landscape of Mathematics and Computer Science education, the NSF bestowed a $1.5 million grant upon Hostos in October 2022. This S-STEM grant is dedicated to bolstering access and success for students in these fields at HSIs. Leading the charge of the Mathematics and Computer Science Scholars (MACCS) program is Professor Koffi, who serves as PI, joined by Nieves Angulo and Ms. Diandra Jugmohan as CO-PIs.
The MACCS program has been active for a year at Hostos.
Over a span of six years (2022-2028), this initiative aims to transform the lives of high-achieving, economically disadvantaged students with verifiable financial constraints who have chosen to pursue their dreams at the College. The core objective is to increase retention rates and propel these students toward graduation. The project is set to support 35 deserving undergraduate students who are dedicated to earning their associate degree in Mathematics or Computer Science. These scholarships are strategically designed to offer up to three years of support for first-year students and up to two years for transfer students. The program takes a multi-faceted approach to empower students. Firstly, it addresses financial barriers by providing essential financial assistance. Secondly, it leverages the power of online resources to enhance students' learning experiences and academic performance. Furthermore, the program offers professional certifications, equipping scholars with career-ready skills that will make them highly competitive in the job market.
The comprehensive support system includes mentorship, tutorial sessions in mathematics and computer science, hands-on service learning opportunities that lead to certifications in S-STEM fields, career readiness training, internships, and networking experiences with established STEM professionals. Additionally, scholars will have the chance to participate in discipline-specific conferences, further enriching their educational journey.
About Eugenio María de Hostos Community College
Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities for over half a century. Since 1968, Hostos has been a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs.
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and one certificate program that facilitate secure transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. A two-time Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence finalist, the College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 25 colleges.
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