MESA, Arizona -- October 28 
, 2020 - Mesa Community College receives a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program. The grant supports the college’s Students and Employees Nurtured & Developed for Academic Success (SENDAS) Project, a comprehensive plan reinforcing key MCC commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Guided Pathways to Success (GPS).
SENDAS is established to increase student persistence, course completion, graduation and transfer rates through the development of enhanced student support and to provide for systematic professional development and the structuring of a more inclusive hiring process.
More than 31% of MCC students are Latino. In Fall 2019, more than half of MCC students were first generation, and over a quarter of the overall 30,000 students served annually received Pell Grant funding.
“This award reflects not only the work of the team that drafted the proposal but also the work of many others who, over MCC’s history, have been champions for diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Senior Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Nora Reyes, Ed.D. “The efforts of these past and present champions have and continue to help us more effectively respond to our changing demographics in ways that ensure all our students receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed.”
DHSI grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Education. One hundred percent of the costs of the SENDAS project are financed by federal money. The $3 million grant will be distributed over five years.
In addition to MCC’s efforts to meet the needs of its students with the SENDAS project, the Mesa Community College/Mesa Public Schools Advisor Program was recently named by Excelencia in Education, a national organization recognizing efforts accelerating Latino student success in higher education, as A Program to Watch for 2020 for its positive impact on the success of Latino students.
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Media Contact: Marcy Snitzer, marcy.snitzer@mesacc.edu, 480-461-7792
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College and is known for service learning, career and technical programs, civic engagement and innovative approaches to education. The college serves as a resource for career readiness, transfer education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Host to more than 30,000 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs online, at its two campuses, the Mesa Downtown Center and additional locations. Through the implementation of Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services, MCC is transforming ways it champions student success; college completion, university transfer and career attainment for all students. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution. The diverse student body includes more than 400 international students representing over 60 countries. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success, providing the education and training to empower MCC students to compete locally and globally. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, MCC is one of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Learn more at mesacc.edu.
Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.