College officials said they can now go ahead with the program after securing a five-year, $2.65 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant is available only to colleges with an enrollment that is at least one-quarter Latino.
“As the population of our district has grown and shifted, there are many students who have nobody in their family who has gone to college,” said Ricardo Navarrette, the college’s vice president for student affairs. “For us, this is an opportunity to make a shift in families for generations to come by providing a pathway to college, then getting students to graduate or earn a certificate.”
