Indiana University Northwest has received some federal help to boost student retention and graduation rates.
IUN was awarded a five-year, $3 million grant from the Developing Hispanic Serving Institution Program through the U.S. Department of Education. The award will be distributed to IU Northwest in $600,000 annual installments.
The funds will benefit INVEST (INspiring, Valuing, and Empowering Success Together), which has three primary goals—improving retention and graduation rates; enhancing instruction; and building a culture of student success through strong leadership—delivered through three strategic components:
- Student success interventions: Implementing programs, including a summer bridge course, a financial literacy module, and career exploration resources, to support students who experience lower levels of student success.
- Academic and student service investments: Developing active learning classrooms, creating a Student Success Center to integrate support services, and establishing an Office of Student Success to build a culture of success and assessment.
- Professional development: Building faculty and staff excellence through professional development and resources to improve teaching and learning that optimizes student outcomes.
“This grant truly symbolizes the power of our Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation, our value as one the most diverse campuses in the state, and our historic mission in supporting success and opportunity for all IU Northwest students,” said Chancellor Ken Iwama.
The project was developed by a cross-campus team of faculty and administrators, including Principal Investigator Cynthia O’Dell, Dorothy Frink, Mark Hoyert, Crystal Shannon, Kris Huysken, Natalie Vega-Finn and Sandra McMullen.
