Proactive Approaches for Training in Hispanics in STEM (PATHS)
The "Proactive Approaches for Training in Hispanics in STEM" (PATHS) grant is a nearly $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students who graduate with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The grant is also in recognition of CSUSB’s work as one of the leading HSIs (Hispanic Serving Institutions) in the country, having earned that distinction in 1994 and every year since. CSUSB has a Hispanic undergraduate full-time student enrollment of 66 percent as of fall 2020.
The grant will strengthen our college’s efforts to decrease equity gaps among our students, retain students in STEM, increase graduation rates, and prepare our graduates for graduate and professional schools through proactive advising, individual development plans, expanded support systems, and access to valuable undergraduate research and learning assistant experiences.
College of Natural Sciences Dean Sastry G. Pantula serves as the grant's principal investigator, along with the following co-investigators: David Maynard (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry), Guillermo Escalante (Department of Kinesiology), Carol Hood (Department of Physics), and Khalil Dajani (School of Computer Science and Engineering).
The priorities of PATHS are the following:
1. Increasing the number of Hispanic and low-income students who attain degrees in STEM fields.
2. Create model transfer and articulation agreements with community colleges
3. Foster flexible and affordable paths to obtaining knowledge and skills
4. Provide academic achievement and retention strategies
5. Provide student support for addressing the impact of COVID-19 on students' mental health and academic outcomes
