Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ was notified by the US Department of Education that funding in the amount of $3,000,000 has been awarded in response to its application for a Title V, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant. The multifaceted project entitled, Preparing UCNJ Students for Career Success, seeks to strengthen the academic programs, institutional management and fiscal stability of the College, in alignment with the goals of the federal Title V program.
UCNJ is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) with Hispanic students representing 45% of total enrollment and low-income students represent over 50% of enrollment. These grants enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability to increase the opportunity and success of all students at the institution. UCNJ’s project will consist of a career services component, to help students prepare for the workforce after they graduate; a focus on retention to help those students who start their degree to complete; expanding academic programs; and professional development for employees to better serve students. Funding will cover the period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2028.
“We are grateful to our federal legislative delegation, led by US Senator Bob Menendez, for this award from the US Department of Education. These funds are an investment in our students and our community. While we are proud to offer an affordable and excellent education to the greater UCNJ County region, we know barriers still exist and this funding will allow us to better support our students in their career preparation,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.
UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 25 community colleges in the country for 2023 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.