Thanks to a grant from The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation and a contribution from the estate of Frank Denny, Hostos will continue its successful “Two-Generation Student Retention and Degree Acceleration Program” this summer.

Launched in 2014 through a grant from the Aspen Institute’s Ascend Fund, the program helps student-parents accelerate their higher education through one free Hostos summer course and free enrollment for up to two of their school-aged children in the Hostos' College for Kids Summer Academy. The program also keeps student-parents connected to vital on-campus support services and provides MetroCards to cover transportation costs for their seven-week summer session.

By raising $25,000 in additional support, 10 additional students will receive the gift of a free summer course and childcare in our College for Kids Summer Academy. Please help them become a positive role model to their children through this wonderful program.

This program helps student-parents and their families in several important ways. Because student-parents are in school over the summer, their chances of returning in the fall are greatly increased. In 2014, 93% of the students returned for the fall semester or graduated. And, from that first cohort in 2014, several student-parents plan to return with their children this summer.

Thanks to this program, students are more likely to succeed in the classroom because of the academically enriched summer programming provided by Hostos' College for Kids Summer Academy. Last year, 15 student-parents in the program received a B grade or better, with 10 of them earning at least an A-. This benefit is two-fold because the Kids Summer Academy also keeps children involved and engaged and helps prevent the “summer slide” when they return to school as well.

Also, when children see their parents succeed in the classroom, that ripple effect can carry them to great heights as well. This support allows student-parents to empower themselves, as well as their children. That is what lies at the heart of Hostos’ Two-Generation Student Retention and Degree Acceleration Program.

One “two-generation” success story is Desiree Whitworth. The 29-year-old mother of two participated in the program last summer and plans to enroll again. Whitworth is studying liberal arts, and she hopes someday to earn a master’s degree in social work and find a job as a school guidance counselor. She said the program is helping her to reach her goals, while helping educate her children at the same time.

“The best part of the program is involving my children in my educational journey,” Whitworth said. “They know that I am working hard to provide them with a better life, and because of this program, they get to see it first-hand. Ultimately, they understand we are doing this as a family.”

For more information about the Two-Generation Student Retention and Degree Acceleration Program at Hostos Community College, contact Dr. Odalys Díaz Piñeiro at 718-518-4309.


About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
 
Recently named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.