Hartnell College is proud to be formally designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the United States Department of Education. With the designation, Hartnell College is eligible to compete for HSI grants through various federal programs such as U.S. Department of Education Title V, Title III, National Science Foundation, and other federal initiatives. The purpose of HSI grants is to strengthen the college's capacities by building equitable systems of teaching and student services that increase the academic success of Hispanic and other low-income students. Since 2000, Hartnell has been awarded numerous HSI grants totaling more than $37 million in funding.
Current HSI Grants
HSI Title V - "The Cultivamos Project"
2017-2022
The Cultivamos Project is intended to build institutional capacity to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students attaining postsecondary degrees and facilitate transfer along the entire pipeline. The project's activities support the achievement of four overarching goals:
Goal 1: Expand dual enrollment and other alternative pathways that familiarize students in Hartnell's feeder schools with higher education opportunities.
Goal 2: Regularly evaluate all academic programs and student services and determine how they will be improved to increase student retention.
Goal 3: Establish agreements between Hartnell College and 4-year institutions that provide guaranteed transfer processes for students.
Goal 4: Provide continuous professional development using student success data and the adoption of new learning systems and methods to improve student learning and services outcomes.
HSI Title V - "The Ganas Project"
2020-2025
The Ganas Project is intended to build institutional capacity and increase the number of Hispanic and
low-income students attaining postsecondary degrees and facilitate completion and
transfer along the entire academic pipeline. The project focuses on 3 primary goals:
Goal 1: Increase retention rates, graduation rates, and degree attainment by removing obstacles, supporting students in gateway courses, improving technology and infrastructure, and providing advising and intervention strategies that support success.
Goal 2: Expand career-aligned pathways through the development of meta-majors and collaborations with four-year institutions to support Hispanic and low-income students along the full continuum from high school to career placement.
Goal 3: Develop a system building upon career-aligned pathways to provide greater access to high-demand jobs and help students transition from postsecondary education into careers that support sustainable living and feed regional economic growth.
HSI Title V - "The Ánimo Project"
2022-2027
Project Ánimo is an evidence-based, multi-pronged approach to improving the academic success and college experience for Hispanic and low-income students at Hartnell College. By expanding access to dual enrollment opportunities, implementing student support teams using a case management approach, integrating academic supports and equity-based systemic reforms that are customized to meet the needs of disadvantaged students, the activities in this proposal expand Hartnell's capacity to increase student access to early college programs and deliver high-impact services to assist HSI students in being successful in college. Project Ánimo focuses on 3 primary goals:
Goal 1: Increase access, enrollment, and early college success of Hispanic and low-income students through expansion of dual enrollment program.
Goal 2: Increase student persistence and completion through an integrated academic support system designed for Hispanic and low-income student success, including the implementation of student success teams, case management advising, and other student support.
Goal 3: Strengthen the academic infrastructure that supports Hispanic and low-income students and reduce institutional barriers to student success through equity-based systemic reforms, including culturally competent faculty professional development, and new research tools to support data-driven decision-making.
College Areas Directly Supported with HSI Funding
| Dual Enrollment | Counseling |
| Academic Support | Institutional Research |
| Transfer | Guided Pathways |
| Career Hub | STEM Internships |
| Professional Development | Placement |
| Financial Literacy |