Office of Student Success, Equity and Innovation

Current Grants

The Office of Student Success, Equity and Innovation is the recipient of millions of dollars in federal, state and private grant funding to launch projects that support CPP's educational mission. Read below to learn more about our current grants.

Project CAMINOS

Project CAMINOS (Cultivating Access and Mentoring through Institutional Networks and Opportunities for Success) is funded by a federal Department of Education Title V grant. Project CAMINOS seeks to eliminate the equity gap by better preparing students for success and graduation and to support a diverse skilled workforce for the regional, statewide and national economy.

STARS

The STARS project engages students in research and provides a pathway for Citrus College and Mt. SAC transfer students to successfully attain a STEM degree within 2 years of transferring. The multi-pronged program provides advising and mentoring from peers, faculty, and industry advisors. 

CPP INVESTS

Cal Poly Pomona Intentional Venture Engaging STEM Students (CPP INVESTS) is a NSF-funded grant aimed at improving undergraduate STEM education at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). CPP INVESTS aims to enhance the quality of undergraduate STEM education and STEM student recruitment, retention, and graduation rates by expanding student pathways to continued education and the STEM workforce.

I-Corps

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program prepares researchers to extend their focus beyond the university laboratory and accelerates the economic and societal benefits of research projects that are ready to move toward commercialization.  In 2018, Cal Poly Pomona was one of three CSUs to earn an NSF Innovation Corps GrantAs an I-Corps site, CPP coordinates projects through the various stages of commercialization: teams participate in a program consisting of team building, customer discovery, developing a Business Model Canvas and finally presenting their ideas to industry professionals.

Multi-Funder Transfer Project

The Ballmer Group, Ichigo Foundation, and the CCF has funded a grant that directly benefits underserved transfer students in the LA basin, particularly those in their first and second year at Mt. SAC.

CPP and Mt. SAC are founding partners in the Pomona Regional Learning Collaborative that connects students and families, intersegmental partners, and researchers across the education pipeline to co-create and execute evidence-based strategic plans that equitably advance all students, particularly low-income, first-generation, students of color. Through this initiative, we hope to breakdown the myths, eliminate jargon, and clarify the pathways and admission processes to make the transfer process attainable for bachelor’s seeking underserved transfer students. The faculty, staff and administrators at CPP and Mt. SAC also benefit from our collaborative efforts in closing the gaps that are negatively impacting transfer and graduation rates.

Transfer Pathways

CPP has witnessed a modest increase in transfer students who have Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT), but these numbers remain low. Funded by the College Futures Foundation, CPP is exploring the viability of creating intentional transfer pathways, which result in the increase of first generation, underserved transfer students from the Inland Empire who complete their ADT or transfer pathway, apply to the university, and complete their degree. This grant emphasizes the most underserved Latinx, African American and Native American population.  This grant investigates and proposes solutions to the problems of: (1) access and low transfer rates and related issues of the “leaky” pipeline, and (2) attainment and the insufficient number of underserved transfers, especially ADTs in STEM programs.

The Ethnic Studies dual enrollment pilot with Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) and CPP creates opportunities to extend the intersegmental transfer pipeline from high school by creating dual enrollment and college credit opportunities, leading to more students pursuing a college degree. These efforts are critical in fostering college-going policies and practices.

Research through Inclusive Opportunities

The Research through Inclusive Opportunities (RIO) program, offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research, guides early-career undergraduate students  through a research, scholarly, or creative project. Students work on an academic-year-long project under a faculty mentor and present at the RSCA conference in March. Student participants receive financial support, workshops, and advising from peer, staff, and faculty mentors. Students work closely with faculty mentors on projects, write a full report by the end of the academic year, and publish on BroncoWorks.

Projects Hatchery

The RSCA grant partially funds the Projects Hatchery, an opportunity for students to be engaged in a Signature Polytechnic Experience, regardless of background or major. In the Hatchery, students turn a meaningful and innovative idea into a fully realized project. They build lasting relationships with mentors and future colleagues; engage with and give back to their communities, and build professional experience utilizing innovative techniques, project development skills, and problem-solving. Hatchery participants receive up to $8,000 in funding for projects. 

 

 

Creativity, Innovation, and Discovery

This grant from the Kellogg Legacy Endowment primarily funds the Learn Through Discovery (LTD) initiative. LTD ensures that every Cal Poly Pomona obtains at least one Signature Polytechnic Experience (PolyX) and can articulate it.