Pacific Oaks College Awarded $2.6 Million Grant, Boosting Support for Latino Students

Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena has secured  a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education – a significant boost in its efforts to support Latino students. 

The grant falls under the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) category, reserved for higher education institutions with at least 25% Hispanic full-time undergraduate enrollment. With 53% of its students identifying as Hispanic, Pacific Oaks College meets the HSI criteria.

A statement by Pacific Oaks College Tuesday said the  “Latinx+ Student Success Initiative” funding will enable the creation of an Intentional Student Retention (ISR) Center at the college. 

The center’s objectives include outreach to undergraduate students for academic support, faculty and staff training to better serve the Latino community, improved collection and analysis of student success data, and an endowment for future initiatives aimed at supporting Latino and traditionally underserved students.

“As a small institution dedicated to serving predominantly minority adult learners, we strongly believe that the achievements of our students hold equal importance to those in larger institutions or traditional college-age students,” Dr. Jack Paduntin, President of Pacific Oaks College, said. “Grant funding like this is the lifeblood that empowers us to provide vital resources, personalized support and innovative programs tailored to our unique student population.”

Pacific Oaks College was founded in 1945 and boasts of a “deep commitment” to social justice, advocacy, and transformative early childhood educational programs. Over 74% of its students identify as underrepresented minorities, and 56% are first-generation college students.

The College was one of 40 institutions to receive the Developing HSI Title V competitive grant from the Department of Education in 2020. The funding enabled the development of its Student Success Center and strategic outreach programs tailored to the growing Latino population.

“The Hispanic population is one of the largest and fastest-growing non-white populations in the United States,” Dr. Judy Castro, Executive Director of Pacific Oaks’ Latinx+ Student Success Initiative, said. “Over the past several decades, the high school dropout rate of Hispanic students has been steadily decreasing, and the rate of college enrollment has increased.”

Pacific Oaks College, located at 45 W. Eureka St. in Pasadena, has been operating as a nonprofit, institutionally accredited institution offering bachelor’s and master’s programs in human development, marriage and family therapy, education, early childhood education, teacher preparation, social work, community psychology, business administration, and organizational leadership and management. 

The College also has a Children’s School providing early childhood education programs for children ages 6 months through 5 years. Pacific Oaks Children’s School is located at 714 W California Blvd. 

For more information, visit www.pacificoaks.edu.