Farmingdale State College (FSC) today announced it has been awarded a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program authorized by Title V. This is the largest federal grant in the history of the College. 

This landmark award will support the development of a new program at FSC, Education Milestones in Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation Excellence (EMERGE), which is designed to address barriers that may often prevent Hispanic and other, low-income students from achieving their academic goals.  

“As a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, Farmingdale has its pulse on what is needed to support student success and the creation of EMERGE will further our impact,” said Laura Joseph, EdD, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at FSC. “This funding will greatly influence our work to address barriers that prevent students from achieving their academic goals.” 

EMERGE will leverage strategies that have been proven to promote student success. This grant will support the creation of an Office of First Year and Transfer Year Experience on campus and will enable curricular innovation in support of improved college readiness. In addition, EMERGE will support co- and extra-curricular programming that has been a mainstay of FSC's success. 

The project has the potential to impact as many as 1,250 students and 100 faculty. Leveraging FSC’s recent federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and eligibility for funding under the Title V Program, EMERGE will continue to build on FSC's support and access programs and demonstrate the College’s commitment to making degree completion a reality for a broader range of students. 

“The EMERGE award represents the remarkable and essential work that is underway campus-wide to grow opportunities and success for our students while emphasizing our standing as a focused Hispanic-Serving Institution,” said Robert S. Prezant, PhD, president of FSC. “This grant is a game-changer that will enable us to expand and enhance our already high-quality programs that support our growing Hispanic student population.” 

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