About the HSI mini grant series
Each year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion awards a variety of high-impact mini grants to campus projects that support Latino students through targeted initiatives. Last year, the office distributed $35,000 across 17 projects. This story is one of 11 Mustang News features highlighting where and how those grants made an impact.
The University Housing HSI Mini Grant funds programming for students in Cal Poly Scholars, Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) and TRIO Achievers that are living in the residential learning communities, according to the Cal Poly website. This program helps students build a sense of belonging in their own home.
The EOP Program offers support for students historically, economically or historically disadvantaged, according to the Cal Poly website. This support includes counseling, course selection aid, workshops, financial aid, space and the Summer Institute. Freshman in the program are also required to live in the designated residential living community
The program had about 90 students this year, according to Juan Hernandez III-Garcia, a learning assistant for the EOP Summer Institute and agricultural science sophomore. Juan Hernandez was the mentor for a group of 10 students and he took them to their classes, mentored them socially and academically.
“I helped them through their journey in transitioning from high school to college,” Juan Hernandez said.
University Housing Coordinators of Student Development Rachel Smith and Daniel Maldonado Guzman received $500 for the HSI mini grant cycle of 2024-2025, Koberl said. With the funds, Smith and Guzman hosted the Un Camino a tu Comunidad Series during the Educational Opportunity Summer Institute Program.
Throughout four events, this series was a space for students in the program to find community and learn skills for their success and retention in college, including creating an asset-based approach while being a student, Koberl said.
These events helped students feel more comfortable at Cal Poly through activities like painting, Juan Hernandez said. Each event had a theme.
“It was a good way for me to learn more about [the students] and participate while having fun. It really helped me grow closer towards the students,” Juan Hernandez said. “It was a way to help them know more about their community, about themselves and really bring a sense of belonging to themselves cause here at Cal Poly it really is hard to find a sense of community.”
Sarai Castillo, liberal studies sophomore and learning assistant for the EOP Summer Institute, said that the event brought the group of students together in a way that they could contribute.
“Community brings people together, especially whenever you’re from the same background, sharing similar point of views, and a story that you share with others,” Castillo said.
Keylani Ascencio, psychology sophomore and learning assistant for the EOP Summer Institute, said the series was a fun bonding moment. She said that they had painting events and at the end had an art gallery where they could see all their paintings they created throughout the program.
“You just remember and you’re like, ‘Oh, like this is cool. I remember like, I didn’t really know anyone here, but I did it with so and so.’ And so it’s just really cool for them to showcase their, not only their culture and their community back home, but also build a new one here at Cal Poly,” Ascencio said.
The students in the program are living on campus this year, according to Koberl.“They have reported a greater awareness of resources, as well as a strong community of peers that emerged through Summer Institute and the Un Camino a tu Comunidad Series,” Koberl said.
