"We are proud to recognize HCU as the first
Hispanic Serving Institution in the consortium," Truss said.
"This milestone is a highlight for Grand Valley and evidence of
our commitment to inclusivity and access to higher education for all
students, including Hispanic students."
HCU President Robert Sloan said this is a remarkable
opportunity for students who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees.
"This is the type of opportunity that changes
lives, changes the lives of their family members and changes
communities," Sloan said.
It was the community foundation of Grand Valley's
engineering program that piqued the interest of Katie Evans, dean of
HCU's College of Science and Engineering. Evans initially met Paul
Plotkowski, dean of the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing,
at an engineering deans conference and said she was impressed with
the college's industry-sponsored co-op program.
"To have that type of program for graduate
students is impressive," Evans said. "And I appreciate
that the Grand Valley team is committed to student success and will
connect those students to the community and to other resources."
