Project Grant 20VSWTX008

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TEXAS SOUTHMOST COLLEGE?S MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT ALIGNS WITH ALL FOUR OF THE CNLS FOCUS AREAS, WITH ELIMINATING AND ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND ADDRESSING POVERTY-RELATED PROBLEMS AS THE OVERARCHING GOAL. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH THREE GOALS: INCREASE THE COLLEGE?S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL COACHING; SUPPORT STUDENT RETENTION AND SUCCESS THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LIBRARY AT TSC; AND RESEARCH, ESTABLISH, AND LAUNCH COURSES DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY THROUGH THE ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING (ALL). THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT MORE THAN 8,628 STUDENTS PER YEAR THROUGH THE COLLEGE?S REGULAR ENROLLMENT, DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS, WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING. OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, SEVEN VISTA MEMBERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS: GATHERING AND ANALYZING DATA SPECIFIC TO LOCAL STUDENTS' BASIC NEEDS, DESIGNING A CUSTOMIZED ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE, AND PURSUING COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABILITY FOR IMPLEMENTATION; ASSISTING IN STANDING UP THE DIGITAL LIBRARY AND ASSESSING THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS FOR CREATING AN ARCHIVAL REPOSITORY ON CAMPUS; AND LEADING A SURVEY OF EXISTING ACADEMY OF LIFELONG LEARNING RESOURCES, COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA TO INFORM COURSE DESIRABILITY, RECRUITING APPROPRIATE CONTRACT FACULTY, DEVELOPING MARKETING MATERIALS, AND RECRUITING OF ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS.