Maestro Program awarded $2.6 million over five years
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Press Release
PUEBLO – Colorado State University-Pueblo will receive more than $2.6 million over the next five years to develop an innovative Center for Teaching and Learning to serve faculty and its highly diverse student population. The funding is provided by the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution Program of the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the author of the grant, and the newly appointed Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Dr. Donna Souder, “By bringing faculty more firmly into the central mission of ‘whole student’ success, and by broadening the scope and ‘hands-on” nature of innovative research, teaching, and learning already happening at CSU-Pueblo, the CTL will help students achieve college success through academic initiatives in General Education courses and in long-term, critical thinking across disciplines. We are excited for everything this grant will mean to CSU-Pueblo students and faculty – and to the community that supports us all.”
Through the multi-million dollar grant (MAESTRO), the Center for Teaching and Learning will coordinate a number of high-impact practices in order to create enriching academic, field-based, and experiential learning opportunities for students. “Maestro” is the Spanish word for teacher, and stands for “Mastering Academic Excellence, Scholarship, Teaching, and Research Opportunities.”
CSU-Pueblo will see funding of over $523,000 during the 2015-16 academic year, which will be used to begin development of the four primary innovations of the program, each administered through the Center for Teaching and Learning:
- Support for Ongoing Faculty Teaching and Assessment, Collaborative Research on Student Learning, and Experiential Education
- Integrated Writing Across the Curriculum Program
- “Pack on Track,” Advising and Mentoring Program. This program will feature an academic summer program for incoming students who wish to become more fully-prepared for college-level academics
- The Purchase of New and Updated Advising and Degree/Graduation Audit Software
Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.