The Hearst Foundations, national philanthropic resources for education, health, culture and social service, have granted Kansas State University $100,000 in support of the Multicultural Academic Program Success (MAPS) Summer Bridge experience. As part of the Project IMPACT suite of programs that cultivate, retain and graduate multicultural and first-generation students, the MAPS Summer Bridge program is a six-week, residential summer opportunity for incoming students planning to major in agriculture, business or engineering.
Hearst Foundations‘ funds will allow 12 additional students to participate in MAPS’ introduction to the strenuousness of university academics. MAPS participants connect with multicultural student leaders, campus organizations, the Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs Office and other K-State programs designed to facilitate student success. Industry professionals and faculty also serve as mentors throughout MAPS students’ college careers.
“Our foundational goal is to ensure that people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and inspiring lives,” said Paul “Dino” Dinovitz, executive director of the Hearst Foundations. “With K-State’s impressive gains in recruitment and graduation rates among multicultural students — in part due to the MAPS Summer Bridge Program — we are pleased to partner in this way.”
MAPS Summer Bridge is among several initiatives within the Division of Student Life in support of the university’s land-grant mission and to advance students’ academic success and persistence at Kansas State University.
“We are truly grateful to the Hearst Foundations for awarding MAPS Summer Bridge this generous award,” said Thomas Lane, vice president for student life and dean of students at Kansas State University. “MAPS is part of K-State’s Project IMPACT, which prepares incoming freshmen students who are new to the college experience for the academic rigor of the university environment. The Hearst Foundations’ gift allows Project IMPACT to expand its reach, enabling K-State to invite more promising students to participate.”
As Kansas State University’s strategic partner for philanthropy, the KSU Foundation inspires and guides philanthropy toward university priorities to boldly advance K-State family. The foundation is leading Innovation and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University to raise $1.4 billion for student success, faculty development, facility enhancement and programmatic success.
