CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ENDOWMENTS
In FY 2008-2009 Mount Saint Vincent was awarded and received a number of new and continued grants from a variety of corporate, foundation and government sources.  We are proud to list some of these funders and to highlight their awards.

The Charles A. Mastronardi Foundation
Mutual of America
The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation
The Santa Maria Foundation

NURSE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
In 2008-2009, the College of Mount Saint Vincent's Nursing Program received the second disbursement on two three-year grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

HRSA awarded the Nursing Program's "Ambassadors for Professional Nursing Success" program $1.12 million over 3 years under its Nursing Workforce Diversity Program. In 2008-2009 a second annual payment of $399,735 was made toward that commitment. The grant funds a focused program to attract students from underrepresented backgrounds to nursing and assure their success. This program provides such students with stipends, scholarships, access to PCs and software, a designated resource room, help from an educational specialist to ensure appropriate test preparation, and linkage to professional mentors in the field. This grant is under the direction of Dr. Justine Taddeo.

A second payment of $232,546 from HRSA's Advanced Education Nursing Program was made in 2008-2009 toward its three-year $713,000 commitment in support of the College's "Post-Masters Nurse Education Certificate (PMNE) Program." The program supports the New York State-approved 10-credit PMNE Certificate Program, which is designed to educate Master's prepared nurses for the educator role in institutions of higher education in the Bronx. The program has prepared numerous future faculty from culturally diverse backgrounds who teach and foster learning in a multicultural student population; serve as mentors and role models to students and nurses; and develop competency in using technology in the classroom. This initiative is under the direction of Dr. Kathleen Flaherty.

In addition, HRSA awarded the Nursing Program a one-year grant in the amount of $100,000 through its Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) grant program. This grant promotes diversity by providing scholarships to talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds who might not otherwise be able to attend the program. SDS is under the direction of Dr. Justine Taddeo.

SCHOLARSHIP AND ASSISTANCE FUNDING 

The Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities provided a generous grant of $15,000 for student scholarships. This annual grant was first given in 1948 by the founders of the Raskob Foundation, John J. Raskob and Helena G. Raskob, in memory of their daughter Yvonne, who attended the College.

The James G. Houlihan Family Partnership made a generous $50,000 gift in fulfillment of an expanded commitment of $150,000 to the Joseph and Rose Murray Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

The Louis and Rachel Rudin Foundation made a generous grant of $20,000 to provide scholarships for talented high-need students enrolled in the College’s undergraduate Nursing Program.

The Arthur Williams Charitable Trust awarded the College a generous grant of $14,500 to provide scholarships for talented high-need students enrolled in the College’s undergraduate Nursing Program.

The Jarx Foundation awarded the College a generous grant of $10,000 to be used for a scholarship for a student majoring in the sciences.  This is the fourth year of a five-year renewable grant.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

In 2008-2009, the US Department of Education awarded the College its fifth year of support for its TRIO Student Support Services program. This disbursement brings to $1.1 million the total over the five year term of the grant. TRIO provides academic supportive services to 160 students to promote their persistence in college and ultimate graduation. This grant, which expand the number of students previously served through College’s prior TRIO Student Support Services grant, enables the College to provide counseling, academic support, mentoring, career guidance, financial guidance, and stipends to eligible low-income, first-generation college students and disabled students qualifying for assistance.

THE INSTITUTE OF IMMIGRANT CONCERNS

The Institute for Immigrant Concerns, launched in May 1997, became part of the College of Mount Saint Vincent in March 2005.  In May 2007 the Institute moved to a larger, more centrally located facility at 4 West 43rd Street. The mission of the Institute is to help immigrants, refugees and asylees from more than 100 countries to achieve social and economic independence in their new country. Toward that end, it annually provides more than 500 participants with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), job preparation and placement, social services and educational counseling. Twenty-three percent of the participants are refugees and political asylees. The Institute is one of the few citywide ESOL programs serving immigrants from every New York City borough.  Its programs are supported by government funding, as well as by foundations and private individuals. The government funds awarded to the Institute in 2008-2009 are described below:

In 2008-2009 the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) awarded the Institute $225,000 for two years.  This award will provide 62 immigrants and refugees with ESOL instruction and 40 immigrants and refugees with job placement and job retention services.

The City of New York provided $10,000 from New York City Council discretionary funding to serve 30 immigrants with ESOL instruction.

The Church Avenue Merchants Business Association (CAMBA) awarded the Institute two subcontracts during 2008–2009 totaling $93,500. The grants are used to place refugees and asylees in employment with a 90-day retention rate of 70%.

The Borough President of Manhattan awarded the Institute $3,000 as part of their Borough Needs Grants Program. The $3,000 will assist students with resume preparation.