The Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative

The Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative is a three-year program designed to help selected Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)—Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Predominantly Black Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities—that are already deeply committed to the academic success of first-generation, minority students, build additional capacity to serve this key group of students. Through a competitive award process, 30 MSIs will be awarded a $100,000 capacity-building grant to implement strategic practices and processes that help first-generation students of color achieve academic success. Participating schools will then share details about their accomplishments in a published best practices report. IHEP identified the first cohort of 15 institutions in 2009 and will be announcing a second cohort in early 2010.

MSIs serve a disproportionate number of first-generation students, and therefore play an important role in ensuring their academic success. The Walmart Initiative is intended to help MSIs identify problems unique to their first-generation students and to assist in the development of faculty driven, classroom based strategies to foster increased student success. In addition to improving the success of their own first generation students, best practices from participating institutions will help improve first-generation student success at all MSIs and other institutions with significant first-generation student populations.

In summer 2009, college leaders, faculty and other staff members from the first cohort of selected MSIs participated in the 2009 IHEP Summer Academy, a five-day, team-based planning retreat that helps institutions create transformational campus change plans. Participating institutions will begin implementing their action plans during the 2009–10 academic year with support from IHEP staff and consultants, institutional site visits, and other opportunities for institutions to share their work with participants. The second cohort will participate in the 2010 IHEP Summer Academy and begin implementing their work in the 2010–11 academic year. All institutional teams will reconvene at the 2011 IHEP Summer Academy to assess the outcomes of their work and share best practices.

The Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative is part of a larger commitment by the Walmart Foundation to improving first-generation college student success, a top priority of its higher education focused philanthropy. Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in education, job skills training, sustainability and health. In 2007, Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation gave $296 million to communities across the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

For additional questions about the Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative Award, send a request via e-mail to walmartinitiative@ihep.org or contact Shannon Looney, IHEP programs coordinator, at 202-861-8223 x203.