Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative

The Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative was 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 were 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 have shared details about their accomplishments in a report, Supporting First-Generation College Students Through Classroom-Based Practices, accompanied along with fact sheets; monthly newsletter (First-Generation Focus); and a trio of highlight videos. Below are links to view and download these materials.

MSIs serve a disproportionate number of first-generation students, and therefore play an important role in ensuring their academic success. The Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative helped 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.

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.

Social Media Networks

Facebook: Find the Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WalMartMSI)
Twitter: Find the Walmart Minority Student Success Initiative on Twitter (twitter.com/walmart_msi)

Publications and Additional Resources

Final Report: Supporting First-Generation College Students Through Classroom-Based Practices
Fact Sheet: Promising Practices to Support First-Generation Student Success
Fact Sheet: Promising Practices Using Faculty as Key Allies
Fact Sheet: Promising Practices in Redesigning Curriculum and Pedagogy
Fact Sheet: Promising Practices Using Evidence-Based Solutions
Fact Sheet: Promising Practices Through Building Partnerships
First-Generation Focus Newsletter: Issue 2, April 2011
First-Generation Focus Newsletter: Issue 1, March 2011
Highlight Videos:

Learning Communities from ralston smith on Vimeo.

Developmental Education from ralston smith on Vimeo.

Faculty Development from ralston smith on Vimeo.