The Minority Advancement Program (MAP) aims to enhance diversity among college students and graduates in Connecticut. Since its establishment in 1983 MAP has played a role in assisting Connecticut colleges and universities with recruiting and enrolling more minority students. Currently minority students make up 32 percent of the public college and university enrollments totaling 31,654 individuals. This percentage has increased from 20.6 percent ten years ago. Is higher than the overall minority population percentage of 26.7 percent based on the 2010 Census.
Recently MAP has shifted its focus towards addressing the retention and graduation rates of minority students, which have been lower compared to student groups. In the year 2009 10 only 2,907 degrees were awarded to minority undergraduates by public colleges and universities accounting for approximately 20 percent of the total degrees awarded. This emphasizes the importance of initiatives supported by MAP that promote awareness about college opportunities and readiness programs.
The Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCAP) is a grant program that encourages all colleges and universities in Connecticut to establish pre college programs for students from low income backgrounds or those who may be the first, in their families to attend college.
ConnCAP focuses on two goals; equipping underrepresented students with the necessary skills and motivation to graduate from high school successfully; as well as preparing them to enter postsecondary education with confidence so they can thrive academically.
The main objective is to enhance the capabilities of education institutions in promoting college access and success for underrepresented minority students. For the 2011 2012 period funding has been allocated to seven programs;
- University of Bridgeport assisting 50 students
- University of Connecticut Health Center assisting 100 students
- University of Connecticut, Storrs assisting 50 students
- Western Connecticut State University assisting 120 students
- Central Connecticut State University assisting 125 students
- Naugatuck Valley Community College assisting 105 students
- Southern Connecticut State University assisting 110 students
The Community College Scholars (CCS) program supports initiatives that aim to improve the retention and graduation rates of underrepresented college students. CCS achieves this by providing grants to community colleges, across Connecticut.
In the year 2011 2012 there were seven programs that received funding;
- Naugatuck Valley Community College had 80 students enrolled.
- Norwalk Community College had 50 students enrolled.
- Quinebaug Valley Community College had 50 students enrolled.
- Three Rivers Community College had 77 students enrolled.
- Capital Community College had 80 students enrolled.
- Housatonic Community College had 77 students enrolled.
- Manchester Community College had 60 students enrolled.
There is also a program called the University Success Program (USP) that focuses on assisting students, in four year institutions. In the academic year four programs were funded;
- Southern Connecticut State University had 25 students.
- The University of Connecticut Storrs also served 25 matriculating students.
- Central Connecticut State University had 60 matriculating students.
- Eastern Connecticut State University had 65 students.
