Welcome to the HEART Project
This is a Title III HSI STEM and Articulation Grant, entitled HEART: Hispanic Education Advising Remediation Teaching. The grant period runs through September 30, 2026. The grant aims to provide wrap-around student services, augmented by pedagogical training for faculty in High Impact Practices aimed at supporting Hispanic and low-income students—including transfers—in 12 STEM majors where retention rates fell below the pre-COVID Fall 2019 average of 79.1%. Read more on the About Us page.
HEART Grant Project Investigators
Dr. Maria E. Velez-Hernandez (PI)
Dr. Maria Velez-Hernandez most recently served as Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and is an Associate Professor of Biology. Since joining the University in 2015, Dr. Velez-Hernandez has led several grant-funded programs to enhance the undergraduate research experience and create a pathway to graduate and doctoral studies. In addition to mentoring students in the classroom and lab space, Dr. Velez-Hernandez is the founding faculty advisor of the Women in Mathematics, Engineering, and Science (WIMENS) student organization.
Dr. Rolando R. Garza (Co-PI)
Dr. Rolando R. Garza is currently the Director of The Center for Academic Technology (CAT), which is in the division of Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Rolando and his team are ushering in a new era of modernization and innovation at Javelina Nation to keep up with the changing times. He has contributed to the culture of change in education, especially in distance education throughout Texas and nationwide—Rolando's overseas department relations with the campus community and its faculty/staff/students. In addition to distance learning, Rolando ensures that academic innovation is utilized in TAMUK in the physical and virtual classrooms, complements faculty instruction, and is an effective learning environment for students.
In the past fifteen years, he has presented with faculty and colleagues at state, national, and international conferences on distance education and instructional technology topics. He currently has a doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University. The concentration area of his degree is distance education and instructional technology.
Rolando served (19' – 22') on the United States Distance Learning Association at the National level as the Chair of State Chapters. Rolando is a past president (15' - 18') of the Texas Digital Learning Association (TxDLA). TxDLA is the state chapter of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). He has served in various leadership roles for TxDLA, including the Coastal Bend regional coordinator, scholarship chair, and multiple committees since 2011. Rolando has served on the Learning Technology Advisory Committee (LTAC) for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) at the State level. At the A&M System level, Rolando serves on the Texas A&M University System - Council for Academic Technology and Innovative Education (CATIE) Executive Committee as Legislative Committee Chair. Rolando also serves as a board of directors for the Javelina Alumni Association at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
He resides in Kingsville, Texas, with his beautiful wife, Dr. Araceli Garza. They both have four beautiful children and are truly blessed every day.