Brazosport College’s Gator Grant Program promotes the development of grant writing skills by College faculty and staff, while providing financial support for small program enhancements, purchases of equipment and supplies, and implementation of innovative program ideas.

Applications must be submitted to the Grant Office by the deadline for which you are applying with all required signatures, and an electronic copy should be e-mailed to Alicia.Hodge@brazosport.edu. Please contact the Grant Office at ext. 3311 with questions.

­­­­­­­­­­­Any full or part-time faculty and staff member of Brazosport College who has completed Grant Writing 101 is eligible to apply for a Gator Grant. No faculty or staff member will be awarded more than one grant per year. The funding year will follow the College’s fiscal year from September 1 to August 31.

Applications will be reviewed quarterly by the Gator Grant Selection Committee. All applications must be received in the Grant Office by the deadline for which you are applying with all required signatures. Deadlines are listed in the table below:

With the financial support of the Brazosport College Foundation, a maximum of $10,000 will be available annually to support the Gator Grant program. Grants will be awarded up to $1,000, and it is anticipated that approximately 10-12 awards will be made each year. Gator Grants will not fund equipment or supplies already purchased; and programs that are completed and/or fully funded by another source.

Grant funds awarded for the 2011-2012 academic year must be expended and encumbered within the College’s fiscal year (September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012) or funds will be forfeited. The Grant Office deadline for expenditures is August 15, and all money should be spent by this date.

All grantees are required to submit a final report using the Gator Grant Final Report Form to the Grant Office by the date listed in the table above. For questions, please contact the Grant Office at ext. 3311.

2010-2011 GATOR GRANT RECIPIENTS

Molly Brahn, Faculty – The project “Beyond Red Hot – The Connection of Science and Art” received funds to purchase a Raku kiln for the art department, which will allow students to explore the relationship between art and science. The project will expose students to both math and science as it applies to life outside the traditional classroom. Hands-on activities will allow students to explore kiln firing such as mixing chemical components and tracking the reactions of each kiln firing.

David Hendrix, Faculty – The project “Supplemental classroom materials for Introduction to Process Technology PTAC 1302” received funds to purchase four electronic workshop kits for students enrolled in Introduction to Process Technology. These materials will provide a classroom experience in assembling and analyzing basic electronic circuits. This hands-on learning opportunity will allow students to build actual circuits in safe, low-voltage conditions and allow them to confirm the mathematical relationships between voltage, current, and resistance by taking their own measurements and completing their own calculations.

Kelley Oneal, Faculty – The project “Career Exploration” received funds to create a program for forty students a year to take mini-field trips to chosen locations around the greater Houston area. While there, students will explore different career fields, such as television production. Students will be educated on “day in the life” information from professionals in their field, on professional dress, and on business etiquette. Prior to each trip, discussions will be held with students on how to set goals for their chosen careers.

Arnold Ramirez, Counselor – The project “Assessment Center” received funds to purchase signage and motivational posters for the College’s Assessment Center in order to make the center more welcoming for students entering the facility.

Dr. Craig Litton, Faculty – The project “Test Development of a Virtual Learning Environment for CMT Division” received funds to purchase a Second Life virtual learning environment for the construction and mechanical courses, especially for project scheduling and construction fundamentals. The simulations will be used to demonstrate accident scenarios and safety construction issues. Integration in course curriculum began in Spring 2011.

Sara Garska, Counselor – The project “Career Café Upgrade” received funds to establish and maintain the current career center. Upgrades will include posted hours, during which a career professional will be available to counsel students on resume writing, the job search, interview coaching, and career assessment. This project will also replace outdated posters and career books, and also purchase a Keurig coffee system for student use and resume writing software. 

Calin Agut, Faculty – The project “Using Software with Online Classes” received funds to purchase the statistics software Minitab 16 to be used with current online and hybrid Statistics classes. The software will be used during regular class activities and instructor presentations. The software allows users to build and simulate real-life situations for a more hands-on student learning experience. This pilot project will begin in Spring 2012, and in the future, it is expected to be expanded to other classes.

B.J. Owens, Counselor – The project “Counseling & Testing Professional Shirts” received funds to purchase two professional shirts for full and part-time staff in the department. Shirts will be worn during registration, special occasions, and off-campus events when staff members will be representing Brazosport College.

Nicole Bartek, Mentor – The Project “Send-Off Luncheon for Student Mentees” received funds to host a Send-Off Luncheon for approximately twenty-four student mentees enrolled in the Student Mentorship Program. The event will take place during the last week of August. Students will receive small care packages to reward their achievements for the Spring and Summer semesters. Counselors and students mentors will be on-hand to counsel students and prepare them for the upcoming Fall 2011 semester.

Kay Brooks, Program Coordinator – The project “Improving and Updating the TABE Assessment Process for ABE Students” received funds to purchase 100 TABE Online Adaptive Test applications. All GED testing is expected to shift online within the next few years. With these new testing tools, a pilot project will be conducted during the Spring 2012 semester to introduce both students and staff to a new computer-based testing process.

Paula Gentner, Administrative Specialist – The project “Web Survey Design Software Purchase” received funds to purchase a web survey design program for the Office of Institutional Research (OIR). This will allow the department to collect data more easily when surveys are conducted for students and faculty. This project also responds to the institutional need for more data-driven decision making with the capacity to create better survey tools.

Lisa Outterson, Program Coordinator – The project “Providing Computer-Based Resources for EL/Civics Students” received funds to purchase advanced levels of Rosetta Stone for Brazosport College’s Community Education Center. Though students had previous access to beginner Rosetta Stone software, many students that had complete their coursework were no longer being challenged once they hit certain milestones. The new software will help meet the needs of those advanced students in the EL/Civics program.

Vorin Dornan, Director – The project “APAP Conference” received funds to allow a representative from Brazosport College to attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference in New York City, NY from January 7-11, 2011. This grant along with a contribution from the department paid for travel and lodging to this conference, where arts professionals from across the U.S. attended to review showcase performances, professional development workshops, and networking events. 

Pat Jeffreys, Tutor – The project “Success from Head to Toe: Increasing the Awareness of Supplemental Instruction” received funds for Brazosport College’s Supplemental Instruction program to purchase advertising and promotional materials, such as t-shirts, carrying cases, pens, and drawstring bags, for students and SI Leaders. The purchase of this project will be to increase awareness among students of SI services and to identify SI leaders on campus.

Teresa LeBlanc, Faculty – The project “A Safer Community” received funds to purchase a megaphone and one AK-47 Assault Training Rifle for the Law Enforcement Academy. Students will use the assault rifle during real-to-life situations, such as take-down scenarios, patrol procedures, and building search training. Classes will use the megaphone during negotiations, patrol tactics, and mental health scenarios. As a result, the program will produce better trained cadets.