ASCEND: Student Success Center & Development program

The ASCEND Program is a dedicated initiative aimed at fostering a supportive, equitable, and empowering educational atmosphere on campus. Its main objective is to motivate all members of the university community to engage in academic excellence and advocate for social justice, ultimately contributing to student success and influencing the future of the university.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education for a five-year period starting in 2022, ASCEND aligns strategically with the priorities set forth by the funding agency. It specifically addresses Competitive Preference Priority I, which focuses on meeting students' social, emotional, and academic needs, as well as Competitive Preference Priority II, which aims to enhance access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success in higher education.

We expect that more than 2,000 targeted students will benefit from the support offered by the ASCEND program, particularly in relation to STEM success. This initiative will directly subsidize the educational and living expenses of hundreds of students throughout the five-year duration of the project.

Additionally, the launch of Project Resilience occurred on campus in Fall 2021. The ASCEND program builds on and enhances the missions at CSULB by broadening services to make a more significant impact on participants in need.

Disclaimer 

The ASCEND program eliminates barriers, gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age and assures equitable access to, and participation in the program.

Y1 & Y2 ASCEND Summary

ASCEND financial supports

83 ASCEND financial supports were awarded between Fall 2022 and Summer 2024 with the following allocation:

  • AY Tuition: 35
  • Subsistence Aid: 18
  • Summer Tuition: 9
  • Academic/ Classroom Support: 7
  • Research Assistance: 7
  • Travel Support:  7


Near-peer mentoring students:


12 students in ASCEND Near-peer mentoring program with the following distribution:

  • CHEM111A: 5
  • MAE 373: 3
  • CE 205: 2
  • MATH 122: 1
  • MATH 123: 1

Research students:


7 research students from 3 colleges with the following distribution:

  • Aerospace Engineering (College of Engineering): 4
  • Information Systems (College of Engineering): 1
  • Chemistry (College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics): 1
  • Biochemistry (College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics): 1


14 students in ASCEND Summer 2024 prep program with following distribution:

  • MATH 122 (Calc 1): 10
  • MATH 123 (Calc 2): 4


Overall Tutoring sessions

Overall, there were 46 tutoring sessions in COE in Year 1 which increased to 380 in Year 2 while CNSM had 375 in year 2.