Business and IT Management / Bilingual Jumpstart Initiative

Organization: Regis University

Grant Round: Jumpstart

Program’s Objectives: Regis is providing a novel "hybrid" degree program in business and IT management with a focus on underrepresented students, and offering the degree and services in a bilingual format. One of the major findings of WIRED’s 2007 business survey was a need for individuals who had both technical and business skills.

Individuals Served: Since beginning the BS in Business Technology Management degree in the Fall of 2007, we have enrolled 101 students as of August 15, 2008. With the Billingual Initiative, we have reached hundreds of perspective students in the Hispanic community in Denver and the U.S.

Success Story: Reyna Gutierrez received a Daniel’s Foundation Scholarship from Regis University due to the WIRED Jumpstart Grant funding. She’s 31 years old, a mother of four, works during the day and goes to Regis University at night.  Reyna said, “I thought Regis was unattainable at one time.” With the scholarship, she can complete her degree in the near future.

Quote: “Adding the BS of Business Technology Management degree has bridged an important gap in today’s industry climate. This unique degree combines the disciplines of Business, Information Technology, and Management, providing the necessary skill sets that students need to succeed in an increasingly technical business environment. We have seen a tremendous interest in this new degree with enrollment increasing 140% in just eight months.”
-- Denise Duncan, Assistant Professor, School of Computer & Information Sciences, Regis University

Collaborators: Community College of Aurora, Front Range Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Aurora Community College, Regis Learning Solutions, Alva Learning Systems, IT Implementers, Arapahoe Douglas Works, Circle of Latina Leadership, Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, American Association of Hispanics in Higher Ed, Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s LOFT (Latinos on Fast Track), Open World Learning, and Aurora Chamber of Commerce.