Sul Ross State University received almost $3 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor through the SRSU RISE Strengthening Institutions Program, a five-year initiative designed to expand workforce readiness, educational opportunity and institutional capacity across the university.
The $2,999,498 grant, which will support work from 2026 through 2031, will fund four coordinated strategies focused on artificial intelligence literacy, competency-based education, dual-credit expansion and preparation for graduate study in psychology.
“RISE represents a significant investment in the future of our students and the communities we serve,” said SRSU President Carlos Hernandez. “This grant will allow us to expand innovative educational pathways while strengthening connections between education, workforce needs and student success.”
By Sept. 30, 2031, SRSU aims to achieve a 55 percent fall-to-fall retention rate, a 5 percent increase in enrollment and a 35 percent six-year graduation rate, while developing five certificate-bearing credentials and serving 300 students through competency-based education.
The first component, Texas Rural AI Literacy (TRAIL), will establish an AI training center and embed discipline-specific artificial intelligence skills throughout the university’s academic offerings. The initiative will develop five AI microcredentials, build partnerships with rural K-12 and career and technical education programs, and connect first-year AI literacy with student persistence and career awareness.
The second component will expand competency-based education (CBE) in Agriculture and industry, Organizational Leadership and Ranch Management. SRSU will deploy a learning management system, develop methods to recognize prior and experiential learning, and work toward serving 300 CBE students while institutionalizing the technology platform needed to support the programs.
The third component, dual credit expansion, will strengthen the university’s college-side systems, staffing and partnerships supporting dual credit students. The initiative will develop pathway maps and memoranda of understanding with partner schools and establish scalable delivery models. Dual-credit opportunities will be expanded in criminal justice, agriculture, business, teacher preparation and nursing.
The fourth component, psychology graduate preparation, will create a structured Bachelor of Science in Psychology pathway designed to prepare students for graduate study in clinical psychology and behavioral health. The initiative will include enhanced advising, mentored research, professional development and feasibility work with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Together, the four strategies are intended to strengthen connections among students’ first educational experiences, academic persistence, workforce preparation and opportunities for continued education.
The RISE program also will build institutional capacity to sustain these efforts beyond the five-year grant period, helping SRSU develop programs and systems that can continue serving students and workforce needs throughout the region.
“This funding gives Sul Ross the opportunity to think beyond individual programs and build lasting systems that expand access and create new pathways for students,” Hernandez said. “The work will strengthen the university’s ability to respond to the evolving needs of West Texas and the communities we serve.”
For more information, email grants@sulross.edu.