Modern Language Association Grant to Aid English Major Redesign at Dominican University

Grant support from the Modern Language Association is helping Dominican University’s English Department tell a new story through a redesign of its English major. 

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jodi Cressman, professor of English, and Dr. Sheila Bauer-Gatsos, English Department chair, the university is a recipient of the inaugural Pathways Step Grant. The $10,000 grant was created by the MLA to aid in the funding of new college programs, structures and resources that will boost recruitment, retention and career readiness of undergraduate students, particularly students of color, first-generation college students, and low-income populations. 

As a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Dominican University is remodeling its English curriculum to make the major more culturally relevant and responsive to its Hispanic student population. This includes incorporating content that more intentionally reflects the cultures and lived experiences of students. 

Courses within the major will also be changed from the 3-credit hour model to a 4-credit hour model, additional research and writing skills will be added to the major, and an increased number of civic and community-based learning opportunities will be imbedded in courses, in addition to career readiness activities and internships.

The Pathways Step Grant will aid in these efforts by financially supporting a series of three workshops led by educational experts who will provide insight and direction for the English major remodel. The workshops will focus on reconceiving the English major at an HSI, deepening learning within a four-credit educational model, and threading career preparation and development throughout the major. 

The faculty committee working on the remodel is scheduled to participate in these workshops in May. The new English major curriculum will be in place for the 2024-25 academic year.

“In a time when many English programs across the country are shrinking, we are growing—and we want to keep that momentum going,” Bauer-Gatsos said. “As an HSI, we want to make sure our courses focus on global and justice literature, and we have increased our writing requirement because we want students to find their voices and use their voices in the multilingual capacities they bring with them.”

The remodeled major also aims to give students opportunities to connect with civic organizations on projects that matter to them and with professions that will allow them to use skills they have learned in the classrooms, Bauer-Gatsos added.

Dominican is one of 19 institutions of higher learning from across the country selected to receive the Pathways Step Grant. Each recipient will present their projects at the 2025 MLA Annual Convention, scheduled for January 2025.