"Bridging the Humanities and Hard Sciences: Transformational Learning, Retention of Latino/a and First-Generation Students via a Global Borderlands Classroom” combines history, civil engineering, and law students, as an avenue to bridge the gap between the humanities and the hard sciences. The project encourages students to conduct cross-disciplinary research in the classroom and allows students the opportunity to visit key historical and contemporary sites along the Texas-Mexico borderlands. It also helps students in their transformation into globally sensitive scholars to create solutions for real-life problems. Students learn about demographic shifts, race and ethnicity issues, immigration policies, infrastructure and environmental challenges, engineer-based solutions for impoverished areas, border economic challenges, housing and health issues among minority populations. Students are trained with “in-the-field skills” which are also transferable to professional positions beyond graduation. In addition, students from Latino/a and non-Latino/a backgrounds have the opportunity to form friendships through a collaborative learning experience. In short, the project hopes to produce a more well-rounded Aggie student, trained in multi-disciplinary research and methods and one that is prepared for a 21st Century, global workforce. This type of global classroom is an example of transformational pedagogy that fosters a welcoming environment to retain Texas A&M University Latino/a and first-generation college students while at the same time encourages research collaboration between students from different majors. ​​