Grants awarded to colleges to increase completion rates

By Emily Brown

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    MID-MICHIGAN (WNEM) — Two mid-Michigan community colleges have been awarded grant funding in support of their efforts to increase college completion for adult learners, international, immigrant, refugee, or first-generation students.

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s (LEO) Office of Sixty by 30, Global Detroit, and Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) awarded a total of $1.5 million in Student and Immigrant Success Grants to 12 colleges in Michigan.

“By increasing our state’s college completion rates, we are setting Michigan up to be a front-runner in a globally competitive economy,” LEO Director Susan Corbin said. “The Student Success Grants will support community and tribal colleges across the state in doing what they do best – help more people get the skills and credentials they need to succeed in high-demand, high-skill jobs.”

The grants were awarded in two categories, the Sixty by 30 Adult Student Success Grant and the Immigrant Student Success Grant. Both grants work toward accomplishing the same goal of providing 60 percent of Michigan’s workforce with a degree, or credential, by 2030.

The Sixty by 30 grant provides funds up to $200,000 over two years to selected Michigan community and tribal colleges to create new or upscale existing strategies to improve persistence and completion rates among adult students, with an emphasis on Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect students.

The Mid Michigan Community College was awarded $200,000 to improve its mentor model to meet the needs of adult students.

The Immigrant Student Success Grant provides funds up to $150,000 over 18 months to selected Michigan community and tribal colleges to grow enrollment, retention, and program completion rates for international, immigrant, refugee, or first-generation students.

Mott Community College was awarded $156,000 to create and strengthen ethnic community partnerships, provide career and educational support, promote relationship-building with students, and conduct an audit of the college’s global community. The college was awarded the $150,000 grant and a $6,000 stipend in recognition of its staff’s time to participate in the learning cohort, a spokesperson for Global Detroit said.

“Mott Community College is thrilled to introduce the ‘Pathways to Success: Empowering Immigrant Futures’ initiative, a comprehensive project committed to creating a nurturing environment for immigrant, refugee and first-generation students,” said Dr. Michelle A. Nelson, assistant vice president for Student Success Services at MCC. “This initiative includes strategic outreach, community partnerships, sustainable resource initiatives and crucial support services, all with the goal of empowering students and facilitating a smooth transition into education and training for the immigrant communities in the Greater Flint area.”

Nelson said the project will utilize four stages that specifically target different levels of integration support, including:

Empowering ethnic community partnerships; Becoming a trusted connector with strong community outreach; Accelerating careers and educational success; and Long-term relationship building that will emphasize the importance of long-term thinking and responsible resource management to ensure a supportive and inclusive environment that enables immigrant students to thrive.

The Office of Sixty by 30 administers the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs, which provide free community college tuition to qualifying adults without a degree. The student success grants will build on these programs by increasing college access through financial aid.

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