Kent State University receives $1.3 million TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services grant
The grant comes from U.S. Department of Education and will support students who are planning to become teachers.
Kent State University has received a $1.3 million TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services grant from the US Department of Education. The five-year grant will provide $272,000 annually to support first-generation college students, income-eligible students, or students with disabilities who want to become teachers.
According to an article on Kent State University’s website, Antoinette East-Jenkins, who serves as the director of TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services at Kent State University, was quoted as saying of the grant, “Becoming a teacher requires much more than completing coursework. Our students are navigating college, field experiences, licensure requirements, testing, financial responsibilities and, ultimately, the transition into their own classrooms. This program gives us an opportunity to walk alongside students throughout that entire journey, remove barriers when possible and make sure they have support as they work toward becoming educators.”
Teacher Preparation Student Support Services will provide eligible students with academic tutoring, course selection support, financial aid assistance and financial literacy education, mentoring, career counseling, teacher preparation and licensure support, graduate school guidance, and cultural and educational experiences. Additionally, the program provides income-eligible students with financial assistance to cover costs related to teaching programs, such as licensure testing and background checks.
The federal TRIO programs seek to expand opportunities to higher education for students who often face barriers to education, such as first-generation college students, those from low-income backgrounds, and students who have disabilities. Kent State University's application for the Teacher Preparation Student Support Services grant was written by East-Jenkins and Daniel Diaz Nilsson, who is a former assistant dean for access and engagement at Kent State’s College of Education and Human Services. The application received a perfect score.
For more information about Kent State University, visit the school’s website.