The $2.05 million US Department of Education grant will help the school increase the number of graduates it produces in its accelerated academic and short-term workforce skill programs.
Cleveland State Community College has received a Title III grant from the US Department of Education in the amount of $2.05 million to create an initiative called Work for All Students in Accelerated Programs (Work ASAP). The initiative seeks to increase the number of students it graduates through its accelerated and work skill programs.
According to an article on Cleveland State Community College’s website, the college’s president, Dr. Andy White, was quoted as saying of the grant funding and what the school plans to do with it, saying, “We are honored to receive the prestigious Title III grant for Work ASAP which will open new doors and opportunities for our entire service area. With these resources, we can continue to innovate and expand programs that enable students to succeed in their academic and professional journeys. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the collaborative effort of our dedicated faculty and staff.”
Historically, Title III grants are intended to provide financial support to postsecondary institutions that have a high enrollment of minority or low-income students since the grants were first established in 1965 via the Higher Education Act. In 2011, Cleveland State Community College received a Title III grant that gave the school the funding it needed to increase student engagement and service activities.
The first step in the Work ASAP initiative is to conduct an analysis of the region to see which industries in the area would benefit from more accelerated programs or workforce training programs to better align the school’s offerings with what the local workforce needs. The Work ASAP initiative seeks to pursue three separate strategies to increase its output of qualified graduates via its accelerated academic and workforce training programs. First, the school plans to expand access to its programs; second, the school will utilize sites within the community to bring learning opportunities to those in underserved populations; and third, the school will provide college credit for prior learning.
To support these objectives, the grant funding will provide for staffing additions, more equipment, and infrastructure updates. The project will run for five years.
For more information about Cleveland State Community College, visit the school’s website.