The University of Southern Indiana has been named an inaugural recipient of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) 2023 College Success Program grant. Announced by the ICHE on November 3, the first grant cycle funding is being used to create 32 full-time positions at 22 public or private four-year Indiana higher education institutions to support 21st Century Scholars, Frank O’Bannon Grant recipients, minority students and other low-income and first-generation students.
USI has been awarded $180,000 to fund two full-time College Success Coaches. Coaches will be housed in the Pathways to College Program and will report to Dr. Brandi Neal, Director of Pathways to College Program. In their roles, coaches will assist in providing an immersive on-campus experience for first-generation college students, aimed at increasing matriculation to the institution. Coaches will also ensure the proportion of participants supported exceeds the state average of high school graduates who enroll in college.
“Today is First-Generation College Celebration Day, commemorating the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created federal financial aid and other programs that promoted access to higher education,†says Dr. Shelly Blunt, Interim Provost. “This grant funding enables the University to provide essential wrap-around support services for our first-generation students.â€
Funding for the College Success Program grant is made possible under House Enrolled Act 1001-2023. The initial program will run from November 1, 2023, through October 31, 2024, with opportunities to extend the grant pending review of the State Budget Committee.
“Last year, the Commission launched its strategic priorities to address college enrollment, completion and graduate retention,†said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery. “The College Success Program is one of our intentional strategic approaches to partnering with institutions to address the challenges in the education to workforce pipeline and amplify the impact of proven programs such as the 21st Century Scholarship and Frank O’Bannon Grant. This will remove barriers that especially affect first-generation and low-income students.â€
About the Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Created in 1971, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education plans, coordinates and defines Indiana’s postsecondary education system to align higher learning with the needs of students and the state. The Commission also administers Indiana’s financial aid programs, including the 21st Century Scholars early college promise scholarship, which celebrates 30 years in 2020.
