GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College will receive $1,640,349 over the next five years in a federal grant designed to strengthen programs that help students stay in school.
The grant, awarded through the federal Education Department’s Title III “Strengthening Institutions” program, will help establish Coaching and Advising for Retention and Education of Students.
According to a press release, the program will focus on providing coaching to liberal arts students who are the first in their families to attend college and have not decided on a major. It will also aim to develop enhanced assessments to reduce the number of students who do not continue past college prep courses and add new equipment to strengthen academic programs.
Anna Berry, the college’s dean of students, will oversee the grant.
The new programs will be coordinated and integrated with GCC’s existing student support services, including orientation, career pathway advising, peer tutoring services, early progress reporting, personal counseling, transfer services, financial aid assistance, and financial literacy.
“The (grant) provides the opportunity for the college to fulfill our vision for more comprehensive guidance to students who are unclear about their pathway from college to career. We recognize that many students require support in their journey to self-actualization and, ultimately, degree completion,” Berry said. “This grant will put into place structures that help students gain self-knowledge and the tools to inspire change. We will be able to assess barriers to successful college completion, offer comprehensive career exploration, and develop peer and professional supports that will assist students to persist to degree completion, transfer, and career attainment.”
To provide continuing resources for the programs past the end of the funding period, GCC will use and match a portion of the Title III funds to establish an endowment.