LANSING, Mich., September 30, 2024: In a significant step toward enhancing education accessibility and degree attainment for Michiganders, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) are announcing the first round of awards from the new College Success Grant program. The first awards total nearly $3 million, including a near $1 million investment to Michigan State University (MSU) to support thousands more Michiganders in transferring from community college to complete their bachelor’s degree. Alongside MSU, the Diploma Equity Project and Schoolcraft College have also been awarded funding to implement innovative practices that empower student success.
“Ensuring Michiganders have access to quality, affordable education is a top priority for my administration,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today’s investment to help incoming community college transfers at MSU will open the door for them to earn their bachelor’s degrees, go on to earn higher incomes, and build rewarding careers right here in Michigan. These college success grants build on other strategic investments we have made including wraparound supports for community college students for things like child care. Let’s keep working together to put more people on a path to prosperity.”
This investment aligns with Michigan’s ambitious Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a college degree or skill certificate to 60% by 2030. It also builds on MiLEAP’s charge to improve education outcomes for Michigan students. These competitive, student success-focused grants are part of a broader state strategy to lower costs and increase attainment, including the Community College Guarantee, which offers a tuition-free pathway for recent high school graduates to earn a skill certificate or degree at their local community college.
“We are excited to partner with the Governor on another important initiative to expand access to postsecondary education for more Michiganders,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “The College Success Grants make strategic short-term investments that will yield long-standing benefits by creating a more supportive system for students as they strive to earn a skill certificate or college degree.”
As an example of the impact of these grants, MSU will use the funding to improve processes and support for students transferring from a community college. Currently, around 1,800 students transfer from a community college to the university each year. With the $996,000 in College Success Grant funding, the university plans to expand its ongoing efforts to become a transfer-friendly institution, helping more students see community college as an accessible and affordable path to a bachelor’s degree.
“As the university with the largest number of students who choose to remain in Michigan to pursue their college education, we have a responsibility to ensure that all students have the opportunity to complete their degrees,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “This investment goes beyond just increasing enrollment – it’s about creating equitable pathways for every student to thrive and ensuring that every person can feel a sense of belonging from their very first interaction with MSU.”
Key initiatives supported by the grant will include:
- Working with other community colleges in the state to expand the Envision Green Program, a current partnership with Lansing Community College aimed at enhancing supports for students transferring to the university.
- Building a Transfer Student Success Center to support the unique needs of transfer students as they navigate their academic journey at MSU.
- Establishing a Transfer Advocacy Council to reform policies and practices, reduce credit loss and create equitable pathways to bachelor’s degree completion for transfer students.
In addition to the investment at MSU, the state recently awarded a $942,000 College Success Grant to the Diploma Equity Project to redesign student support systems at Oakland University (OU) and Mott Community College (MCC), with a goal of increasing degree completion rates among students. MCC aims to grow adult four-year associate and certificate complete rates from 23% to 45%, while OU aims to boost six-year bachelor’s degree completion for first-generation students from 47% to 65%. The funding will support a construction manager to implement systems based the respective designs at each college, with a goal of having the systems operational in 18-24 months.
Additionally, $200,000 has been awarded to Schoolcraft College to expand and enhance its Early Action program, which will address academic support and basic needs for students. Schoolcraft will develop a student inventory survey to deploy early in each semester to help identify intervention needs, promote the use of academic resources and develop early support-seeking while strengthening case management.
Quick Start Grants were also awarded to 10 colleges and universities across the state to support research and strategic planning focused on removing institutional barriers to student success, preparing them to apply for a larger College Success Grant. Awardees received between $50,000 and $75,000 and include:
- Central Michigan University
- Delta College
- Eastern Michigan University
- Ferris State University
- Grand Rapids Community College
- Grand Valley State University
- Kalamazoo Valley Community College
- Lake Superior State University
- Muskegon Community College
- University of Michigan-Flint
The next application deadline for the College Success Grants is Oct. 18. 2024. Applications are also open for institutions to apply for Barrier Removal Grants through Nov. 8, 2024.
For more information on these programs and other Office of Higher Education related initiatives, visit the MiLEAP website.
About MiLEAP:
Established by Gov. Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from preschool to postsecondary so anyone can “make it in Michigan” with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.