Reading, PA — The U.S. Department of Education (DoED) has granted Albright College $2,246,089 over the next five years to transform the college’s approach to learning and student success in the first year of higher education. Designed to help students develop the skills and confidence needed to achieve academically, the approach more intentionally integrates student learning with personal and career goals, so that they may be better prepared to successfully complete bachelor’s degrees.
“While Albright continues to educate a diverse population of students who exhibit strong academic potential along with engagement in a wide variety of extracurricular and service activities, many entering first year students are unprepared for the academic and social challenges of learning in a college environment,” said Karen A. Campbell, Ph.D., acting provost and vice president of academic affairs at Albright. “This grant is an investment in faculty development, student-centered advising and infrastructure designed to strengthen teaching and learning and that will support pedagogical innovation.”
The Federal Title III program helps eligible higher education institutions to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen their academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability. To be eligible for Title III grants, at least 50% of an intuition’s degree-seeking students must receive need-based assistance under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, or a substantial number of enrolled students must receive Pell Grants and have low educational and general expenditures.
“Almost half of our first year students are the first in their family to attend college,” said Campbell. “Coupled with inconsistent academic preparation, this means that many entering students are unfamiliar with the expectations of college courses and the academic habits and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed. This grant is an investment in the personnel and technology to create and sustain a program that increases our student success.”
Albright has been granted a total of $2,246,089 (funding 78.5% of the project), that will be awarded in five annual installments between Oct. 1, 2018 and Sept. 30, 2023. In addition, the college will supplement $615,000 during the grant period and approximately $575,000 annually thereafter in support of the new program.
