WMU awarded $13.7M federal grant to support college readiness for thousands of regional middle schoolers
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University received a highly competitive $13.7 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support college readiness and success for middle school students across five regional school districts. The transformative initiative, led by Dr. Erika Carr, director of precollege programming, will provide approximately $1.9 million per year over the next seven years for a comprehensive initiative aimed at increasing high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment.
“Western Michigan University is excited to expand our reach to help Michigan’s middle schoolers build the skills and confidence to recognize the proven value of a degree long before they arrive on a college campus,” says WMU President Russ Kavalhuna. “This federal investment underscores our commitment to student success. It will allow us to provide research-based support, strengthen readiness for high school and empower students to see themselves not only graduating but also prepared to thrive in college.”
Carr, a first-generation college student herself, says the project is deeply gratifying and personal.
“I’m very passionate about this,” she says. “It is important for all students to know their options after high school and to have a path to achieve their goals, as I did mine.”
Starting this fall, a cohort of approximately 2,590 sixth- and seventh-grade students in select school districts will have access to additional academic support, summer camps, tutoring, financial literacy education, and exposure to postsecondary pathways focusing on four-year institutions as well as community colleges, trade schools and certificate programs. The program will follow this same cohort of students all the way through their first year of college, providing sustained, personalized support.
The long-term goal is to increase the number of students who graduate high school and pursue postsecondary education. In the short term, the program aims to improve test scores and grades, with programming that evolves as students progress through school.
“As they get older, we pivot our activities to be more targeted,” Carr says. “We’re trying to give them as much exposure as possible to what’s out there.”
School districts impacted by this program include:
- Kalamazoo Public Schools
- Parchment School District
- Comstock Public Schools
- Bloomingdale Public Schools
- Bangor Public Schools
Carr is the principal investigator (PI) on the grant, joined by co-PIs Dr. Joe Kretovics, professor emeritus, and Dr. Brooks Applegate, professor of evaluation, measurement and research, who will lead the evaluation component. In addition, Dr. Joseph R. Morris, professor emeritus, will lead socioemotional and behavioral health training for counseling interns.
“These grants are extremely competitive, and we were up against universities and school districts from all over the country,” Carr says. “We demonstrated that we had a high need and that Western will be meeting those needs through a comprehensive plan for learning experiences that support students’ academic growth, engagement and long-term success."
"We’re incredibly proud of Dr. Carr and her team for receiving this highly competitive GEAR UP award. The Office of Precollege Programming’s commitment to creating pathways to higher education is exceptional and will be enhanced by this $13.7 million investment from the U.S. Department of Education," says Dr. Kristen Salomonson, associate vice president of enrollment management. "The award will boost WMU’s contribution to college readiness in the region and support students from middle school and beyond."
Families will benefit alongside their students, with opportunities to participate in financial literacy and college preparation workshops.
The program builds on WMU’s existing MI GEAR UP state grant, which currently serves low-income students in Benton Harbor and parts of Kalamazoo Public Schools. Unlike MI GEAR UP, which is a state-funded initiative, the new federal grant is entirely led by WMU and will follow all students in the cohort from middle school through high school graduation and beyond.
The initiative will support new hires and volunteers for paid counseling interns, supervisors and building site coordinators. More than 30 WMU undergraduates will be recruited for in-school tutoring and summer camps.
Dr. Remzi Seker, WMU vice president for research and innovation, noted that this college-readiness effort will have far-reaching ripple effects, “developing a pipeline of skilled individuals who will contribute to the region’s growth and well-being. The grant also advances WMU’s educational mission and motto: So that all may learn."
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