Last month, the Department of Education determined SCC will receive two competitive grants aimed at closing gaps in education equity.

Higher Education

One grant falls under the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program, which aims to help higher education programs better serve low-income students by “providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions.”

With this grant, SCC will implement first-year student success courses, provide more in-depth peer tutoring for gateway classes and introduce a new orientation program with an increased emphasis on accessing student services.

Additionally, the college will focus on raising the number of students involved in work-based learning opportunities and expanding these programs as a whole. The grant is expected to generate $2.3 million for the school over the next five years, according to an Oct. 18 email sent to SCC staff by Acting President Phillip King.

Support for Underserved Students

SCC also received the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program grant, which is dedicated to expanding opportunities for students of color as well as increasing the school’s capacity to serve them.

The college received $1.5 million in order to assist its Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students, according to the Oct. 18 email.

SCC’s goal with this grant is to raise the rates of fall-to-fall retention and degree completion by way of counseling, peer mentoring, mandatory orientation and career navigation aid.