Edison Community College was recently awarded a Direct Impact Grant in excess of $200,000 from TG to support the Connect to College program. The grant is funding College Bound Advisors and programming in the high schools to help students articulate, plan, and execute their higher education goals.
More than 3,500 high school students and their parents stand to benefit from the College Bound project, with the primary beneficiaries being under-resourced and first-generation high school students who attend Piqua, Sidney, and Greenville City Schools.
Students participating in the grant-supported initiative will participate in “College 101,” a semester-long course that’s specifically designed to offer students the opportunity to learn more about and prepare for applying to and attending college. Topics covered in the course include, choosing the right college or postsecondary option, college majors, career exploration, learning styles and strategies, campus services, diversity, college lifestyles, and more. An estimated 200 students will complete the “College 101” course in year one, and 600 in year two.
TG supports travel between school districts, early college readiness testing (Compass) for 1,000 students, stipends for Edison faculty to facilitate 15 “Connect to College” seminars to students over the two-year period, and dissemination activities promoting the concept and results of the College Bound program. College Bound Advisors working under the grant will be employed by Edison Community College and will also work with each high school’s guidance counsellors to assist them in identifying students who are in need of coaching and mentorship for college preparation.
“This program provides a great opportunity for students to start thinking about the college selection process,” said Rob Cowles, College Bound Advisor. “Many times people think the process should begin during a student’s junior or senior year of high school, in reality, this is more near the end of the process. The goal of the program is to get students thinking about college earlier and help them discover opportunities that they may have not known about.”
The grant aims to help create a college-going culture that will be proficient with college concepts, vocabulary, and planning. High school students will work directly with respective guidance counsellors, teachers as well as college bound advisors, student success advisors, and faculty at Edison to ensure these goals of the grant are met.
TG promotes educational access and success so that students can realize their college and career dreams. As a non-profit corporation, TG offers resources to help students and families plan and prepare for college, learn the basics of money management, and repay their federal student loans. TG has awarded more than $34 million in grant funding to non-profit organizations and higher education institutions since 2005.
For more information about the program, Edison Community College, or online resources, contact Rob Cowles, College Bound Advisor, at rcowles@edisonohio.edu
