Greenville Technical College has been awarded nearly $2.1 million over a five-year period under a Strengthening Institutions grant provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III program. The grant will help first-time students with a goal of increasing persistence and retention rates for participants by 20 percent over the funding period, thus leading to higher student graduation rates.
The effort will be centralized at the college’s new Dreisbach/Anderson Student Success Center, expected to open next spring. There, students will find intensive advising to assist with enrollment and success. A dedicated advisor will monitor each participant’s progress, tracking grades and providing support when indicated. Financial literacy education, a career development program, and internal internships will be offered to students taking part. In addition, emergency initiatives for students, including the college’s food pantry, will be expanded. The Title III project director is Dr. Chuck Morton, and the project’s activity director is Amber Morgan.
“Enrolling students is not enough,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “Our mission is to transform lives through education, and that means we want to give all who enroll every chance of success. Title III funding will go a long way toward strengthening our services for first-time students and supporting them from the initial semester to graduation.”