Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced that Monroe Community College (MCC) received a grant totaling $400,000 from the Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program. Specifically, MCC will use this grant to support the Building a Culture of Engagement and Success Project which will redesign the curriculum to help students who have gaps in their educations, lack skills or retrain older adults. This funding will also support progress initiatives and address low achievement by reducing the amount of time a student spends in remedial courses and infuse technology into teaching methods familiar to 21st century students.
“With these funds, MCC can continue to educate Monroe County students, whether they are high school students with challenges in certain classes or older folks who need retraining,” said Senator Schumer. “The bottom line is that we need to improve our system if we are to remain globally competitive and realize the full potential of all our students; The Dept. of Education funding does just that and can change lives and really make a difference in the Rochester community.”
“Supporting Monroe County Community College is a smart investment,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Opening the door to higher education for more young people and working adults, and supporting them at every step of the way can lead to stronger job placements and higher income to help keep families on stable ground. And a well-trained workforce equipped with the skills they need for the new high-tech economy can help us attract more businesses, and support new jobs right here in the Rochester region.”
The Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program helps eligible institutes of higher education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions. Funds may be used for planning, faculty development, and establishing endowment funds. Administrative management, and the development and improvement of academic programs also are supported. Other projects include joint use of instructional facilities, construction and maintenance, and student service programs designed to improve academic success, including innovative, customized, instruction courses designed to help retain students and move the students rapidly into core courses and through program completion, which may include remedial education and English language instruction .