Clark College was awarded a $2.2 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education last week.
Clark College will receive roughly $450,000 annually from the Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Program for the next five years to help improve services, especially to students from under-served communities.
According to a news release, Clark College will use the grant money to increase completion rates “through implementing data-informed, technology-enabled career pathways.”
The college hopes to accomplish three strategic objectives, according to the release: Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services to continuously adapt and improve.
• Implement Penguin Path, an integrated student success model that connects each student with evidence-based practices that address their individualized needs.
• Create flexible learning opportunities through a centralized career hub that integrates career information into course outcomes and increases equitable access to work-based learning opportunities for students.
A portion of the college’s Title III funds will be used to hire three project staff: a Title III project manager to oversee the grant’s implementation, a career connections liaison, and a planning, assessment and integration manager, according to Clark College.
The Title III program “helps eligible institutions of higher education 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,” Clark College stated in the release.
Clark College is one of five community or technical colleges in Washington to be awarded a Title III grant during this funding cycle.
