The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana was recently awarded a $2.1 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the largest federal grant the college has ever received.
The grant will be paid out over a five-year period and aid the college's continued efforts to improve student success, retention and graduation of students from low-income families.
The plan the college submitted for consideration, titled "Strengthening UAHT by Improving Retention," will serve to increase student success, including completion and transfer rates, through a variety of objectives. The grant monies will increase services for currently enrolled students, develop intervention and transfer advising, secure classroom technology updates, enhance early alert systems for student success, implement course redesigns and add support staff to increase the on-time graduation of students from low-income families.
"The college has focused on persistence, retention, completion and graduation for the last several years, so this grant fits perfectly into the overall strategic goal of student success," John Hollis, UA Hope-Texarkana dean of institutional effectiveness, stated in a press release.
The Title III grant will also enable the college to create and develop an advising center team, which will include a project director, activities director, curriculum development coach, four advising coaches and an administrative assistant. The college plans to hire these positions within the first year of the grant.
"While UAHT has seen record graduating classes over the past five consecutive years, we are committed to doing even more to support student success through completion," Chancellor Chris Thomason said. "The best way for our students to receive all the potential benefits of a UAHT education is for them to graduate. This grant will allow us to innovate in areas of advising and student support in ways that will provide transformational assistance for students thereby keeping them on the most efficient path to receiving a degree or credential."
For more information, call 870-777-5722.