Federal grant will provide academic, financial and career support to first-generation, income-eligible students and students with disabilities pursuing careers in education
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Kent State University a five-year, $1.3 million TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services grant to support undergraduate students preparing to enter the teaching profession.
Kent State will receive more than $272,000 annually to serve 140 students who are first-generation college students, income-eligible students or students with disabilities. The new grant is specifically focused on students pursuing teacher preparation programs and will provide comprehensive support from college enrollment through graduation, licensure and entry into the teaching profession.
Through Teacher Preparation Student Support Services, students will have access to academic tutoring, course selection support, financial aid assistance and financial literacy education, mentoring, career counseling, teacher preparation and licensure support, graduate school guidance, cultural and educational experiences and other individualized services. The program will also help reduce some costs associated with becoming a teacher by providing eligible participants with monetary assistance to cover the cost of licensure testing, background checks, printed materials and other academic necessities.
“Becoming a teacher requires much more than completing coursework,” said Antoinette East-Jenkins, director of TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services at Kent State. “Our students are navigating college, field experiences, licensure requirements, testing, financial responsibilities and, ultimately, the transition into their own classrooms. This program gives us an opportunity to walk alongside students throughout that entire journey, remove barriers when possible and make sure they have support as they work toward becoming educators.”
The Teacher Preparation Student Support Services program advances the long-standing mission of the federal TRIO programs by expanding educational opportunities for students who have historically faced barriers to higher education. Student Support Services is designed to increase college persistence and graduation among first-generation and income-eligible students and students with disabilities.
Nationally, Student Support Services has demonstrated a strong record of improving college outcomes. A U.S. Department of Education evaluation found that program participation was associated with increased degree completion and transfer outcomes among participating students.
Kent State’s TRIO grant proposal, which received a perfect score of 113 points, was written by East-Jenkins, who also served as manager for Kent State’s Vacca Office of Student Services; and Daniel Diaz Nilsson, former assistant dean for access and engagement at Kent State’s College of Education and Human Services. The award came through a highly competitive federal competition that received more than 1,700 eligible applications, of which 962 were selected for funding.
Kent State’s Teacher Preparation Student Support Services program is currently accepting applications. Program staff will work with applicants to determine whether they meet federal eligibility requirements. For more information or to apply for Kent State’s TRIO Teacher Preparation Student Support Services program, contact Antoinette East-Jenkins at aeastjen@kent.edu or call 330-672-1220.
For information about Kent State’s College of Education and Human Services, visit www.kent.edu/ehs.
About Federal TRIO Programs
Federal TRIO programs grew from the federal government’s efforts to expand educational opportunities beginning in the 1960s. The programs provide academic and other support to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including first-generation and income-eligible students, students with disabilities and veterans. TRIO programs serve students at different stages of the educational pipeline, from middle and high school through undergraduate and graduate education, with the goal of increasing access to and completion of postsecondary education.
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Media Contact:
Antoinette East-Jenkins, aeastjen@kent.edu, 330-672-1220
