UAlbany Awarded $1.16M Grant to Support Adult Learners
By Bethany Bump
ALBANY, N.Y. (Feb. 9, 2023) — The University at Albany has received $1.16 million from the U.S. Department of Education to establish an Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program, aimed at helping qualified adults enter or continue in higher education.
The program will allow the University to provide college admissions, financial aid and economic literacy counseling to 850 adults who are income eligible, first-generation college students, or who come from military backgrounds.
The grant is for $232,000 a year over a five-year cycle, amounting to $1,160,250. It is one of 15 new EOC programs to be funded nationwide and the only new EOC program in New York, bringing the statewide total to five.
“UAlbany has been recognized as a top university for improving the social and economic mobility of its students. We are excited that the EOC program will allow us to help improve the social and economic mobility of adults in the Capital Region, aligned with the University’s engagement and service strategic priority,” said Shanise Kent, director of the University’s new Professional, Adult & Continuing Knowledge (PACK) office, which launched last year to support adult learners looking to continue their education.
As a Pell-eligible, first-generation and nontraditional college student herself, Kent understands and overcame many of the challenges EOC participants will face while pursuing higher education.
In order to participate, individuals must be at least 19 years old; a U.S. citizen or have permanent residence status; a resident of Albany, Rensselaer or Schenectady counties; and desire to enroll or re-enroll in college. They must also meet at least one of the following requirements: financial need based on federal income guidelines, first-generation college student (parents and/or guardians did not graduate from a four-year college or university) or a veteran.
Two-thirds of the participants served must be both income eligible and first-generation college students.
The EOC program at UAlbany will provide services ranging from academic and personal counseling, admission and financial aid application assistance, college entrance exam prep, financial literacy counseling and education, guidance on secondary school re-entry and General Educational Development (GED) programs, tutoring, mentorship and career counseling.
The EOC program is housed within UAlbany’s new PACK office, which connects adult learners to professional development opportunities, microcredentials, and undergraduate and graduate degree and non-degree offerings. PACK also works directly with corporate partners, nonprofits, and businesses to provide customized training and employee development education programs.