SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $12 MILLION FOR 37 NEW YORK COLLEGES IN STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM FUNDS

USDE Funds Will Be Used To Provide Opportunities For Academic Development And Motivate Students Toward The Successful Completion Of Their Education

$11.9M Will Provide Federal Support For Low-Income & First-Generation, And Disabled College Students

Senators: Federal Support Will Empower All New York College Students 

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $11,998,837 in federal funding for colleges throughout New York from the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Support Services (SSS) Program to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education. These five-year grants will provide academic and other support services to low-income and first-generation, or disabled college students to increase students’ retention and graduation rates, facilitate their transfer from two-year to four-year colleges, and foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities.

“A college education is a critical resource to ensuring our young men and women have the skills they need to compete in a 21st Century global economy. For many students, however, there are simply too many obstacles standing in the way of obtaining that diploma, and these federal funds will help clear those obstacles by enabling these institutions of higher learning to expand its programs focusing on financial literacy, career counseling, peer mentoring, tutoring and more. This federal grant will allow these colleges to grow these critical programs so they can improve completion rates and empower students to pursue fulfilling careers following graduation,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. “I will continue fighting to make sure a college education is an obtainable goal for every New Yorker who wants one.”

“We must do everything we can to ensure the success of New York State’s collegiate students, regardless of background or income level, and these federal funds will help us achieve that goal,” said Senator Gillibrand. “In order for New York State to maintain competitiveness in the 21st Century global economy and keep our skilled workforce in the region, we must provide our students with the educational resources and support services they need to succeed. I will always fight for the resources our students, colleges, and universities need to thrive.”

The senators explained, many SSS-eligible students may be unfamiliar with college expectations, lack the basic skills required for college-level work, have limited experience with setting goals, and face time and work obstacles to their education. These factors all contribute to lower college retention, graduation, grade point average, and transfer rates among these eligible students compared to their peers. For these reasons, the SSS program is vital to the growth and advancement of students who want to succeed but otherwise lack the resources to stay competitive.

To be eligible for SSS programs, students must be enrolled in a degree program or accepted for enrollment into a degree program, must be receiving federal Pell Grants and must meet certain income or disability guidelines as established by the federal government.

A breakdown of the $11.9 million and the colleges that received funds appears below. The amount announced today is for the first of five budgetary periods each school will receive funding for:

###