HESC Announces College Access Challenge Grant Awards

ALBANY, NY (08/27/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) today announced awards for the College Access Challenge Grant Program, a two-year, $8.2 million federal grant initiative that focuses on motivating New York's at-risk youth to successfully prepare for and graduate from college. HESC has been designated by Governor David A. Paterson to administer the grant program.

"The College Access Challenge Grants (CACG) are a great investment in our future. The public-private partnerships created by the CACG program benefit the neediest students of our state by helping them prepare for success in college," said Governor Paterson. "When these highly skilled workers enter the workforce, our entire state will reap the benefits."

"These grants, distributed all across the state, provide the funding for outreach and resources, helping thousands of middle and high school students build a solid foundation for achieving a college education," said Elsa Magee, HESC's Acting President. "HESC is proud to play a role in carrying out Governor Paterson's vision for higher education in New York State."

The eight sub-grants announced today are awarded to schools, agencies and community-based organizations across New York were selected through a competitive process. These grantees will receive a series of sub-grants of up to $400,000 to support specific services for high-need students and their families to help them learn about and prepare for making college and career choices.

The College Access Challenge Grant recipients and the areas they will serve:

City School District of New Rochelle: Lower Hudson Valley

Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities: Western New York

Hillside Work Scholarship Connection: Central New York

Institute For Student Achievement: Lower Hudson Valley

Manhattan College: New York City Metropolitan Area

On Point for College, Inc.: Central New York

Research Foundation of the City of New York: New York City Metropolitan Area

Research Foundation of SUNY on Behalf of SUNY Cobleskill: Eastern New York

Services provided by the grants include:

• College readiness, academic skill building and summer support programs
• Career planning strategies
• Youth advocacy and mentoring with college student partners
• Training for college advisors
• Family workshops on college financing and completing financial aid applications
• Debt management and financial literacy workshops

"The CACG initiative will build on the successes of The City University of New York's pre-college programs in increasing the number of New York City public school students who are prepared for college level work," Tracy Meade, University Director for Collaborative Programs at The City University of New York, said. "The grant will support the College Access and Success Program (CASP) which serves low-income high school students in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan by providing the necessary academic preparation, information about postsecondary educational opportunities and financial aid options, and assistance with the college application and financial aid process, so that these students enter college prepared for success."

Paul Turner, Director of Office of Secondary Programs at SUNY Cobleskill, said, "The SUNY Cobleskill CACG will serve approximately 1,420 low-income students in 9th through 12th grade and begin to break the cycle of rising unemployment and high school drop out rates by helping to ensure that all students get to their highest level of education."

Virginia Donohue, Executive Director of On Point for College, Inc. said, "This matching grant will help to provide the staffing and capacity to support 2,300 inner-city youth to enroll and succeed in college. We are grateful to HESC and Governor Paterson for this significant grant opportunity."

"New York's private colleges and universities are helping sixth and seventh graders in Western New York see college in their future through activities supported by the CACG Grant. Early academic preparation, financial planning, career learning, and a campus visit for students and parents will show students firsthand what college is like and how to get there," said Susan Nesbitt Perez, Vice President for Outreach and Financial Aid at New York's Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU). "We are proud to be a partner in the state's efforts to boost college access and open the door to higher education for some who have never considered it possible."