March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 52 F

MHEC awards $800K to schools helping disadvantaged youth plan for college

Maryland Higher Education Commission Secretary Dr. James D. Fielder announced recently that the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) awarded more than $800,000 to six Maryland higher education institutions that are helping disadvantaged youth plan for college.

“This is just one example of how we are planning our work and working our plan,” Secretary Fielder said. “This money supports Maryland’s college access and completion goals as defined in the 2017-2021 Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary Education. The State Plan outlines the priorities of access, success, and innovation to support Maryland’s goal of student success with less debt.”

In conjunction with the federally funded Maryland Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP), the College Preparation Intervention Program (CPIP) awards benefit low-income communities by raising the level of academic preparedness of those disadvantaged students to enable them to attend, persist, and succeed in college.  This state grant program fosters collaboration between Maryland’s local education agencies and its higher education institutions by funding activities that encourage students to aim higher, study harder, and take the courses required for college admission and success. CPIP award recipients are exposed to various academic disciplines, career fields and learning opportunities. The grants provide student support services, comprehensive mentoring, and financial aid counseling to help pay for college.

The Maryland GEAR UP program instills knowledge and delivers services to ensure that low income and underrepresented students are college and career ready. It is a rigorous academic program of studies to develop the instrumental skills needed to apply/enroll in college, obtain financial aid, and complete a postsecondary education. The program focuses on two core academic areas: English/Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. GEAR UP districts include Baltimore City, Dorchester, and Wicomico counties.

All Maryland two-and four-year institutions were eligible to apply and partner with Local Education Authorities (LEAs) for the grant.

The CPIP review panel met and reviewed nine applications.  The following six institutions were awarded for the 2018 funding cycle:

  • Community College of Baltimore County -$139,534
  • Johns Hopkins University – $138,095
  • Morgan State University – $148,000
  • Salisbury University -$142,895
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Nursing -$125,000
  • University of Maryland, College Park -$126,000
Previous Article

New shuttle buses coming to BWI

Next Article

Rams Head bringing Glennon Doyle back to Maryland Hall on September 16th

You might be interested in …