The University of Illinois Springfield has received a $2.25 million Strengthening Institutions Program Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
This program helps attract and retain students.
“This grant will help UIS continue to build on the enrollment success we experienced this fall,” said UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch. Enrollment was up 11% at UIS this fall.
“As we work toward the shared goal of helping more first-generation, low-income and historically marginalized students achieve their college degrees, this grant will be instrumental in providing additional resources to ensure their success,” said Gooch.
Grant funding will be used to create, improve, expand, track and better understand the outcomes of High Impact Practices (HIPs), such as undergraduate research opportunities, internships, capstone courses and projects, collaborative assignments, writing-intensive courses and global-service and community-based learning, and tutoring advising programs.
“We are committed to enhancing the educational experience for all our students, and this grant will empower UIS to offer an even greater array of resources to support their success,” said Jamarco Clark, UIS vice chancellor for student affairs.
Additionally, the grant will strengthen UIS’ advising programs, enhance the Summer Scholars experience for newly enrolled students who need additional academic support before starting college and support implementation of a co-requisite writing model for students needing extra writing support.
Faculty will also have the opportunity to earn a Certification for Effective College Instruction and take advantage of instructional redesign assistance and assessment support.
The grant also includes a professional development component for faculty and staff to better help students. UIS plans on starting a campus-wide plan for professional development addressing student behavioral health and mental health, equity gaps in the classroom and positive student intervention strategies.
“I would like to thank our federal partners and all of the members of the UIS community who made it possible,” Gooch said.
The proposal was initiated, led and co-authored by UIS Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement Mark Dochterman and UIS School of Communication and Media Professor Kathy Petitte Novak.
