Grant to make college attainable to rural students

Heidelberg University has recently received a grant to help students from rural communities have a clear pathway to their college goals. Heidelberg received a $1.2 million Rural Post-Secondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant. The grant will allow students to have access to College Credit Plus (CCP) courses. From there, rural students can transition from a community college to Heidelberg and graduate with a four-year degree. "Thirty-one percent of Heidelberg students come from rural areas, so this grant is a fantastic opportunity for us to provide even more resources and support for this significant population of students," Courtney DeMayor Pugno, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs, said in a release provided by the university. "The funding helps us better serve students from rural communities so that they can accomplish their goals and lead a life of purpose with distinction." DeMayo Pugno is also the executive director of the Owen Center for Teaching and Learning and a co-author of the grant. According to information provided by the university, through the grant funding, Heidelberg is addressing a number of current issues for rural students, such as the disproportionately low number of available CCP courses that prohibit them from gaining college credits at a reduced cost while in high school. The university has developed strategies to enroll, retain and graduate more rural students by aligning the pathways to high-skill, high-wage and in-demand jobs in the region. "The partnerships we are developing with community colleges should assist in developing CCP courses and in providing clear pathways for students to get a bachelor's degree from Heidelberg in a timely and cost-effective way," Tony Bourne, vice president of Enrollment Management and Marketing and a co-author of the grant, said in the release. According to Bourne, Heidelberg will target the development of CCP and transfer pathways "for academic areas that prepare students for in-demand jobs, by focusing on the majors of psychology, English, biology, business, computer science, nursing and health science." The goal Heidelberg has with the grant funding is to assist in retaining students from their first year to the second year; the four-year graduation rate; preferred placement for graduates in one year; CCP matriculation to partner community colleges and schools; and transfer of those students to and successful graduation from Heidelberg, according to the release. DeMayo Pugno said in the release, "This RPED grant will be a game-changer for many rural students. Kids who previously didn't have access to college courses will now have access, and students who thought they couldn't afford higher education will now be able to complete a four-year degree in an efficient, cost-effective, and career-focused way."