Lakeland University has been given $3 million over the next five years in a Title III grant from the US Department of Education. The move is intended to improve student persistence and degree completion through access to workforce readiness and financial wellness programming. The grant, said to be one of the largest in the 164-year history of the institution, will help Lakeland remove barriers that delay engagement by some traditional-age LU students in career-connected learning, and help remove financial barriers for those students.
Included among the areas that will benefit are:
- Enhanced student advising and peer mentoring
- Improved career discovery programming
- Access to employer mentoring and networking
- Expanded Cooperative Education pathways
- Financial literacy education and individualized financial counseling
As part of this grant, Lakeland will turn to its considerable lineup of regional employers to serve as partners through the Co-Op program, along with mentoring, networking and workforce development activities.
Lakeland President Beth Borgen said that “We’re fortunate to have relationships with more than 400 corporate partners, from the region’s global brands to a variety of non-profit agencies.” She added that “The programs we’ve put in place with local employers, such as our Co-Op program, benefit Lakeland graduates and the companies that employ them.”
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