Delta College Awarded $1.5 million Federal Grant

Delta College has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a project to design and implement an integrated system for increasing student retention.

Trevor Kubatzke, Vice President of Student and Educational Services, and Grant Project Manager, said the grant will help Delta develop a system to identify incoming students’ goals and provide the instruction, academic support services, and student engagement activities to assist students to successfully achieve their enrollment objectives.

"Delta College has always had a reputation for personal attention, which has been found to be a key to retention,” said Kubatzke. “An integrated retention system will allow us to expand and comprehensively measure its success as we assist students -- especially developmental, online, first-generation and at-risk students -- to stay in school."

Delta College President Jean Goodnow was pleased that through the support of Congressman Kildee, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, the grant could establish the College as a leader in student retention.

"Student retention is a concern for every college in the nation," Goodnow said. "We owe it to our students and to the taxpayers of the Great Lakes Bay Region to not only provide high quality education, but to also have a process in place to help students stick with their education until they reach their goal."

By September 2014, Delta expects this project will increase:

• Within semester retention
• Fall-to-winter semester retention
• Fall-to-fall semester retention
• Graduation rate
• Participating developmental students’ grade point average
• Participating developmental students’ retention
• Online students’ retention

The total project will cost $1.97 million over five years. The Title III grant provides 76 percent of the funds required for the project. The remaining costs will be provided by the College as an institutional match for project management and evaluation.

Implementation of the grant project begins this fall with the first installment of just over $170,000 from the Department of Education.

Often referred to as one of America’s leading community colleges, Delta College promotes academic excellence, and is known for exemplary programs, technological innovation, community leadership and graduates who make a difference. Since 1961, Delta College's educational efforts have significantly impacted the local economy. Today, Delta College annually enrolls nearly 16,500 students, confers 1,500 graduates, and employs 900 dedicated staff and faculty. Visit Delta College at www.delta.edu.