Student support services program granted to Crowder's Nevada campus

Crowder College in Nevada has been selected to receive funding under the Student Support Services Program. This grant will be in the amount of $1,100,000 for the next five years.

Donna Thomas, director of the Nevada campus said, "We are so excited about this grant. It's a great opportunity for the Nevada campus and our students. At the current time, we only have three full-time employees that provide the bulk of services for our approximately 450 students. That means that with all of our growth, we're stretched pretty thin with how much we can do for students.

"This grant will allow 100 of our students (who meet the qualifying criteria) to have much more personal attention to help them succeed in their college experience. The grant will provide a full time program director who will oversee the record keeping and day-to-day operation of the grant, as well as the multitude of federal reports required by this Department of Education grant. It will also provide for two full-time counselors, a part-time secretary, and several part-time tutors."

The purpose of the SSS Program is to provide academic and other support service to low-income, first-generation or disabled college students, increase student retention and graduation rates, facilitate their transfer from two-year to four-year colleges, and foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of first generation college students and individuals with disabilities.

Program services may include instruction in basic study skills, tutorial services, academic, financial, or personal counseling; assistance in securing admission and financial aid for enrollment in graduate and professional programs; guidance on career options; mentoring and special services for students with limited English proficiency and grant aid.

"We are currently taking applications for the director position. Once that position is filled, we'll begin taking applications for the remaining positions," Thomas said.

For more information, visit http://www.crowder.edu/employment.