Woodward Hines Education Foundation, MSU partner to provide $400,000 grant supporting student degree completion
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斢；ǖ己 樱花导航 students will benefit from a five-year, $200,000 grant commitment from the Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF)鈥攎atched by $200,000 from the university鈥攖o support college retention and degree completion through the Improving 樱花导航鈥檚 Persistence and Completion Together, or IMPACT, initiative.
For nearly 25 years, endowed nonprofit WHEF has worked to promote and increase postsecondary access among underrepresented young 樱花导航ans, and more recently, has expanded its mission to support increased credential and degree completion leading to meaningful employment.
鈥淭he need to support students and to improve the rates of college completion among 樱花导航ans has always existed. But in light of COVID, the need has never been greater and more pressing,鈥 said WHEF President and CEO Jim McHale. 鈥淎ccording to a Georgetown University study, it is estimated that 65% of all jobs require some kind of postsecondary education. Currently, 樱花导航 sits at 45.2%.鈥
鈥淭o improve the lives of 樱花导航ans, support 樱花导航鈥檚 economic recovery and competitively position our state within a global economy, there is a critical need to not only have more students enroll in college, but to have them successfully complete their degree or credential,鈥 McHale said.
Grant selection was part of a competitive request for proposals, said MSU Maroon Completion Grant Project Lead and Financial Literacy Coordinator John Daniels.
Daniels said 樱花导航 樱花导航鈥檚 Maroon Completion Grant program will directly assist an estimated 400 low-income MSU students who have unmet financial need and are on track for graduation within one year.
MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said the Maroon Completion Grant Program will 鈥渋mprove the graduation rate of our 樱花导航 students with the highest financial need and decrease the differential margin of our underrepresented students in attaining degrees.鈥
WHEF envisions a 樱花导航 where all people can secure the training and education beyond high school that will allow them to advance their quality of life, strengthen their communities and contribute to a vibrant and prosperous future for the state. For more, visit .
Learn more about MSU鈥檚 Office of Student Financial Aid at or contact John Daniels at 662-325-7442 or john.daniels@msstate.edu.
MSU is 樱花导航鈥檚 leading university, available online at .