October 2, 2024

Delta College is proud to announce that it has been awarded $269,379 from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) through its Student Success Grant program.

This program is part of a new $45 million student success effort, which marks the state’s first ever grant program aimed at increasing student success rates at Michigan community and tribal colleges and universities. The grant will be used to provide emergency aid and other direct support to students with the goal of removing life barriers such as childcare, transportation, housing, food, and costs for textbooks, internet or other program supplies.

The funding will be utilized from Fall 2024 through the Winter 2026 semester, to meet the top needs identified by students. Over half of the dollars requested through this grant will be awarded as emergency grants. Staff will distribute food through food baskets and vouchers for meals on campus. The overall goal is to directly support student success and increase degree completion.

“We are honored to receive this funding, which will allow us to further invest in our students and remove the barriers they face on their academic journey,” said Shelly Raube, vice president of Student Empowerment and Success. “This grant will help us ensure that more of our students have the tools and support they need to thrive and complete their degrees.”

Delta College will use the funding to remove financial and logistical barriers for students. These efforts align with Michigan’s ambitious Sixty by 30 goal to have 60% of working-age adults obtain a college degree or skill certificate by 2030.

“MiLEAP is proud to partner with our state’s institutions of higher education to support innovative programs that improve student success and postsecondary credential attainment, as we work together to meet Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “Grant recipients demonstrated through a competitive process that they are committed to supporting their students on their path to prosperity, and we are eager to see the impact on campuses across the state for years to come.”

The Student Success Grants are part of a broader state strategy to fund opportunities for public colleges and universities to change institutional practices that will dramatically increase student graduation rates. Delta College is one of several institutions across the state receiving funding to implement innovative programs that empower student success.