The university is the recipient of three state grants that will help fund several key initiatives.
The awards include: a $196,527 individual grant and a $508,667 consortium grant, both from the Vision Project Performance Incentive Fund. The latter amount is to be shared with Bristol, Cape Cod, and Massasoit Community Colleges. Additionally, BSU received $173,969 from the State University Internship Incentive program.
The funding will help students in many ways, said state Sen. Marc Pacheco. “These grants represent the commonwealth’s strong commitment to not only help students excel academically, but to help them land a job after college,” he said. “Students are our future, and it is our responsibility to make sure their transition from the classroom to the real world is as smooth as possible.”
According to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Vision Project Performance Incentive Fund grants are awarded to public colleges and universities for initiatives to increase college access and completion, improve student learning, enhance workforce alignment, close achievement gaps, and advance civic education.
The State University Internship Incentive program supports students on their path to employment, as well as growth in work-related skills and attitudes, and connections between academic learning and the outside world.
“State internship dollars not only leverage private matching funds but also provide BSU students with unprecedented opportunities to put their skills to work for our region's top employers,” said Fred Clark, executive vice president and vice president for external affairs.
Meanwhile, the consortium grant with Bristol, Cape Cod and Massasoit Community colleges will support transfer students moving from those institutions to BSU through curriculum alignment and advising, as well as a new Bridgewater Transfer Institute to help support and retain transfer students.
“The cumulative effect of these measures should significantly increase transfer students’ likelihood of earning a bachelor’s degree, thereby providing graduates with new opportunities and their communities with a well-educated citizenry and work force,” said Dr. Howard London, vice president of academic affairs. (Material from the office of Sen. Marc Pacheco was used in this story, file photo)
