Title III Strengthening Institutions Program

In fall 2023, Carlow University received a $1.8 million grant through the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program from the U.S. Department of Education to increase retention and graduation rates. The program aims to help eligible institutions of higher education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, insitutional management, and fiscal stability of institutions.

With the funds received from the Title III grant, Carlow seeks to address ongoing needs surrounding the student experience by (1) improving the first-to-second year retenion rate and four-year graduation rates of all students, (2) increasing the level of student engagement in and out of the classroom on campus, and (3) creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment on campus.

Outcomes of the grant include:

• creating an Office of Student Retention, starting with hiring a full-time Director of Retention and a full-time Retention Specialist,
• creating new or enhancing current bridge programs for at-risk incoming students, rising sophomorses, and rising juniors,
• contracting with EAB to introduce Navigate360, a student success platform that will engage faculty and staff to issue alerts about at-risk students and enhance the student advising experience,
• developing workshops to enhance the student support provided by faculty and staff, including workshops around Navigate360, best practices in learner-centered and trauma-informed advising, the use of UDL, and issues related to DEIA, and
• enhancing peer-embedded tutoring systems to improve student performance in the introductory skills courses.

Alexis Smith Macklin, Executive Director of the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning, serves as the Project Coordinator for the Title III grant, under the direction of Rhonda Maneval, Interim Provost & Dean of the College of Health and Wellness.

Read Carlow University's news release about the Title III grant.