Lori Trahan announces $2 million in federal funding for 3rd District community colleges

<p>U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan announced that more than $2 million in federal funding is being brought into the 3rd Congressional District to benefit three community colleges through Department of Education programs aimed at helping first-generation, low-income and nontraditional students graduate college.</p><p>From the pool of $2,023,573 in federal funding, $1,158,572 will benefit Mount Wachusett Community College through three federal programs. That includes the Student Support Services Program, which provides opportunities for academic development; the Talent Search Program, which is meant to increase the number of disadvantaged youth who enroll in postsecondary education; and the Educational Opportunity Centers Program, which is aimed at increasing the number of adult students in postsecondary education.</p><p>Middlesex Community College will receive $411,936 from the funding pool, which will go toward the Talent Search Program work MCC does with students at Lowell High School and two of Lowell’s middle schools going back to 1989. The renewed five-year grant will serve 824 students in Lowell each year.</p><p>Northern Essex Community College is receiving $453,065 from the Student Support Services Program, which it will use in support of its own PACE program, which help students develop skills they will need to finish their associate’s degrees, succeed in the workforce or move on to a four-year institution for their bachelor’s degree.</p><p>“For so many students, community college is where a bigger future begins. It's the first person in a family to earn a degree, the parent going back to school, the worker learning a new trade. This funding helps more of them finish what they started,” said Trahan. “I'll always fight for federal investments in our schools and community colleges, because every degree earned here changes a family's story for good.”</p><p>MWCC President James Vander Hooven said the “TRIO Student Support Services has been an important part of Mount Wachusett Community College for nearly five decades,” which he said has provided students with “the guidance, resources, and encouragement they need to reach their goals.”</p><p>“This continued federal investment allows us to build on that legacy, helping more students overcome barriers, complete their education, and create new opportunities for themselves and their families,” said Vander Hooven. “We are thankful for Congresswoman Trahan's continued partnership and advocacy.”</p><p>MCC President Phil Sisson thanked the Department of Education for the “generous” funding.</p><p>“At MCC, we meet learners of all ages where they are, including students who take our classes at their high schools. Combined with our strong partnerships with local schools and organizations, this funding strengthens our ability to guide students on their paths from high school to MCC to the student’s transfer institution to successful and stable jobs in the workforce,” said Sisson. “As Congresswoman Trahan is acutely aware, in our program, students who would not otherwise have the opportunity will gain access to robust and comprehensive resources, support systems, and education that will help them reach their goals and improve their lives.”</p><p>NECC President Lane Glenn said his school’s PACE program has “supported thousands of Merrimack Valley students over the past 40 years.”</p><p>“We know funding like this can’t always be guaranteed, and so are grateful for Congresswoman Trahan’s advocacy for our region’s students,” said Glenn.</p>