MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – With last week’s announcement that it had been awarded a $2.94 million grant from the United States Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institutions Program, SUNY Orange has now acquired $5.46 million dollars in grants over the past year to grow support programs for minority students, academic opportunities for students from underrepresented groups, and local workforce development training

All told, the $5,463,085 has arrived in six different grants from educational and governmental agencies. Three grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Education ($4,543,268) while two came from the State University of New York ($19,817) and one from the New York State Education Department ($900,000).

“Closing the academic equity gap for our most at-risk student populations, increasing student engagement and success, opening additional pathways to academic and career opportunities, and training local workers … those are among the outcomes these recent grants will allow us to improve upon over the next four to five years and beyond,” said Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange president. “It is a testament to our hard-working and visionary faculty, staff and administrators who have collaborated so strongly with Judy Osburn, our grants coordinator, to propose programs deemed worthy of more than five million dollars of federal and state support.

“The timing and implementation of most of these grants coincides with the implementation of our newly adopted Strategic Plan 2020-2025, and assures we can continue transforming the lives of our friends and neighbors through academic excellence, innovation and partnerships,” Young added. “Over the next five years, we will further empower student success, strengthen our region’s economic future, and invigorate our College to further support the students of today and tomorrow.”

A brief description of the grants follows.

Title V Hispanic Serving Institutions grant from U.S. DoE ($2,940,807 over five years): transformative grant will support the College’s development of student support programming to significantly enhance the academic achievement, persistence and retention of students, most specifically Hispanic and low-income students. SUNY Orange’s new program, entitled “PROSPERAR: Moving Students from Surviving to Thriving” will redesign programs and services with three overarching goals: help students choose and enter an academic path, help them remain on that path, and ensure student learning, engagement and success.

TRIO grant from U.S. DoE ($1,309,440 over five years): allows the College to continue its work over the next five years in support of improved persistence, retention, graduation and transfer rates of low-income first generation students and students with disabilities. TRIO students experience a personalized student-centered approach to advising that involves personal contact, student responsibility for decision making, and problem solving that improves academic performance. To be eligible for SSS programs, students must be enrolled in a degree program or accepted for enrollment into a degree program, must be a first-generation college student or meet certain income or disability guidelines as established by the federal government.

CCAMPIS grant from U.S. DoE ($293,021 over four years): the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program will supplement childcare expenses for low-income students who utilize the College’s two on-campus Lab School facilities. Funds assist eligible parents enrolled at the College by providing supplemental aid that will help lower their out-of-pocket childcare fees at the Morrison Lab School on the Middletown campus and the Newburgh Campus Lab School.

CSTEP grant from NYSED ($900,000 over five years): the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) grant will allow SUNY Orange to support recruitment and retention of underrepresented students pursuing STEM degrees or careers that require licensure in New York State. The five-year grant will support 90 students annually. To be eligible, a student must be a New York state resident, and be African-American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaskan native, or demonstrate financial hardship.

Workforce Development Training grants from SUNY (two one-time grants totaling $19,817): pair of grants support Lean Six Sigma training to employees of Genpak and Business Communication training to employees at Walden Savings Bank. SUNY provided $15,000 for a three-day Genpak training and $4,817 for a seven-class program for Walden Savings Bank. Both trainings have been delayed because of COVID-19.