The Biden-Harris Administration, as per the US Department of Education, has allocated $44.5 million to support 22 higher education institutions in enhancing enrollment persistence and degree completion rates among students in rural communities. Recent data from the department indicates that only 29 percent of individuals aged 18–24 in rural American communities are currently enrolled in higher education. In contrast, the enrollment rate is 48 percent in urban areas and 42 percent in suburban regions.
These funds, distributed via the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant programme, aim to address challenges such as financial barriers, application processes, transportation, housing, and food accessibility. Furthermore, US Secretary of Education- Miguel Cardona emphasised the administration’s commitment to empowering rural communities. He states that investing in postsecondary education in these areas offers students avenues to build rewarding careers within their localities.
The grants also align with the administration’s efforts to facilitate the transition of students from two-year to four-year institutions. The selected institutions set to benefit from these grants include:
- Athens State University ($2,209,424)
- Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona State University ($2,227,498)
- Graham County Community College District ($2,197,555)
- College Bridge ($2,196,928)
- Board of Trustees of Western Illinois University ($2,211,294)
- Northern Illinois University ($2,105,846)
- Big Sandy Community and Technical College ($1,800,000)
- Elizabethtown Community and Technical College ($1,900,000)
- Hazard Community and Technical College ($2,227,000)
- Morehead State University ($2,218,048)
- The University of New Mexico-Valencia ($2,218,830)
- The Research Foundation of SUNY at Alfred ($2,040,230)
- Appalachian State University ($2,227,500)
- McDowell Technical Community College ($2,227,338)
- Pitt Community College ($1,013,441)
- Chemeketa Community College ($2,222,423)
- Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($2,227,263)
- University of Pittsburgh ($2,227,368)
- Voorhees University ($1,965,332)
- Columbia State Community College ($1,571,255)
- Vermont ($1,900,000)
- Heritage University ($1,415,427)
