Arkansas Tech University in Russellville has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program.
As a result, 50 Pell Grant-eligible ATU students who have children and reside in a five-county region (Pope, Yell, Franklin, Logan and Johnson) will be selected each year for the next four years to receive funding for child care at one of 18 day care facilities that have agreed to partner with Arkansas Tech on the initiative.
“Providing students with access to higher education and the resources necessary to succeed are integral to the mission of Arkansas Tech University,” ATU President Dr. Robin E. Bowen said in a news release. “This grant will also support our institutional goals of increased retention and graduation rates. On behalf of the students who will benefit from the grant funds, I extend my sincere appreciation to Congressman Steve Womack for his support of our application. This funding will make a genuine difference in the lives of students who are working hard and applying their grit to create a brighter future for their families.”
Goals for the program include ATU reaching an 80 percent annual persistence rate — persistence in this context refers to the act of continuing toward an educational goal — and a 45 percent graduation rate among the students receiving CCAMPIS assistance.
