Bunker Hill Community College Awarded $1.2M Trio Talent Search Grant by U.S. Department of Education
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) has received a $1.2 million federal TRiO Talent Search Grant from the United States Department of Education. The funds, to be awarded over five years, will support the College’s TRiO Program, which provides college access services to prospective low-income, first-generation college students from Chelsea Public Schools as well as to local youths who have left high school and wish to return to school. Since 2011, the TRiO Chelsea Program has provided academic advising, career exploration, financial literacy, college visits and college and financial aid application support to more than 1,000 Chelsea youths from grades 7-12.
“TRiO has been an incredible partner and resource for our students,” said CHS Principal Priti Johari. “With the support of TRiO, our students are graduating from high school and leaving with concrete plans for their futures. I am looking forward to our ongoing partnership and to breaking new ground as we build out our Early College Program.” BHCC’s Early College program at CHS allows students to earn college credits while they are still enrolled in high school.
“In a short time, this partnership has created a strong pathway to college for Chelsea High School students,” added BHCC President Pam Eddinger. “Our community partnerships are an important part of the College’s commitment to making higher education more accessible to Boston-area residents.”
In partnership with the Chelsea High Early College Program, the TRiO Chelsea Program helps students begin their major-specific coursework early in their education, allowing them to complete their degree programs on time or even early. With thirty-five percent of TRiO graduates intending to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, many are able to take advantage of programs such as the BHCC STEM Starter Academy and accelerated math programs designed to jump-start students’ major-specific courses. Plans are underway to further develop an associate degree pathway program between CHS and BHCC over the next five years.
Ninety-two percent of BHCC’s TRiO Chelsea participants graduate from high school in four years, with more than 85% of graduates going on to enroll in post-secondary education. Five TRiO graduates are current Posse Scholars, and three have received the Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For more information on the BHCC TRiO Chelsea Program, visit bhcc.edu/chelsea/triotalentsearchprogram/ or contact Austin Mirasolo, program director, at 617-466-5075 or amirasol@bhcc.mass.edu.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).