Federal Grant Awarded to Leeward

Aimed at Increasing Enrollment of Adult Students

Leeward Community College
Contact:
Curtis Washburn, 808-455-0260
Dean, Student Services, Student Services
Kathleen Cabral, (808) 455-0524
Marketing Director, Chancellor's Office
Posted: Oct 10, 2016

Row of Graduates
Row of Graduates

Leeward Community College has been awarded a $1.18 million federal Department of Education grant as part of the TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program. The five-year grant will be administered by the college's Student Services unit, under the direction of Dean Curtis Washburn.

The grant will fund the efforts of a full-time director, a full-time counselor and a half-time program assistant, along with two student peer mentors. They will assist first-generation and low-income participants by promoting the opportunities available in the UH system, providing workshops and information on college offerings, assistance in completing applications for admission and for financial aid, and counseling to assist in selecting the right academic path to meet their intended goals. The goal of the EOC program is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.

The program also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants. An important objective of the program is to counsel participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning skills, and to assist in the application process. Leeward’s EOC will be working with local high schools, community centers and veteran’s organizations with a goal of serving 1000 eligible participants per year.

The EOC program at Leeward CC will represent the second EOC in the state of Hawaii, along with UH Maui College.  For more information on the TRIO EOC program, see http://www2.ed.gov/programs/trioeoc