Three local institutions — Indiana University of Pennsylvania, PennWest University and Slippery Rock University — are among six state universities launching a coordinated effort to support first-generation and low-income college students.
The new program targets the transition between a student’s first and second year, when students face the highest risk of dropping out.
The program, titled Mastering Academic and Professional Systems (MAPS), is funded by a $250,000, two-year grant from the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh to the PASSHE Foundation. MAPS aims to improve student retention by helping participants navigate financial aid, academic advising, registration and general campus life.
Kalani Palmer, a professor of professional studies in education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, will lead the program. Palmer will coordinate curriculum, professional development and evaluation across the participating campuses, which also include Shippensburg University, Millersville University and East Stroudsburg University.
Each of the six participating universities will enroll a cohort of 12 first-year students, providing support for 72 students in total. The yearlong program includes monthly cohort meetings, faculty and staff mentoring, financial-navigation coaching including FAFSA renewal and experiential activities designed to connect students with campus resources.
As part of the grant initiative, Palmer is developing a training course for faculty and staff focused on making higher education systems more transparent, equitable and accessible. Participants who complete the training will earn a certificate and a digital badge.
Currently, nearly 80% of PASSHE students return for their second year.
PASSHE Foundation CEO Shelley Scherer emphasized the connection between student retention and the state’s workforce needs.
“Every student who stays enrolled and earns a degree is a nurse, an engineer, a teacher or an entrepreneur that Pennsylvania’s economy needs,” Scherer said. “The first year is where we lose too many of them. MAPS keeps first-generation and low-income students on track to finish — and when they finish, they stay, work and build careers in the communities and industries that depend on them. That’s a direct investment in Pennsylvania’s workforce and its future.”
PASSHE Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino noted that navigating university administration can be difficult for new students.
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