WYE MILLS – Students at Chesapeake College will soon benefit from two significant federal grants — totaling more than $1.3 million — recently awarded to the regional community college.

Chesapeake earned a $559,968 Strengthening Institutions (Tittle III) grant from the Department of Education.

Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management Caroline Wood said the Title III is potentially transformative for Chesapeake.

“We can implement holistic initiatives that will pull together all the pieces needed to improve the student experience from the beginning until program completion or transfer,” Dr. Wood said. “We’re so excited to start this journey and it is truly an institution-wide endeavor.”

A streamlined onboarding process, including quicker transcript evaluation and credit posting, will help students start strong. New navigator positions will enhance both student enrollment and retention.

Two new navigators – one for adult career changers – will guide students throughout their programs for academic completion. Intense academic advising, focused onboarding and continued monitoring are all designed to help students meet their long-term goals. A health professions advisor will be added to help students complete prerequisites and enter programs with specific credit requirements. Outreach to area employers and navigation through skilled trades programs will improve the job pipeline for students. New registration software will speed transcript review and credit transfers.

Chesapeake’s commitment to a “culture of care” drives the wraparound services designed to assist students. Connecting students to on-campus resources such as the food pantry, visits from the Maryland Food Bank, services provided by For All Seasons and Choptank Community Health, and the Care Team are key components of student progress. Life challenges, Dr. Wood said, are often more difficult to overcome than academic ones and can negatively impact studies. A job loss, medical issues, housing insecurity or even car trouble can create barriers for students.

“These issues can pile up, particularly on our part-time adult students,” Dr. Wood said. “They already juggle so much that one additional challenge can throw them off track here. We want to help them guide them academically and direct them to resources that may help. Research shows that this can help students continue their studies and stay on track to meet their goals,” Dr. Wood said. “Chesapeake is a community college, and we need to show up unconditionally to help all of our students meet their goals. The more accessible we are, the more comfortable students are asking for and accepting the help that is available to them. Connecting with just one person – a faculty member or a Student Success staff member – is often enough to keep a student feeling confident and motivated.”

Grants Specialist Anne Shepard led the Chesapeake effort to secure the grant.

“The great work our institutional teams do every day, and their vision for a future bolstered by additional resources, led to what we trust will be a transformative Strengthening Institutions (Title III) project. Our students will benefit in the coming years from the college’s redesigned onboarding process, proactive advising and case management, and streamlined transcript evaluation,” she said.

The second federal grant comes from the Department of Health and Human Services for nursing education, program retention and transition to the workforce. The $745,000 grant can be renewed annually for up to four years.

The funds will cover program enhancements, increased resources for advising and retention grants for students.

“This grant will help our students enter and complete the challenging RN nursing degree program, move into employment and transfer into bachelor’s degree programs. Our community will also benefit from this grant. Chesapeake will help fill the critical workforce need for health care professionals. Local employees will have greater access to well-paying jobs in the healthcare field,” said Director of Development Amber McGinnis.