$1.99 Million Federal Grant to Boost Student Success, Create Jobs
11/24/2025
William Jewell College has been awarded a five-year, $1.99 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III, Part A, Strengthening Institutions Program to enhance academic success and degree completion for underrepresented students. This development is expected to benefit not only the campus community, but also the economic and educational landscape of Liberty and Clay County.
The program, titled “Strengthening Service to Under-Represented Students to Increase Retention and Support Higher Education Completion,” provides $614,278 in first-year funding (2025–2026), with total anticipated funding reaching approximately $1.99 million through 2030.
Strengthening Local Impact
William Jewell College is among a small number of institutions nationwide to receive a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant. Through this grant, Jewell will:
- develop and expand academic support programs for underrepresented and first-generation students;
- support faculty development in advising and career readiness;
- modernize campus infrastructure to improve learning environments;
- build stronger pipelines from local high schools to higher education in the Kansas City region; and
- implement evidence-based strategies to increase retention and degree completion across all student populations.
“Local leaders have shared with us their focus on strengthening workforce readiness and educational access. When William Jewell grows its capacity to serve students, Liberty and Clay County benefit directly,” said Dr. Drew Van Horn, president of William Jewell College. “Graduates who are supported, mentored and prepared for leadership contribute to the social and economic vitality of our region.”
Federal and Economic Significance
Funded through the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Title III, Part A), the Strengthening Institutions Program supports colleges that serve significant numbers of low-income students. By improving academic quality and institutional management, the program helps ensure local colleges remain engines of opportunity and economic mobility.
In accordance with federal disclosure requirements, this project is 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education, with a first-year award of $614,278, five-year award of $1,999,920 and 0% financed by non-governmental sources.
The initiative is expected to create opportunities for new student success positions, staff training programs and technology investments that benefit both students and the surrounding community.
“This grant affirms the federal government’s recognition of William Jewell’s critical role in higher education and regional growth,” said Van Horn. “It is an investment in people—our students, our professors and the future of Liberty.”