The University of Pikeville announced in a statement Oct. 22 it has been awarded two federal grants from the U.S. Department of Education, totaling more than $2.3 million, to support initiatives that improve student career pathways and strengthen civic education.
The Center for Career, Vocation and Leadership has been awarded $1.85 million from the Strengthening Institutions Program (Title III) in the Office of Postsecondary Education, distributed over five years for its Career Pathways at UPIKE initiative. The project aims to improve student retention, graduation rates and employability by embedding career development strategies throughout the university experience, the statement said.
Grant activities include expanding the center’s services across all academic programs, enhancing faculty development around career readiness and enriching student success through strengths-based assessments and purpose-driven learning. Faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders will play key roles in the ongoing design and implementation of the program, according to the statement
“We are honored to have been awarded such a significant Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education,” said Kay Webb, Ph.D., director of the Center for Career, Vocation and Leadership. “We believe the initiatives this grant supports will profoundly impact students as they prepare for the world of work. We are eager to engage with campus and community partners to ensure that UPIKE graduates are prepared academically and professionally for the places and people they will serve.”
The statement said the Center for Public Service will receive more than half a million dollars from the American History and Civics Education National Activities–Seminars discretionary grant program in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. These funds will enhance civic education and engagement in the region by supporting professional development seminars for Kentucky educators, providing classroom technology and contributing to a national resource for civics instruction.
Twice a year, 50 teachers from across the state will be invited to UPIKE’s campus for a two-day seminar focused on America’s founding documents and teaching civil discourse in the classroom. The grant will cover hotel accommodations for educators traveling from distant districts and provide iPads to help teachers annotate and project historical texts for their students.
Teachers who create original lesson plans as part of the program will receive additional stipends and contribute to a free, nationwide open educational resource for civics instruction, the statement said. The grant also funds staffing for the Center for Public Service to support long-term sustainability.
“This is a transformative opportunity for the University of Pikeville,” said Jeffery Tyler Syck, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science and director of the Center for Public Service. “In a republic like ours, self-government is the very cornerstone of our freedom, and we are thrilled to partner with local teachers to create a new generation of thoughtful, engaged citizens who will continue to make our country great.”
These programs, the statement said, are 100 percent supported by the U.S. Department of Education from awards totaling $1,850,845 and $532,849, respectively.