MiLEAP Awards Nearly $10M in College Success Grants to Strengthen Student Success Across Michigan Campuses

Grants will help colleges and universities implement and scale evidence-based reforms to accelerate credential attainment, improve persistence, and support timely completion

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) today announced the recipients of nearly $10 million in College Success Grants to support Michigan colleges and universities in accelerating credential attainment, improving student persistence and providing clearer pathways to degree completion.

“Every student in Michigan deserves the opportunity to complete their education and pursue a rewarding career,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “These grants help institutions implement evidence-based practices that streamline the path to credential attainment, strengthen student supports and improve completion rates. By investing in students today, we are building the foundation for a stronger workforce and brighter future for Michigan.”

The College Success Grants are part of MiLEAP’s $45 million Student Success Grants initiative, the state’s first ever grant program aimed at increasing student success rates at Michigan community and tribal colleges and universities. These grants also advance and support the state’s Sixty by 30 goal to raise the percentage of working-age adults with a postsecondary credential to 60% by 2030.

Cycles three and four reflect a diverse set of institutions and innovative approaches aimed at increasing student success rates. Cycles one and two were previously announced as part of MiLEAP’s ongoing rollout of College Success Grants under the Student Success Grants initiative. A total of 22 colleges and universities received funding across both cycles, totaling nearly $10 million.

Cycle 3 Institutions 

• Bay College
• Delta College
• Ferris State University
• Grand Valley State University
• Lansing Community College
• Macomb Community College
• Muskegon Community College
• North Central Michigan College
• Northern Michigan University 
• Oakland Community College
• University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Cycle 4 Institutions

• Bay Mills Community College
• Central Michigan University
• Eastern Michigan University
• Kalamazoo Valley Community College
• Lake Michigan College
• Lake Superior State University
• Michigan Association of State Universities
• Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
• Washtenaw Community College
• Wayne State University
• Western Michigan University

“These grants represent a meaningful investment in the success of Michigan’s students and institutions,” said Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director of MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education. “By scaling evidence-based practices and supporting innovative strategies, these awards help colleges and universities strengthen student pathways, improve persistence and ensure our students can achieve their academic and career goals.”

These grants support initiatives such as enhanced advising and support services, accelerated course pathways, prior learning assessments, gateway course redesign, student success centers, and career readiness programs. Through these efforts, institutions aim to help students complete their degrees and navigate postsecondary education with greater support.

For more information on MiLEAP’s College Success grants and the Student Success Grants initiative, visit Sixty by 30 Student Success Grants.

###

About MiLEAP:

Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from preschool to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.