Edison’s Middlesex College Gets $3M Grant To Bolster Student Services

EDISON, NJ - Middlesex College, located in Edison, has been awarded a $3 million, five-year Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education to broaden services provided for students, heighten the College’s ability to attract and retain Hispanic and low-income students and allow the College to deploy a new student success platform that will identify students in need of support and guidance.

Middlesex College was the only New Jersey community college to be awarded a Title V grant in the 2023 competition, according to College officials.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $37 million through 64 grants to colleges and institutions that are certified as Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI), which means that more than 25 percent of students are of Hispanic descent.

“The initiatives to be funded by the Title V grant will accelerate our ability to serve our students and support them in achieving their academic goals.” Middlesex College President Mark McCormick said in a statement. “I am proud of our Middlesex College team for developing a grant proposal that was approved for funding.”

Middlesex College Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Scherr said the Department of Education grant will enable the college to support students in “innovative ways.”

“The grant will have a long-lasting impact on our ability to deliver effective holistic student support and enhance the ways we foster student success,” Scherr said.

The grant will go towards furthering the goal of providing services and staffing that enhance the school’s retention and graduation rate among students.

It will create an all-inclusive approach to advising students on how to achieve educational and career goals, college officials said.

“We are proud of our designation as an HSI, and this grant will allow us to accelerate the implementation of a holistic student support model that will focus on intentionally serving our vulnerable students and improving student success,” said Middlesex College Vice President of Student and Enrollment Services José Laureano.

In addition to broader services, the grant funds will go toward new personnel who will work with students to provide guidance and support their needs.