Michigan State University will accelerate its efforts to increase accessibility and degree attainment for Michiganders with $996,000 in new funding from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential, or MiLEAP.

As one of the first recipients of MiLEAP’s newly launched College Success Grant program, MSU will enhance efforts already in place to support transfer students by improving credit evaluation, implementing innovative practices that empower student success and expanding Envision Green, a partnership with Lansing Community College that helps students navigate between the institutions and maximize their opportunities at both.

“As the university with the largest number of students who choose to remain in Michigan to pursue their college education, we have a responsibility to ensure that all students have the opportunity to complete their degrees,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., who announced the funding during his investiture ceremony on Sept. 29. “This investment goes beyond just increasing enrollment – it’s about creating equitable pathways for every student to thrive and ensuring that every person can feel a sense of belonging from their very first interaction with Michigan State.”

According to Gov. Whitmer, the investment by MiLEAP, which includes another $2 million in initial funding awarded to 13 other colleges and universities across the state, aligns with Michigan’s ambitious Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a college degree or skill certificate to 60% by 2030. It builds on MiLEAP’s charge to improve education outcomes for Michigan students.

“Ensuring Michiganders have access to quality, affordable education is a top priority for my administration,” said Whitmer. “Today’s investment to help incoming community college transfers at MSU will open the door for them to earn their bachelor’s degrees, go on to earn higher incomes, and build rewarding careers right here in Michigan. These college success grants build on other strategic investments we have made including wraparound supports for community college students for things like child care. Let’s keep working together to put more people on a path to prosperity.”  

The number of transfer students in Michigan who enroll at public, four-year institutions has declined since 2015 and is the lowest since 2006. Only 18% of students who start at Michigan’s community colleges earn bachelor’s degrees, though 80% of community college students say that is their goal when they start. As Michigan’s top destination for transfer students, MSU bucks these trends – the number of transfer students enrolled at MSU has been increasing since 2020-21, and 86% of students who transfer to MSU complete their four-year degrees.

“Though we’re the top destination for transfer students in-state, the data still shows that many students who want to come to MSU do not transfer, and those who do want a smoother process,” said Renata Opoczynski, Ph.D., assistant provost for undergraduate student success at MSU. “I am appreciative of the funding from MiLEAP that recognizes the work we have done to become a transfer friendly institution and allows us to expand our work to remove institutional barriers and ensure every Michigander has a smooth pathway to a Spartan degree.” 

Currently, approximately 1,800 students transfer to MSU each year. With the additional College Success Grant funding, more students will be able see community college as an accessible and affordable path to a four-year degree at MSU.

Key initiatives supported by the grant will include:

·      expanding Envision Green, a program originally established with LCC in 2019, to include other community colleges in the state;

·      creating a Transfer Student Success Center in the MSU Union to support the unique needs of transfer students as they navigate their academic journey at MSU;

·      establishing a Transfer Advocacy Council to reform policies and practices to create equitable pathways to bachelor’s degree completion for transfer students; and

·      improving MSU’s transfer credit evaluation processes to reduce time to evaluation and decrease credit loss, as well as expand Credit for Prior Learning opportunities.

Including MiLEAP’s nearly $1 million investment in MSU, the state awarded a total of $3 million for the first round of awards for the Student Success Grants. Applications are currently open for the next cycle of funding.

“We are excited that this initiative will expand access to postsecondary education for more Michiganders,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “The College Success Grants make strategic short-term investments that will yield long-standing benefits by creating a more supportive system for students as they strive to earn a skill certificate or college degree at institutions like MSU.”