Eastern Washington University has received a $2.125 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education designed to support students from migrant and seasonal farmworker backgrounds during their first year in college. This is the third time since 2002 EWU has been awarded the five year College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) grant.
The CAMP grant will allow Eastern to provide students with both financial assistance and support services, with the goal of preparing them to continue their education at the university beyond their first year. The funding will be utilized by Eastern’s Chicano Education program, which will receive $425,000 annually through 2019.
“Securing the CAMP grant speaks volumes for the confidence level the Department of Education has in EWU to best serve migrant students in our region,” Vickie Rutledge Shields, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science and Social Work in a news release. “Eastern continues to be a leader in diversifying our student population by offering the support systems and financial resources students need to succeed.”
With one of the largest agricultural industries in the nation, the state of Washington is home to nearly 290,000 migrant workers (National Center Farmworker Health 2009). The state also has the third highest migrant student population in the country with 18,319 in public schools.
Each year, 45 eligible migrant students will be selected to participate in CAMP at EWU, where they will receive the critical guidance and academic support necessary to develop and follow their dreams of earning a college degree.
Since 2002, Eastern has served about 300 students through the federally funded College Assistance Migrant Program.
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