By Holly Walker
Supporting Tyler’s students and advancing the college’s mission are at the heart of the John Tyler Community College (JTCC) Foundation Grant program for Tyler faculty and staff. This spring, the program expanded to include Innovation Grants, which fund longer-term (up to one year), creative and collaborative projects that directly benefit students. The program also continues to offer Mini-Grant opportunities, which support mission-focused projects that take shorter periods of time to complete.
After reviewing the spring 2019 grants cycle applications, the Tyler Grants Committee awarded grants to three projects.
Innovation Grant
Suzanne Sherry, director of library services, was awarded a $5,000 Innovation Grant for her project, Bridging the Digital Divide: Chromebooks for Student Success. The grant funds will be used to purchase 10 Chromebooks for the Tyler Libraries, with a goal of providing students who lack access to a working computer with reliable laptops for course-related use. Students will be allowed to use the new laptops for up to three days. Presently, students may use the libraries’ current stock of laptops for four hours inside the library. The additional laptops and extended loan period will help remove barriers for students with limited access to technology and limited time to work in the library during operating hours.
Mini-Grants
Ashley Pinney, career and internship coordinator, was awarded a $1,500 Mini-Grant for her project, Strong Interest Inventory Certification. Grant funds for this project will offset course tuition and materials, allowing Ashley to become certified in the Strong Interest Inventory career advising assessment tool. Funds will also offset the cost of purchasing Strong Inventory assessments, which Ashley will administer to students with whom she is working. The project will enhance Tyler’s Career Services program and will complement the college’s offerings of student support services.
Scott Meredith, director of student engagement, was awarded a $1,500 Mini-Grant for his project, New Student Orientation T-Shirts. The grant funds will be used to purchase Tyler-branded t-shirts for students who complete New Student Orientation (NSO). In addition to fostering a sense of community, on campus and in the broader community, the shirts will be used as an incentive for students to attend NSO. Scott and the Student Engagement team expect the project to increase the ratio of students who attend NSO and begin coursework at Tyler in the fall.
The next time you see Suzanne, Ashley and Scott, congratulate them on their grant awards, and talk to them about their projects. They would enjoy sharing information about the work they are doing.
Do you have an idea for a project that could be supported by the JTCC Foundation Grant Program? The next call for applications will come during the fall semester. Questions about the program? Contact Christin Jones in the Foundation Office.
The JTCC Foundation Grants program is made possible by unrestricted contributions to the Foundation.