Warner & Kaine Announce Over $2.5 Million in Federal Funding for Higher Education Across Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced $2,519,889 in federal funding to improve the enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and professional outcomes for low-income students at institutions of higher education across Virginia. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program, which helps colleges and universities to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students, by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions.
“Virginia’s colleges and universities play a key role in preparing Virginians for good-paying jobs,” said the senators. “We’re glad this federal funding will help these schools across Virginia better serve low-income and first generation students and make sure they have access to the resources they need to succeed.”
The funding will be awarded as follows:
- $450,000 for J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond
- $446,708 for Southside Virginia Community College in Brunswick County
- $446,159 for Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon
- $329,443 for Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa
- $424,687 for Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach
- $422,892 for Rappahannock Community College in Warsaw
Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to expand access to higher education. Last year, Kaine cosponsored the Emergency Grant Aid for College Students Act, which would help provide financial stability for students struggling to manage a sudden death in the family, car repair, medical bill, or other financial emergencies that too often force students to drop out of school. Kaine has also championed his bipartisan JOBS Act, which would allow students to use federal Pell Grants to afford high-quality, shorter-term job training programs—many of which are at community colleges.
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