MCLA Receives $684,096 Grant to Support Student Success, Degree Completion

NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) received $684,096 in State University SUCCESS 2.0 funding to support student retention and degree completion efforts, according to an announcement from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.

The grant will enable MCLA to implement comprehensive support services focused on helping vulnerable student populations, particularly Pell Grant-eligible students, successfully complete their degrees.

“This funding represents a significant investment in our students’ futures,” MCLA President James Birge said. “The SU SUCCESS 2.0 program will allow us to provide the wraparound supports and proactive services that research shows make a real difference in helping students persist and graduate.”

The State University SUCCESS 2.0 program is modeled on proven, research-based practices, including the SUNY ACE/CUNY ASAP initiatives that have demonstrated significant gains in retention and degree completion nationwide. These evidence-based strategies are designed to help students overcome barriers to degree completion and achieve increased economic mobility for themselves and their families.

The grant funding is part of the state’s commitment to expanding access to higher education and ensuring that more Massachusetts students can earn baccalaureate degrees.

“The degrees that students earn will provide them with increased economic mobility for themselves and their families,” said Noe Ortega, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. “It is a key component of the American dream that you are working to make real in Massachusetts.”