Grants

The following grants are currently being administrated at Madisonville Community College

• Title III Institutional Strengthening Grant (North Campus)
• Title III Institutional Strengthening Grant (Technical Campus)
• Career Pathways Grant
• Pathways in Nursing

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North Campus Title III Grant

Grant Coordinator: David Schuermer, Coordinator of Grants, Planning, and Effectiveness

Abstract

Madisonville Community College (MCC) is a two-year public community college located in the coal mining country of rural western Kentucky. Formerly governed by the University of Kentucky (UK), the college is now a member of the newly-created Kentucky Community and Technical College System. In the Fall 2002 term, it enrolled 2,356 students, 75% of whom were first generation college students and 59% of whom received some form of federal financial aid. Its typical student profile is thus consistent with the low-income, under-prepared student profile characteristic of so many small rural communities. Many of its students are "at risk" and struggle to be successful, and thus the college is beset with low retention and graduation rates. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of first-time students who enrolled in the Fall 2002 term were placed in remedial courses to prepare them for college-level work. In addition to under-prepared students, the college is struggling with issues related to the KCTCS-mandated implementation of the PeopleSoft integrated software system that has complicated the development of effective student tracking and record keeping. Faculty and students do not have access to a web-based, user-friendly student records system that can enable them to develop effective, individualized Student Education Plans. Too often "advising" becomes simply "registration." The result is too many under-prepared students who have not identified an appropriate educational goal-and who eventually fail to graduate.

Activity ($1,474,326): The college will strengthen instructional programs and student services in order to improve student success. The activity will consist of two key components: the development and implementation of

• Classroom interventions
• Student services interventions

Classroom interventions will focus on the review and revision of pedagogy in key courses that too often serve as barriers rather than paths to success. A Teaching & Learning Center will be created and staffed to promote faculty development and curriculum reform. Key measures of success include:

• An increase in graduation and retention rates
• An increase in the number of students successfully completing key developmental and college-level "gateway" courses
• An increase in the amount of instructional technology incorporated in the classroom
• An increase in the use of classroom formative assessment strategies

Student services interventions will focus on the development and implementation of a web-based Student Education Plan and Early Warning / Tracking System. The goal is to provide faculty with comprehensive and timely information so that they can advise and retain students more effectively. Key measures of success include:

• A decrease in the number of "undeclared" majors
• A decrease in the number of students on Financial Aid Probation
• An increase in FTE enrollment
• The implementation of an interactive, student-accessible website

Approximately 85% ($1,226,256) of the Activity budget will be used for personnel costs; approximately 9% ($133,570) for equipment.

Project Management and Evaluation ($148,813): The college has in place a strong on-going planning and evaluation process that is consistent with the management and evaluation plan detailed in the project. Approximately 86 % ($128,163) of the PME budget will be used for personnel costs, including an External Evaluator; approximately 4% ($5,650) for equipment.

For information, contact:

David Schuermer, Coordinator of Grants, Planning, and Effectiveness
(270) 824-8633
David.Schuermer@kctcs.edu

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Technical Campus Title III Grant

Grant Coordinator: Lisa Howerton, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs

Abstract

The Technical Campus of Madisonville Community College (MCC) is a branch campus, located in the coal mining country of rural western Kentucky. Formerly known as Kentucky TECH-Madisonville (KTM) and governed by the Kentucky Workforce Development Cabinet, KTM was officially consolidated with MCC in December 2001. In the Fall 2003 term, the Technical Campus enrolled 1,206 students, 69% of whom were first generation college students and 49% of whom received some form of federal financial aid. Its typical student profile is thus consistent with the low-income, under-prepared student profile characteristic of so many small rural communities. Many of its students are "at risk" and struggle to be successful; thus technical programs on the campus are beset by low retention and graduation rates. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of first-time students who enrolled in the Fall 2002 term were placed in remedial courses to prepare them for college-level work. In addition to under-prepared students, the Technical Campus is struggling with curriculum design issues associated with the passage of the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997. The state legislature expected community and technical colleges to take the lead in educating Kentucky's under-educated workforce. That meant improving curriculum efficiency, eliminating program redundancies, establishing "seamless" degree pathways, and increasing the number of graduates. It also meant realizing a 111% headcount enrollment increase for the KCTCS, as a whole, by the year 2020.

Activity ($1,823,390): The college will strengthen instructional programs and student services in order to improve student success and increase retention and graduation rates on the Technical Campus. The Activity will consist of two key components:

• The comprehensive revision of existing technical curricula
• The establishment of effective student support and learning assistance services on the Technical Campus

Curriculum revision efforts will focus on converting from a "clock hour" to "credit hour" model; streamlining curricula to allow for seamless transfer; enhancing the general education component of technical curricula to address employer demands; and delivering classes on non-traditional schedules to meet student need. Key measures of success include:

• An increase in graduation rates
• An increase in enrollment, program by program
• An increase in student performance on the WorkKeys learning outcomes assessment instrument
• An increase in the use of general education instructional strategies "across the curriculum,"
• An increase in the use of classroom formative assessment strategies to promote student learning

Student service interventions will focus on establishing an effective Student Success Center that provides comprehensive "in-take" counseling, timely academic intervention and advising, effective learning assistance support, access to web-based services. Key measures of success include:

• An increase in retention and graduation rates
• A decrease in the number of "undeclared" majors
• Implementation of an effective web-based Student Success Plan

Approximately 64% ($1,181,003) of the Activity budget will be used for personnel costs; approximately 10% ($198,050) for equipment.

Project Management and Evaluation ($148,813): The college has in place an exemplary on-going planning and evaluation process consistent with the management and evaluation plan detailed in the project. Approximately 96% ($377,337) of the PME budget will be used for personnel costs, including an External Evaluator; approximately 4% ($15,000) for travel and supplies.

For information, contact:

David Schuermer, Coordinator of Grants, Planning, and Effectiveness
(270) 824-8633
David.Schuermer@kctcs.edu

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Health Campus Career Pathways Grant

Grant Coordinators: Cris Crowley, Adult Education Coordinator and Linda Thomas, Nursing Division Chair

Description

This program is designed to provide the "pre-bridge" and "bridge" academic tutoring nursing students need to be successful in completing the innovative evening and weekend nursing programs--CNA, LPN, and RN. Tutoring is designed to help students upgrade their academic skills within the context of the nursing competencies demanded of graduate nurses and practicing nurses and to help them transistion up the nursing career ladder.

Abstract

Madisonville Community College (MCC) requests $100,739 for two years to implement a Nursing Bridge Program to enhance two existing innovative Nursing projects, the Weekend RN Project and the HRSA Nurse Mobility Project, so that MCC can increase the number of Nursing graduates to fill a critical workforce need in the local health care industry.

Career Pathway funds will be used for two purposes:

• To tie together the college's innovative evening / weekend Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and Registered Nurse (RN) programs by establishing a clearly articulated career path into CNA training, as well as between CNA, LPN and RN training.

• To deliver the academic instruction and career counseling necessary for students to make a successful transition between Nursing programs. The primary emphasis will be on assisting students to upgrade their foundational and workplace essential skills so that they can move up the Nursing career ladder, increase their earning potential, and fill critically needed Nursing positions.

Since the college is currently conducting two projects targeting disadvantaged, low-income and minority students, the Bridge Program Instructor will participate as a member of a team of existing Nursing faculty and advisors to increase retention and graduation rates at each level of the Nursing curricula. Although the primary county to be served is Hopkins, other counties in the MCC service area will also be served, including Crittenden, McLean, Muhlenberg, and Webster.

Each of the Bridge Program's three goals is consistent with the program goals of the other two projects:

• Prepare 40 low income, disadvantaged and / or minority potential nursing students for entry into the CNA Program by providing comprehensive, individualized remediation in academic foundational and workplace essential competencies.

• Prepare 30 CNA graduates or currently employed CNAs for admission to the HRSA Weekend LPN by providing remediation services in the academic and workplace functionally-contexted basic skills needed to successfully complete the CNA program and to be prepared for entry into the LPN Program.

• Prepare 12 LPN graduates or currently employed LPNs for admission to the Weekend RN Program by providing remediation services in the academic and workplace functionally-contexted basic skills needed to successfully complete the LPN Program and to be prepared for entry into the RN Program.

A key component of the Bridge Program is recruitment of disadvantaged, low-income, minority, and currently employed individuals. For this reason, the Bridge Program will work with the following partners to identify students, as well as assist them in making sound career decisions:

• West Area Health Education Center - Trover Foundation Education Division
• Trover Regional Medical Center
• Pennyrile Area Development District - Western Kentucky Workforce Investment Board
• Hopkins County Department of Employment Services
• Hopkins County Department of Community Based Services

An equally important internal partner is the college's existing adult basic education program, ACE². It will assist in delivering instruction and career counseling.

For information, contact:

Cindy Miller, Career Pathways Bridge Instructor
(270) 824-1815
CMiller0008@kctcs.edu

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Pathways in Nursing

Grant Coordinators: Lisa Howerton, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Industry Focus

Critical Shortage of Practical and Registered Nurses in Healthcare Industry

Abstract

The partnership proposes to address the critical shortage of health care professionals in its rural Kentucky service area by requesting DOL funds to sustain an innovative proven Nursing career ladder project whose grant funding will terminate in spring 2006; to extend the project by developing and implementing an innovative high school Pre-Nursing curriculum to feed the existing college career ladder project; and to enhance training capacity throughout each step in the career ladder by adding state-of-the-art medical and instructional technology and equipment to better prepare nurses for immediate employment, as well as provide scholarship funds that will enable low-income recruits to enroll in the program. The project will recruit and graduate 405 Medical Nurse Aids, 140 Licensed Practical Nurses, and 220 Registered Nurses during the three year grant period. In addition to high school students and the general population, specific recruiting strategies will be used to target low-income, minority, under-employed and currently employed participants. Special attention will be paid to using scholarship funds to attract participants from these populations who would otherwise be unable to participate in postsecondary healthcare training.

The project will leverage the following key existing resources:

• a Health Resources and Services Administration grant that will fund year one personnel costs for faculty positions at $146,241;
• a Title III Strengthening Institutions grant to be implemented in Fall 2005 that will fund curriculum revision activities for the One + One LPN/RN curriculum;
• a Career Pathways grant that will fund year one personnel costs for remedial and "bridge" instruction at $40,000;
• a Trover Foundation commitment to fund a portion of the overall Nursing program expansion personnel expenses at $121,000;
• West Kentucky Workforce Investment Board funding for individual training contracts for 60 Nursing students annually.

For information, contact:

Lisa Howerton, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
(270) 824-8582
Lisa.Howerton@kctcs.edu

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