Eastern Connecticut State University

« Back to Recent News

Eastern receives $2.25M federal grant to strengthen student success efforts

U.S. Department of Education awards SIP grant

by Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (12/10/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University was recently awarded a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support student success and retention efforts.

The five-year Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant will fund a project titled "Modeling Student Success: Supporting Our Students and Strengthening Our Institution," which aims to enhance Eastern's capacity to support student achievement through predictive analytics, holistic advising, and the establishment of an endowed equity fund.

A Historic Grant for Eastern

The award is among the largest grants in Eastern's history, noted President Karim Ismaili. "This grant allows us to build on what we already do well - to create new opportunities for mentoring, academic success, belonging, and persistence," he said.

Eastern will receive $450,000 annually over five years, with an additional $169,000 supplemental award in 2025-26.

Grants Officer Christine Jeffers, who submitted the proposal more than two years ago, explained that the Department of Education's SIP program supports resource-limited colleges and universities serving large populations of low-income students. Funds must be used to strengthen academic programs, student services, and/or institutional endowments.

Project Goals

Eastern's "Modeling Student Success" project will focus on six key areas:

  • Predictive Analytics: Developing data tools to identify and proactively support at-risk students.
  • Four-Year Dual Advising Model: Providing sustained academic and personal guidance through coordinated faculty and professional advising.
  • Holistic Student Services: Combining academic skill-building with resources addressing students' personal and non-academic needs.
  • Faculty & Staff Development: Offering training in evidence-based teaching, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and advising strategies for at-risk students.
  • Endowed Equity Fund: Ensuring low-income students have equitable access to co-curricular and experiential learning opportunities. (Up to 20% of SIP funds may be used; requires a 1:1 non-federal match.)
  • Institutional Data Systems: Enhancing analytics and cross-divisional collaboration to strengthen decision-making.

Retention and Student Success Initiatives

Increasing retention and graduation rates across all student populations is a key institutional priority - and one of the primary motivations for the recently created Division of Student Success and Enrollment.

"This grant comes at a great time and dovetails with initiatives we already have underway," said Ben Pauley, interim vice president for the new division.

Pauley noted that Eastern's retention rates have steadily improved in recent decades. However, disparities remain, with white students being retained and graduating at higher rates than Black and Hispanic students - mirroring a national trend.

Pauley noted that Eastern has an obligation to support students from all backgrounds and an enrollment imperative to retain as many students as possible.

To address these disparities, Eastern created a think tank of faculty/staff to improve retention, focused around three priorities:

  • Onboarding: Helping students transition successfully to college life.
  • Academic Progression: Supporting continuous advancement toward degree completion.
  • Mentoring: Building supportive relationships with faculty and staff that promote belonging and personal growth.

Moving Forward

President Ismaili reflected on the timely arrival of the new SIP grant.

"Things are aligning at Eastern," he said, referencing the University's deep dives into retention data, the creation of a division dedicated to student success, and the establishment of the Retention Think Tank.

With the arrival of the SIP grant, "All of these efforts are coming together."

###

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

Media Attachments

Eastern President Karim Ismaili discusses the newly awarded grant during a special presentation for faculty and staff in the fall 2025 semester.

Copyright © 2025 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out