Cameron University programs receive funding from U.S. Department of Education

Four Cameron University critical student support programs - the Student Enrichment Center, Student Support Services, Talent Search/Open Doors and Upward Bound - have received grants from the U.S. Department of Education that will allow them to continue to provide significant services to underserved populations through August 2025.

"Federal funding for these student-focused programs is critical to Cameron's mission," says Dr. Marge Kingsley, Vice President for Academic Affairs. "These units provide one-on-one guidance to their constituents and play a vital role in student success."

CU's Student Enrichment Center, opened in 2021, is funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions program. The unit focuses on increasing persistence and completion rates, providing at-risk students with a variety of resources designed to help them complete a college degree, increasing the number of full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students, and increasing the number of students with work-based learning experiences that are aligned with in-demand industry sectors or occupations. The Center also provides resources to help increase students' knowledge of personal financial literacy and other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility. Funding of $388,131 was received for the program.

Student Support Services, Talent Search/Open Doors and Upward Bound are federal TRIO outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The TRIO programs work with the ultimate goal of assisting participants in reaching their dream of postsecondary education. Each program has its own goals, objectives and clientele. The programs identify youth or adults with potential for academic success who meet government income requirements and whose parents did not graduate from college. Services are provided to program participants that will enable them to succeed and graduate from postsecondary education. All Cameron TRIO programs offer tutoring, career planning, personal counseling, study skills, postsecondary advisement, cultural activities and workshops to enhance learning.

The Student Support Services (SSS) program was awarded $479,107 for the academic year. The program provides opportunities for academic development, assists college students with basic university requirements, and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary educations. The SSS program may also provide grant aid to current participants who are receiving federal Pell Grants. The goal of SSS is to increase retention and graduation rates of its participants and facilitate the process of transition from one level of higher education to the next.

Awarded $417,727 in funding, Open Doors (known nationally as Talent Search) identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to the postsecondary schools of their choosing. The goal of Open Doors is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in and complete some form of postsecondary education. Cameron University Open Doors program serves 775 students in grades 6-12 who are enrolled in Lawton Public Schools.

Upward Bound, which received $366,867, provides fundamental support to participants as they prepare for university entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in pre-university performance and ultimately in higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves high school students preparing to enter postsecondary education who come from low-income families and/or from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. The program goal is to increase the rates at which participants enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education with a degree. All Upward Bound projects provide instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature, and foreign language. The Cameron University Upward Bound program is funded to serve 66 students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in Lawton Public Schools.

For information on Cameron's Student Support Services, call 580-581-2352. To learn more about Upward Bound and Talent Search, call 580-581-5581. The Student Enrichment Center can be reached by calling 580-581-5908.

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