By Brian McNeill

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has awarded Virginia Commonwealth University a more than $2.3 million grant to provide financial and career support to Pell Grant-eligible freshman students, beginning in the fall 2025 semester.

The grant will enable VCU to make direct aid available to help cover the costs of Pell-eligible students’ education and connect them more readily to VCU’s career support resources earlier in their degree program.

In addition to the grant meeting student financial need, a cohort of 25 incoming Pell-eligible first-year students will participate in a program that connects them with career, academic and financial success resources on campus while providing additional financial support for paid internships and professional development through on-campus employment, membership fees for a professional association, professional clothing and other expenses.

“Students will not only benefit from additional financial support, they will also help lead VCU’s continued efforts to make the best university education accessible to anyone who’s interested in it,” said Jonathan Fuller, director of First and Second Year Experiences in VCU’s Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success. “This initiative will fund efforts to assess student success practices to ensure we are not implementing or perpetuating barriers to Pell-eligible students’ success.”

The goal is to make education more affordable, as eligible students may receive up to $18,250 in support of their education and professional development, Fuller said. The grant will also expand existing student success resources to more effectively serve all Pell-eligible students, even beyond the first year.

The grant is part of SCHEV’s Pell Initiative for Virginia, which encourages and supports state-supported post-secondary colleges and universities across Virginia to expand the enrollment, retention and degree attainment of Pell-eligible students.

Pell is a need-based, undergraduate grant program currently funded by the federal government. About one-third (32.8%) of VCU students received Pell grants during the 2023-24 academic year, according to SCHEV.

“Our reputation as a high-access institution has made us a destination for students who stand to benefit the most from a college degree, and we owe it to them to fulfill the promises we make to them about what graduating from VCU will mean for their lives and careers,” Fuller said.

The new program will build on a variety of existing initiatives such as the VCU Internship Funding Program, which provides students funding to cover expenses such as travel to internships, daily commuting via public transportation, housing, child care, professional attire, supplies and more. For more on VCU Career Services, visit its webpage.