Congrats to Woodbury University for being the recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and Walmart Foundation. The grant will be used to improve graduation rates for first-generation students by developing a new program that connects coursework with career goals. I love this idea. Lord knows I could have used a little more guidance with career goals in college. Of course I majored in English with no intention of teaching. But I digress.

From Woodbury’s website:

“This new approach to career development will help students in Woodbury’s School of Business through a combination of classroom learning and practical experience. Career development will be integrated into each year of studies, anchored by career-related experiences for first- and second-year students within their majors and internships for third-year students. By emphasizing the skills sets necessary to succeed professionally, Woodbury aims to help students focus on how their studies will lead them to their eventual careers.

“’Education is the most powerful tool for improving lives, and Woodbury wants our students to succeed by finishing their degrees and being prepared to enter the workplace,’ says Kenneth R. Nielsen, Ed.D., president, Woodbury University. ‘Woodbury is grateful for the generous support of the Walmart Foundation to help our students achieve their potential.’

“The grant will support career staff and business management faculty to develop and pilot the new career program, with the eventual goal of expanding the approach to encompass all majors within the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and Institute of Transdisciplinary Studies.

“Woodbury is one of only 30 institutions in the U.S. to receive the CIC/Walmart College Success Award. The Walmart Foundation’s top priority for its education-focused philanthropy is enabling first-generation college students to become the first in their families to graduate. Woodbury University, a Hispanic Serving Institution, has a long history of recruiting and serving first-generation, low-income, and minority students.”

For more information on Woodbury University, visit www.woodbury.edu.

Photo Courtesy of Graur Razvan Ionut and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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