KPC receives $1.99 million U.S. Dept. of Education grant

Kenai Peninsula College has been awarded a five-year $1,996,319 Title III grant under the U.S. Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Program.

The grant will focus on KPC increasing student success/retention rates through technology-enhanced advising and tutoring services, development of distance delivered courses in technical fields and general education requirements (GER), and faculty development and training in classroom technology and distance delivery.

"This grant will take us to the next level in being able to better serve Kenai Peninsula residents in our 25,000 square mile service region," said Gary J. Turner, college director. "During the past year, we have greatly increased the number of distance delivered courses we offer and this will help us utilize technology to help students be even more successful whether they are taking classes on campus or from their home," he said.

The grant will also enable the college to determine which technical and GER courses can be offered via distance or as hybrid courses where students can take much of a course online and then attend hands-on labs at one of the KPC campuses a few times a semester. Turner noted that the increase in distance classes at KPC is intended to complement, not supplant courses taught at KPC's four locations.