Grant Proposal

For the grant I would like to work on Access to Higher Education. I would like to work with low income students to develop a program to expose them from middle school on to college preparation. This program would look at the financial aspects of college as well as the academics. It would be a progressive program that would focus on developing skills from middle school on to make low income students desire a higher education and help them build the skills they need to get a higher education.
This program would incorporate service learning by using Siena students to run the program. Students from many majors would be necessary. SAT preparation would involve students from Math, English, and Writing majors. Education majors would also be very useful. Other classes could also help the students to plan. The students in the class need to learn something and this grant will provide them with the funding to help the community of Albany fill a much needed niche: planning for college.

This project qualifies as service-learning by incorporating community needs into what is being taught in Siena courses. The Siena students will be providing a service to the community that otherwise would go unfulfilled.
The duration of this program would hopefully be continual. As a Franciscan school I feel that our mission statement alligns with the concept of providing assistance to those in need and in this case that means helping middle and high school students realize the importance of a college education and how to help get them there.

Not only do the Siena students gain experience and also provide service as part of their course but the students of Albany badly need this service. This would begin in middle school because I feel that the students must understand the importance of their education if there's any hope of them investing themselves into it.