KEY Program Receives Federal Grant

High Marks on Grant Application Give Evergreen Additional Funding for Student Services

OLYMPIA, WA - In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded The Evergreen State College's KEY Student Support Services with a $1.4 million grant to be distributed over a five-year period. The newly-awarded grant allows Evergreen to continue a 24-year tradition of providing services to undergraduate students who are low income, first generation or students with disabilities. Services include academic planning, tutoring, financial aid counseling, career and graduate school advising and cultural activities. The initial grant application submitted in August 2004 was for a four-year award, but the high scores Evergreen achieved during the review process resulted in a generous five-year award.

Since 1977, the Evergreen KEY program, which stands for Keep Enhancing Yourself, has advised and assisted nearly 200 students per year, helping pave the way to program completion and graduation. The KEY program is part of TRIO, a federal educational opportunity program that was established in the 1960s.

"We are thrilled to be awarded the grant again this year and the extra year of funding we received was a greatly appreciated surprise," said Niki Amarantides, director of Evergreen's KEY Student Services. "These are federal programs that really work to support students' success," said Amarantides. "Students who never dreamed of attending college are graduating, thanks to the efforts of the KEY services."

Evergreen also is one of 10 colleges in the country awarded a $10,000 start-up grant by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, made possible by the Greve Foundation of New York. The start-up grant will support the collaborative work of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs in engaged learning opportunities and their relation to the health and civic lives of Evergreen students. Faculty, Student Affairs practitioners and students will work together to implement various activities over the coming year.

On the Web: http://www.evergreen.edu/key