Prairie state college dental program expansion

The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education awarded a $1,000,000 Project Grant under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.116) program to Illinois Community College District No 515, doing business as Prairie State College. The grant will support the expansion of Prairie State College's Dental Program over a 3-year period from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026. As a prime recipient, Prairie State College has previously received funding from the Department of Education to facilitate continued student engagement and reenrollment in postsecondary education, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The college also operates Upward Bound and Talent Search programs focused on increasing high school graduation, GED completion, and postsecondary enrollment and completion among disadvantaged and underrepresented students. As a subrecipient, the college has obtained funding to support undergraduate research, peer tutoring, faculty development, staff training, and the purchase of instructional materials related to serving disadvantaged student subgroups.