About 80% of students in Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools return for their second year. The remaining 20% are now the much-needed focus of a grant-funded initiative.

The Mastering Academic and Professional Systems program received a $250,000 grant from the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh. Slippery Rock University is one of six state system schools participating in a program meant to help first-generation and low-income students transition from their first to second year of college — a point where those students are most likely to drop out.

The cost of attending a higher education institution can lead many people to drop out, so this program is directly targeting the students who struggle with that conundrum. Each participating university will enroll a cohort of 12 first-year students into a structured, yearlong program meetings, mentoring, financial coaching and experiential activities, to steer these students to continue past that first year.

Being a college student is hard, and paying for the costs associated with schooling makes it that much more difficult. While this grant-funded program might not be a catch-all for the challenges that come with getting a college education, it’ll be worth it if it keeps even one student enrolled instead of dropping out.

These college students are the future workforce — especially the ones at Slippery Rock University — many of which come from the area and continue living and working here long after graduation.

And the success of the first try at this program could lead to more grant money in the future. Struggling college students might see this as a reason to keep going in their studies, and they will hopefully see some of the benefits the program offers.

— ET