Grant programs impact local college students

Three state grant programs are making it possible for local students to jumpstart healthcare careers, get a head start in college and head toward new and better jobs in the workforce.

“These grants are a lifeline for students across the state, providing opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach,” said Illinois Valley Community College President Dr. Tracy Morris.

One of those programs, the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH), creates, supports and expands opportunities for students in nursing and other healthcare fields by providing tuition reimbursement, tutoring services and cost assistance for lab equipment and licensure fees.

Funding assistance was critical to students like Blair Hermann, who completed Illinois Valley Community College’s nursing program in 2024. After multiple college starts and interruptions and starting a family, she decided to pursue a new career in nursing. Having earned her degree, she is working in the medical-surgical unit at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

Looking back on the program, Hermann said, “Every clinical experience I had in the nursing program reassured me that I made the right career choice and that I truly love what I will be doing.”

Most recently, a total of 97 IVCC students were awarded tuition assistance totaling $37,000 and another 69 aspiring nurses have applied for Spring PATH funding amounting to $34,500.

Of the 27,600 students who enrolled in Illinois community college healthcare programs through the PATH grant, nearly half were first-generation college students. At IVCC, 378 graduates obtained licenses and/or secured employment in healthcare careers, including: Certified Physical Therapy Aide, Certified Nursing Assistant, EKG Technician, EMT-B, LPN, Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Paramedic, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy, RN and Sterile Processing Technician.

The PATH program also resulted in relationships with more than 1,000 employers across the state and the launch of newly developed or expanded college healthcare programs.

Another grant makes college courses accessible to students who might otherwise not be able to afford to pursue early college credit. Dual credit high school students can earn college credits while fulfilling high school graduation requirements -- which makes higher education more attainable to students from diverse backgrounds by reducing the overall cost and time needed to complete a degree.

In FY 24, almost 700 students across the Illinois Valley Community College district – roughly 20 percent of the College’s overall enrollment -- enrolled in dual credit courses.

In FY 23, Illinois community colleges offered 14,638 dual credit courses to 82,600 high school students across the state.

IVCC is also one of 18 community colleges across the state providing individuals with short-term training for in-demand fields. The Workforce Equity Initiative has helped community colleges expand skills training and support to at-risk communities and address workforce gaps.

Since WEI began in 2019, community colleges have enrolled nearly 13,000 students in 120 high-demand training programs that lead to careers in healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, construction, transportation and business. The WEI program has achieved a 67% employment rate, with more than 5,000 of the graduates obtaining jobs paying above life-sustaining wages.

Investing in education and workforce equity is vital for addressing Illinois’ labor shortages, expanding economic opportunities, and securing the state’s position as a leader in workforce development.

For more information about IVCC’s PATH, Dual Credit and WEI programs, visit ivcc.edu.