Central College awarded $2.5 million for TRIO Talent Search initiative

Central College has received a $500,000 annual grant from the U.S. Department of Education to sustain its Federal TRIO Talent Search Program for five more years. This funding, amounting to $2.5 million, will support around 1,000 students in the Des Moines area. The Talent Search Program offers services like tutoring, counseling, mentoring, and career exploration aimed at assisting low-income and first-generation students in preparing for and achieving higher education. Central College reports that 79% of students who participate in its TRIO programs in middle and high school proceed to enroll in postsecondary education. The grant depends on continued federal appropriations.