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The U.S. Department of Education has awarded John Carroll University a “First in the World” (FITW) program grant, totaling nearly $1.3 million. John Carroll is the only university in Ohio to receive the funding. “First in the World” grants are designed to develop innovative strategies with the goal of improving academic outcomes and retention rates for students at colleges and universities.

“This grant presents John Carroll with the opportunity to meet the challenges of access and completion when it comes to earning a college degree, which is essential for employment in emerging industries,” says Terry L. Mills, Ph.D., Assistant Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and sociology professor at John Carroll University. Mills applied for the FITW grant; John Carroll is one of 17 recipients out of 300 applicants nationwide.

John Carroll’s project, “Aligned Learning Communities and Student Thriving: A First in the World Project,” directed by Dr. Mills, integrates theories of student development and thriving into a program of block schedules and clustered courses including some foundational core courses that enroll a common cohort of students into learning communities. Dr. Mills explains that this approach is “designed to bolster shared knowledge, shared learning, and shared responsibility” among at-risk freshmen.

The contents of this web page were developed under grant #P116F150059 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.