Connecting to College Grant awarded to Mason CAN and United Way

Connecting to College Grant awarded to Mason CAN and United Way

Mason College Access Network has been awarded $9300 as part of the Michigan College Access Network COVID-19 Response Grant program.  This funding will help Mason County students stay connected online as they prepare for college or transition into their first year of college at West Shore Community College.

Mason County high school juniors and seniors and first-year students from Mason County who will start at WSCC in fall of 2020 are eligible to request assistance through Mason County Family Link on a first-come, first-served basis while funding lasts. The grant will offer $50 a month in assistance for internet connectivity for qualified students who were impacted by the COVID-19-related closures.

Students who need assistance can also be referred by high school or college staff to United Way’s Mason County Family Link program.  Mason County Family Link has community schools coordinators who serve Ludington, Mason County Central, Mason County Eastern, Gateway to Success Academy, WSESD, and WSCC.  Family Link can help up to 160 Mason County students and their families with internet bill pay assistance, hot spots, or phone data cards.  The intent of this assistance is to help students to take part in college-related activities that are now online due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as college orientation, SAT prep, AP courses, college admissions webinars, online courses, and web-based homework. The grant also has funding to assist up to 20 high school seniors and juniors with affording fees to take the SAT early, or to retake the SAT during the 2020-21 academic year.  Retaking the SAT has been shown to improve test scores, but many students do not take advantage of this because of cost.

To request support through this program, contact United Way of Mason County Executive Director Lynne Russell, by emailing lynne@masoncountyuw.org or call 231-843-8593. For more information on Mason College Access Network, contact Jody Maloney at jodym@ludington.org, visit MasonCountyCAN.org, or call 231-239-8224.