TESU Receives $74,944 Grant to Support Students Returning to Complete Degrees

Funds will complement support to drive enrollment and completion through Strategic Scholarships

Thomas Edison State University (TESU) has been awarded $74,944 in funding from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) through the Fiscal Year 2025 Some College, No Degree Institutional Grant Opportunity. It is estimated by the National Student Clearinghouse that in New Jersey more than 790,000 residents have earned some college credit but left school before completing their credential or degree. This funding supports New Jersey’s commitment to helping these students by fostering pathways to completion that meet the state’s workforce needs.

Using the grant funding, TESU will implement targeted programs designed to support returning students by addressing institutional barriers, promoting re-enrollment and utilizing innovative approaches for completion including awarding credit for prior learning. The grant consists of two funding components to maximize impact: student-focused incentive funding, which provides financial encouragement for re-enrollment and degree completion, and institution-focused funding, which enhances TESU’s capacity to serve students with some college credit but no degree. In line with grant requirements, TESU will collaborate with Ithaka S+R, a nonprofit research organization, to track the impact of institutional and statewide policies on stopped-out students, ensuring data-driven support strategies for some college, no degree students across New Jersey.

Last year TESU received similar funds from OSHE to target the same some college, no degree students. The University conducted outreach to approximately 4,800 prospective students and stop-outs, and 303 of these students engaged with the University and received vouchers for prior-learning exams. As of this month, these 303 students collectively earned 306 credits through examinations for prior learning they acquired outside the classroom and prior to their time at TESU. This prior learning credit saved the students $125,766 in tuition costs and spared them 11,016 hours of study. Over the past two years, working with a partner, TESU has targeted 8,000 inactive students who had stopped out of college for lengths ranging from 13 months to 10 years. Of those 8,000, 64 have now graduated, 554 have re-enrolled with TESU, another 821 are currently considering re-enrollment at TESU.

In conjunction with this grant, TESU has also received $125,000 from the TESU Foundation to pilot a Strategic Scholarship initiative aimed at accelerating graduation and enrollment rates for students. This funding will provide critical support for three key groups of students:

• Students Near Completion: Scholarships will target students with 15 credits or fewer remaining, aiming to accelerate their degree completion.
• Admitted but Not Registered Students: Scholarships will assist students who are admitted but not yet registered, a population often deterred by financial barriers.
• Associate to Bachelor’s Degree Nurses: Scholarships will focus on helping RN students transition to the BSN program, meeting the urgent need for highly qualified nurses in New Jersey.

The Foundation’s Strategic Scholarship initiative will be evaluated on the number of students completing degrees, increased RN to BSN enrollments and sustained enrollments beyond the initial semester for students in the program. TESU plans to report on these outcomes to the TESU Foundation Board at the conclusion of the pilot, with the aim of securing sustainable funding if the pilot proves successful.

"The grant from OSHE, combined with support from the TESU Foundation, will enable TESU to address key barriers and accelerate pathways for our students," said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, president of TESU. "These funds reflect TESU’s long-standing commitment to supporting students in completing their degrees while meeting New Jersey’s workforce and healthcare needs."

The University has been working with students who have some college, no degree, since its founding in 1972. In fact, this is the exact population the University was founded to support. New Jersey’s FY25 Some College No Degree Grant Program has allocated a total of $1,665,625 across the state to support the diverse needs of this population. TESU is honored to be part of this initiative to reengage stopped-out students and contribute positively to New Jersey’s economy and workforce.

For more information on TESU’s programs, re-enrollment options, and scholarship initiatives, please visit www.tesu.edu.