Foundation Awards 2018 Mini-Grants

The East Central College Foundation awards mini-grants each year to scholastic departments and programs through The Albert C. Buescher Memorial Fund. In 2018, four awards were given to help support various initiatives.

The Math Department was awarded a mini-grant to purchase new TI-84+ graphing calculators for students to use in class.

Student Services will use its mini-grant to pilot a text messaging system for student communication.

“Research has shown that students do not respond well to phone calls, letters, or emails. They respond best to text messages,” said Stephanie Hebert, Enrollment Management Systems Manager.

If the six-month pilot program goes well, the system could be permanent at the college.

“This project will assist our students by providing them with just-in-time information regarding enrollment, tuition, and financial aid as well as advance the college by increasing enrollment and decreasing bad debt,” Hebert explained.

Phi Theta Kappa will use its mini-grant to help fund a trip to Montgomery, Alabama to see the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

The Institutional Research Department was awarded a mini-grant in order to provide training for its staff for Microsoft Power BI, a data presentation tool.

“Our hope is this tool will assist our department in presenting data in a simplified and easy-to-understand way,” said Bethany Lohden, Director of Institutional Research. “In turn, it will encourage employees to use the institution’s data when making decisions.”

Over the past ten years, the ECC Foundation has awarded more than $90,000 to various college departments and groups.