UK program uses $5M grant to help students navigate college

(AP) — A program at the University of Kentucky is using a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help first-generation and low-income students navigate college.

The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/1IxOfdy) reports Student Support Services is part of the university's Office of Institutional Diversity and that its main goal is to improve graduation and retention rates among students at the highest risk of dropping out.

Since its creation in 1993, SSS has served 1,500 students with a graduation rate of 45 percent to 58 percent in the past five years.

According to the Department of Education, the national graduation rate for this population is 25 percent to 30 percent.

Besides first-generation and low-income students, the program also helps disabled students cope with everything from financial aid to tutoring.