Lincoln University to receive grant for career preparation program

Lincoln University is getting $100,000 from the United Negro College Fund.
LU is one of 30 historically black colleges and universities, and predominately black institutions, selected to receive grant funding from UNCF's new "Career Pathways Initiative."
Lincoln's grant will support planning for Project CAREERS - "Creating Avenues for Real Employment Engagement Resulting in Success" - a program developed by Said Sewell, LU's provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and Ruth Canada, director for Lincoln's Career and Academic Support Services.
In a news release, Lincoln described Project CAREERS as a "four-year, holistic, student employment pathway which positions students to move from the classroom to a career or graduate program."
University administrators say the UNCF grant will help LU meet its goal of preparing students for life after an undergraduate program.
"For the traditional student, an undergraduate degree (is) just the beginning - the ultimate goal of higher education is preparation beyond that Commencement ceremony," LU President Kevin Rome said.
Sewell noted Rome has set a goal of having 70 percent of LU graduates either being employed in their chosen career field, or entering into a graduate or professional school within six months after graduation.
The news release emphasized Lincoln's primary goal is creating a formal framework for increasing every student's career mindset.
"The earlier students can focus on life after college, the more likely they are to participate in high impact employment opportunities throughout their four years here at Lincoln University," Canada said.
The grant distribution announced last week totaled $2.55 million, and has the potential to assist more than 66,000 students at the 30 schools receiving grants.
"The Career Pathways Initiative (is) important for the entire American higher education system and the American global economy," said Michael L. Lomax, UNCF President and CEO.
"CPI will serve as a model of best practices for all colleges and universities to follow, in order to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our students and the demands of the ever-changing marketplace for talent."