Future K-12 educators participating in GVSU’s HBCU/HSI Consortium received a significant boost to their future in
Michigan, thanks to a grant from the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation and its Michigan Growth Office.
The MEDC announced on May 28 that a $200,000 Make MI Home grant will provide funding for the collaboration among GVSU,
Kent Intermediate School District and the nonprofit KConnect to address the shortage of K-12 teachers in West Michigan.
B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment
Development and Educational Outreach, attended the announcement
during the annual Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island.
Salvador Lopez, president of KConnect, joined Truss, alongside Lt.
Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, MEDC officials and other grant recipients.
B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and
Educational Outreach
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Truss said the Make MI Home grant will be tied directly
with GVSU’s HBCU/HSI Consortium, with a focus on supporting prospective educators from
the HBCU Talladega College in Alabama.
“The work we’re doing in the community — and the
partnerships we continue to develop and strengthen — is making a
real impact,” Truss said. “This new support is the result of our
growing collaboration with KConnect, where GVSU is proud to be
included as a key partner.”
As part of the collaboration, GVSU will provide the
educational pathway for Talladega students, while KConnect’s Teach
Here pilot program will offer comprehensive support for these future
K-12 teachers as they pursue certification in high-demand areas such
as secondary STEM education, foreign language instruction and
special education.
The grant will also support students with housing or
relocation assistance; access to essential wraparound supports
including housing navigation, food security, mental health services
and childcare; and ongoing mentorship and job placement support.
“Michigan’s future depends on our ability to attract
and retain the educators who will shape the next generation,” Lopez
said. “This grant is more than an investment in our workforce, it’s
a commitment to removing the systemic barriers that too often stand
in the way of passionate, talented individuals who are ready to
serve our students and communities.”
Make MI Home is a first-in-the-nation talent retention
and attraction program created to support locally tailored
strategies that support population growth statewide. Make MI Home
was tested as a pilot program last year, receiving 20 applications
from regions across the state. Due to its success, the Michigan
Growth Office cemented Make MI Home into its program offerings this
year and received 39 total applications from regions across the state.
In total, the MEDC and its Michigan Growth Office
awarded $769,000 in funding to consortiums across the state on Wednesday.
“Our top priority is helping more people be their best
selves and reach their full potential here in Michigan,” Gilchrist
said. “This nearly $770,000 investment in a new round of Make MI
Home grants will power creative ideas to retain residents while
growing our economy and our population.”
