MCC Receives Over $4.7 Million to Strengthen Student Support

Student achievement and educational opportunity are at the center of two U.S. Department of Education grant awards representing more than $4.7 million in new and continued investment in programs and resources at Madisonville Community College (MCC). 

The TRIO Talent Search program has been fully funded for another five-year grant cycle, allowing the program to continue supporting middle and high school students throughout the region. Separately, a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant awarded to MCC will strengthen teaching, learning, and student support through the responsible use of artificial intelligence and expanded access to academic support services.

The TRIO Talent Search program at MCC will receive $2,182,500 to fully fund the program through 2031. The funding will allow Talent Search to serve 873 students in grades 6–12 at 16 middle and high schools across Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Webster, Crittenden, and Caldwell counties, as well as Dawson Springs Independent Schools. Caldwell County and Dawson Springs are new to the program beginning this year. 

“We are incredibly excited to continue the 41-year legacy of Talent Search at Madisonville Community College,” said Temesia Perdue, director of MCC TRIO Programs. “For more than four decades, this program has helped students recognize that higher education and meaningful career opportunities are within their reach. This award allows us to continue that important work, strengthen our partnerships with local schools and communities, and empower the next generation of students to believe, achieve, and succeed. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue investing in the future of our region.” 

The Title III grant will provide MCC with $2,560,543 to enhance The Learning Space as a central hub for student support services and expand access to academic support across MCC locations. It will also create an institutional framework for effective and ethical AI use, provide professional development for faculty, and introduce new tools and resources to support teaching, student engagement, and academic success. 

“I’m so thankful for this opportunity and what it will mean for our students,” said Dorothy Robison, director of The Learning Space. “With this funding, we will be able to improve The Learning Space’s services at every campus location, including online. Wherever students learn, we want them to receive the same great support and experience.”