The University of Memphis announced Thursday that it will create a preparatory academy for low-income and first-generation students.
The Memphis Career Preparation Academy is made possible by a near $200,000 grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
The U of M is one of four higher level institutions in the state to receive this grant through the Institutional Outcome Improvement Fund Grant, which was created to help improve student outcomes and graduation rates.
Over the next two years, U of M officials say this new academy will become a “holistic, coordinated approach to career education,” which will be an extension of the university’s current program supporting student success and retention initiatives, the Complete to Compete program.
Planned elements of the academy include career path mapping and decision making, long-term goal setting, and interaction with employers around the city.
Officials say the program will also encourage students to find campus leadership roles, study abroad opportunities, and internships in the city.
