Virginia State University News August 23, 2016 VSU awarded nearly $1.2 Million from the U.S. Department of Education The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Virginia State University (VSU) the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) grant in the amount of $236,900 for a period of five years effective September 1, 2016. The EOC grant was first awarded in October, 2011 and this is the second grant cycle. The EOC program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The program also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants. An important objective of the program is to counsel participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning skills, and to assist in the application process. The goal of the EOC program is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions. In addition, the program provides information about General Educational Development (GED)/and or secondary diploma opportunities for those who have not earned a high school diploma. "The VSU EOC will serve 1,000 adults ages 18 and older, military connected persons (veterans, spouses and children) and U.S. citizens or permanent residents, who are first generation college students," said Regina Barnett Tyler, who serves as the director of Upward Bound and EOC at VSU. "The VSU EOC staff would like to take the opportunity to thank the VSU community for assistance and continued support for the program and services provided over the past five years." According to Tyler, participants must live in the following cities: Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg, Richmond; and the counties of: Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Surry and the United States Combined Army Support Command (CASCOM) and Fort Lee Military installation. For more information, contact the VSU's EOC office at (804) 524-5608. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) 404-577-5158 (fax) Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/ 7th Biennial Membership Meeting: Register here http://hbculibraries.org/2016meeting-form.html for the October 10,11 Membership Meeting in Atlanta. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314-4207 www.auctr.edu<http://www.auctr.edu/> [cid:image001.jpg@01D1FF01.9F9B72B0] We will always provide service that exceeds the customer's expectation...Because We Care!