Nazareth University awarded $2.2M from Department of Education to bolster first-year retention and graduation rates

The grant funds the Revitalizing Educational Equity at Nazareth University, or REENU - a program to help underrepresented, low-income, and first-gen students.

Rochester, NY (11/17/2023) — Nazareth University is focused on delivering accessible and equitable education to all students by increasing first-year retention and graduation rates among underrepresented students, along with increasing its capacity to support students with disabilities. A $2.2 million grant from the Department of Education is supporting Revitalizing Educational Equity at Nazareth University, or REENU. REENU is part of the Title III Strengthening Institutions program - a very competitive federal grant among higher education institutions. Nazareth is one of just 107 nationwide to receive the grant in 2023.

While Nazareth's overall retention and graduation rates are slightly higher than the national average, the University has seen a significant disparity between overall retention and graduation rates for underrepresented minorities, low-income, and first-generation students. Nazareth plans a four-pronged approach to measurably increase support for these student populations.

• Launch@NazU program: a six-week online summer course to support first-year student success in science and health professions ( to avoid low grades on foundational science courses, which can hinder at-risk students)
• Increase access to supplemental instruction and tutoring in key gateway courses
• Implement a predictive analytic model to identify students at risk upon entry and those at risk of not graduating
• Create an endowment for equal access to experiential learning

Nazareth's REENU program also aims to increase its capacity to support the needs of students with disabilities and students seeking support and accommodations. Nazareth's office of Student Accessibility Services, or SAS, provides student accessibility through advocacy, counseling, and connecting students with campus and community resources. The number of students seeking accommodations and support has increased substantially over the last six years, with the need for computer-based testing growing by 40 percent since 2019. To keep up with the demand and properly assist all students, Nazareth plans to hire a learning specialist and expand the space of its SAS testing center.

"Nazareth strives to prepare the next generation of leaders who have cultural knowledge, humility, courage, and empathy to create access to opportunity and equitable outcomes for all," said Maureen Finney, Nazareth University provost and program director for this grant. "To truly do that, we realize that we must first address the barriers and challenges, to prevent lower graduation or retention rates for some student populations."

The REENU goals also call for creating a Center for Professional Learning, Innovation, and Creativity to increase faculty expertise in best practices for inclusive teaching and proactive advising. Nazareth also plans to increase the University's capacity for grant seeking and grants management, particularly for programs that support underserved students.