The Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation has announced grants totaling $4.5 million to programs in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin working to help students from traditionally underserved backgrounds complete their college education.

Awarded as part of the organization's Community Investments initiative, the grants will support efforts to connect students of similar backgrounds who are attending two- and four-year colleges and universities, including community and technical colleges, through mentoring and proactive advising services, the development of learning communities, and academic tutoring. According to the organization, studies have found that students who lack socioeconomic or educational advantages — including minorities, students from low-income backgrounds, and first-generation college freshmen — are the most likely to leave college without a degree. To remedy the situation, many of the programs awarded grants will also offer book vouchers, emergency financial assistance, and other incentives to students who take advantage of program services.

Grant recipients include College Possible - Milwaukee ($300,000), which uses a technology-based coaching model to help connect participants to campus resources, other students, and potential employers; Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, ($177,996), which works, through its Steps to Success program, to increase the retention and persistence rates of first-generation and low-income students; Minneapolis Community and Technical College ($116,461), for its Starting Point program; and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ($139,865) which provides, through its Life Impact program, services to parent-students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"The programs being funded by this round of College Success grants are providing services proven to help students make progress toward their degree," said Great Lakes president and CEO Richard D. George. "Each program has been thoughtfully designed to address the challenges known to keep students from graduating, helping them to develop connections to their campus, peers, faculty, and staff and overcome financial obstacles. We look forward to seeing the impact of each of these programs in helping their students persist towards graduation."

For a complete list of grant recipients, visit the Great Lakes Web site.