Student Success

Two students sitting on a bench outside of Karl Miller Center. They are facing each other and having a conversation

Access, Complete, Connect, Engage (ACCE) Grant

Project Status: Planning

PSU was awarded $7,823,199 to fund the Access, Connect, Complete, Engage (ACCE) program in partnership with Clackamas Community College (CCC) and Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) to serve 2,000 transfer students. This approach includes clear transfer pathways, integrated coaching, direct financial aid, and data-driven evaluation. ACCE aims to tackle systemic barriers to academic success for underserved transfer students, reducing disparities in post-secondary outcomes across PSU and partnering community colleges. The program has officially finished its first term serving students at MHCC and CCC!

Accomplished

  • PCC Joins the ACCE Program: Portland Community College has agreed to a joint partnership and will be part of the ACCE initiative! ACCE leadership had a kickoff with Ryan Clark from PCC to identify next steps. The goal is to implement the ACCE program at PCC this Fall 2025!
  • Cohort 1: Our program is fulfilling its mission to serve historically underserved students, as demonstrated by the initial cohort. The 142 students who received coaching included a significant majority of first-generation college students and a strong representation of BIPOC individuals. These demographics confirm our commitment to reaching diverse learners who benefit most from our support, highlighted by the 110 coaching sessions completed this spring to help them achieve their milestones.
  • Additional Recruitment Launched: Our coaches wrapped up another successful recruitment round, with applicants across MHCC and CCC seeking to join the program. We are planning on onboarding around 150 new participants into the program this summer after the randomization is complete. 
  • MCECS + Community College + Partners Meeting: Coaches Makayla and Amy represented our program at the MCECS + Community College + Partners Meeting event held at OMSI. They did a fantastic job sharing their coaching experiences, helping us spread the word about the program.

In Progress

  • Reaching Unengaged ACCE Students: Cohort Numbers: While initial interest and eligibility numbers for Cohort 1 are slightly lower than expected, engagement has been promising. We will continue to refine outreach strategies to ensure strong participation and explore additional options such as a potential third cohort.
  • PCC Onboarding: We will spend the majority of the Summer prepping to implement the program at PCC this upcoming fall. We aim to add hundreds of ACCE participants this Fall. We are considering hiring a fifth coach to support this anticipated higher demand in students.  
  • Sustainability Planning: We've already started building sustainability into the ACCE program by strategically integrating our coaches into existing and new touchpoints. Coaches are not only providing crucial one-on-one coaching to MHCC/CCC students, but they're also actively participating in the following sustainability initiatives:
    • Planning transfer workshops
    • Hosting drop-in transfer advising sessions
    • Engaging with students during orientation
    • Conducting valuable classroom visits
  • We hope this multi-faceted approach is laying the groundwork for long-term impact and continued student success, well beyond the grant's conclusion in 2028.

Project Team

Sponsor: The Department of Education 
Project Leads: Andrea Garrity and Randi Harris
Program Director: Delaney Ybarra
ACCE Project Committee: Andrea Garrity, Brittany Montana, Delaney Ybarra, Emanuel Magana, Matthew Carlson, MHCC+CCC partners, Perla Pinedo, Randi Harris, Regina Arellano, Robert Findtner, Shoshana Zeisman-Pereyo
Collaborators: Mount Hood Community College and Clackamas Community College