Youth In Transition - Achieving Completion with Excellence (ACE)
Provide learning equity at the postsecondary level for youth who have experienced alternative care through financial, housing, academic, social, emotional, and mentoring support.
The ACE program is driven by a dynamic core team, including myself, Dr. Kim Major-Ford, Interim Director of Counseling and Wellness; Ms. Megan Washington-Sim, a devoted doctoral candidate; and Dr. Sharva Hampton-Campbell, a GovState alumna and esteemed university partner. Together, we provide the support and resources needed to help you achieve your fullest potential. Our program offers a wide range of resources, covering student-led programming, financial security, housing support, academic guidance, social-emotional well-being, personal and leadership development, mentoring, and engagement in experiential learning opportunities.
For More Information Contact:
Dr. Joi Patterson jpatterson3@govst.edu
Dr. Kim Major-Ford kmajorford@govst.edu
IEE Mini-Grants
Governors State University (GovState) enthusiastically
invites applications for the 2025 Institutional Engagement and Excellence (IEE)
Mini-Grant. In keeping with GovState’s mission, we have dedicated $25,000 in
institutional grant funding to “demonstrate engagement and excellence to
encourage acceptance of wide-ranging perspectives among students, staff,
faculty, and members of the broader community” and our institutional commitment
to fostering engagement and excellence across the GovState community, and the
goals and objectives of the Strategy 2025.
The Office of Institutional Engagement and Excellence has created five (5) IEE Mini-Grants up to $5,000.00 to individuals or groups to support efforts by GovState’s faculty, staff, and student organizations that strive to help GovState become a “model for belonging, inclusivity, and equity in a diverse community.” This initiative serves two purposes: (1) provide seed funding to conduct projects, research projects, resource development, programming, and initiatives that focus on advancing equity and inclusion, belonging, and dismantling racism in its many forms, especially as it relates to teaching and learning environment and (2) to support cross-institutional capacity, mentorship, and community-building in the areas of institutional engagement and excellence.
The IEE Mini-Grants align with four (4) main IEE focus areas and support innovative and GovState community-focus efforts in these areas:
Students
Improve recruitment, retention, persistence, completion, and advancement of all students.
Employees
Improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of all faculty and staff.
Curriculum
Support inclusive excellence within the formal curriculum and with our co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences.
Community
Engage with our alumni and with local, national, and international communities to encourage the pursuit of inclusive excellence beyond the boundaries of GovState.
Timeline
February 2025 | Announcement |
February 28, 2024 | Proposals Open |
March 13, 2025 | Virtual Information Session - Recording |
March 28, 2025 | Letter of Intent Due – recommended but not required |
June 15, 2025 | Proposals Due |
September, 2025 | Recipients Notified |
| Convocation 2025 | Recipients Publicly Announced |
AY 25/26 | Implementation – September 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 |
Required Downloadable Proposal Documents
For more Information, please visit
the IEE webpage or contact Dr. Joi Patterson, Chief of Institutional Engagement and Excellence at jpatterson3@govst.edu