New Grant Provides Support for Parents Attending College of Central Florida

Local parents attending the College of Central Florida may receive extra support in their pursuit of higher education, thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

The grant funds will support parents who are attending college part time. A portion of the funds will be designated for parents of students at College Park Elementary School as part of CF’s partnership with Marion County Public Schools and College Park Elementary, a Community Partnership School™. This is the third year the CF Foundation has received this grant to assist college students.

“In past years, College of Central Florida staff and students have worked with College Park Elementary School staff and other core partners to help meet students’ basic needs such as food and clothing. We then began to work to help expand student learning,” said Dr. Jennifer Fryns, CF associate vice president for Career and Professional Programs. “This approach takes our partnership to a new level. By matching CF’s core mission of providing a high-quality education aligned with work to the training needs of parents and caregivers of College Park Elementary School students, we’re helping them to have every opportunity to succeed in life.”

CF students enrolled in any college credit program who are parents of College Park students may apply for a maximum award of $2,500 per year. There are a limited number of scholarships available and other eligibility criteria may apply. Applicants should contact Caron Reid at 352-291-4057, ext. 51347.

College Park Elementary is located in the southwest quadrant of Ocala with close proximity to the College of Central Florida and major commercial and retail industry and has a majority underserved and at-risk school population. In 2019, the school was selected to become Marion County’s first and only Community Partnership School™, which promotes a model that rallies multiple community partners to work toward improving not only student learning gains but simultaneously improving students’ living conditions, health and wellness, and the health and wellness of their families. This program has a core group of invested community partners, including pillar partners Marion County Public Schools, Ocala Health, Public Education Foundation of Marion County, United Way of Marion County and University of Central Florida. College Park has had additional support from College of Central Florida, Meadowbrook Church, Marion County Literacy Council and NAACP.

For more information about how the CF Foundation supports college students, visit CF.edu/Foundation.