Radford University receives SCHEV grant to boost retention, graduation for Pell-eligible students

The university has already exceeded retention goals through targeted student success initiatives.

Radford University has received an $899,160 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to expand initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates for Pell-eligible students. This award is the fifth grant from the Pell Initiative of Virginia, from which Radford has received over $3.5 million in grant support.

The funding builds on Radford's ongoing work to remove barriers to student success and strengthen outcomes for students with financial need. Since 2024, the university has already exceeded the grant's retention goal for Pell-eligible first-year students. Currently, Radford University enrolls more than 2,700 Pell-eligible undergraduate students, and the number rises annually.

Under the SCHEV initiative, success was defined as at least a two percentage-point increase in fall-to-spring retention for Pell-eligible first-year students. Radford's results have surpassed that benchmark. Retention for Pell-eligible new freshmen increased from 71.3% for the fall 2022 cohort to 73.7% for the fall 2023 cohort, and then rose again to 74.2% for the fall 2024 cohort, exceeding the 73% goal established for that year.

These gains reflect the impact of Radford's targeted support model for Pell-eligible students. Strategies highlighted in the university's SCHEV initiative include the Enrollment Coach Initiative, the Highlander Success Scholarship, Student Success Advocates, financial literacy support and the development of Compass, a one-stop student support office.

The Enrollment Coach Initiative was created to help Pell-eligible students successfully navigate the transition to college. Radford hired 13 student coaches to work with committed Pell-eligible students and support enrollment and persistence efforts. The university also expanded opportunities through Research Rookies, which provides undergraduate research stipends.

In FY24 Round 2, Radford introduced the Highlander Success Scholarships, which provide funds to replace lost state grant aid for Pell-eligible students who experience a reduction in gift aid between the first and second year of enrollment. The scholarship was designed to bridge a financial gap that might otherwise prevent students from continuing their education.

In FY25, the university added four full-time Student Success Advocates to provide case-management-style support and financial literacy guidance. In FY26, Radford launched Compass, a one-stop shop model that includes four additional advocates and access to emergency funds for students facing immediate financial hardship.

University data and program feedback point to several factors driving success, including identifying Pell-eligible students on prospect and enrollment lists, inviting students to support programming such as summer bridge, assigning advocates, conducting mid-cycle reviews each term, providing financial literacy education and offering emergency funds when needed.

One student considered withdrawing during the third week of classes because he needed to repair his vehicle to keep his part-time job. After being referred to Compass, he received $300 in emergency grant funding, allowing him to fix his car and remain enrolled.

"Radford University is committed to creating opportunities for students regardless of background or socioeconomic status," said Dannette Gomez Beane, vice president for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications. "This SCHEV investment supports strategies that are already making a measurable difference for Pell-eligible students and will help us build on that momentum."

The grant supports Radford's broader mission of improving access, affordability and student success across the commonwealth. By combining financial support with proactive advising and personalized intervention, the university is helping more Pell-eligible students stay enrolled, progress academically and move toward graduation.