Alvin College Receives Grant from Houston Endowment

Alvin College will now be able to expand opportunities for students in several programs after receiving a $2.9 million grant from Houston Endowment.

The three-year grant program will support the implementation of Career Focused Advising and developing workforce pathways for Commercial Driving, Logistics and Business Management.

“Receiving these grant funds will be a major boost for these programs which are in high demand within the region,” Alvin College President Dr. Robert J. Exley said. “This generous grant from Houston Endowment will have a very deep impact on the careers of our students while also providing highly trained employees for our local workforce.”

Houston Endowment is a private foundation established in 1937 by Jesse H. Jones and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones, to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. Houston Endowment pursues bold goals, builds partnerships, and invests in innovative solutions to create a vibrant region where all have the opportunity to thrive.

 Supporting community colleges is an important initiative because it provides assistance for students who need it the most, said Houston Endowment President and CEO Elisa Villanueva-Beard in a press release.

“We can’t ask them to work any harder. They’ve been working hard their whole lives,” she said. “And so we need to make sure that they have a path that works.” 

The Career Focused Advising model is a new initiative at Alvin College designed to provide students with personalized guidance that extends beyond earning a certificate or degree. It will also help them identify career pathways and successfully transition from the classroom into the workforce.

“Career-Focused Advising helps our students choose a career pathway from day one, stay on track to complete their program, and leave Alvin College ready for gainful employment,” Dr. Exley said. “We want every student who crosses the stage at graduation to step directly into a successful career.”

The programs supported by the Houston Endowment grant align with some of the region’s fastest-growing fields. Over the next four years, employment is projected to grow 4.4 percent in commercial driving, 3.8 percent in logistics and 3.6 percent in business management. Through Career-Focused Advising, Alvin College students in these programs will have a clear path from enrollment to completion to a career in their community.

For more information, please visit www.alvincollege.edu or call 281-756-3531.