Thomas Edison State University (TESU) has been awarded a grant from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) to support OSHE’s Some College, No Degree initiative.

The university is set to receive $149,977 to fund incentives for both students and institutions, facilitating the return of working adult students to college for degree completion. OSHE has allocated nearly $3.3 million in grant funding to 23 institutions.

"We are honored to be selected for the FY24 Some College, No Degree Institutional Grant Opportunity. The University was founded for this purpose and the grant furthers our work in overcoming barriers to re-enrollment and degree completion,” said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, president, TESU. “We are proud to contribute to the transformation of higher education in New Jersey, ensuring our workforce is well-prepared for the challenges ahead. We look forward to collaborating with the State and amplifying best practices that will contribute to achieving the goal of 65% of working-age New Jerseyans obtaining a high-quality credential by 2025."

Nationally, the population of students with some college, but no degree has been increasing and roughly translates to one-in-four adults across the United States. In New Jersey, more than 790,000 residents are a part of this population, having taken a hiatus for various reasons, ranging from financial and material hardship to shifting career goals and aspirations.