For many of Troy University’s working adult students, a significant obstacle to completing their degree is the cost of child care—but a new grant from the U.S. Department of Education will help ease that burden for some.

Troy University has received $246,526 from the Department of Education to form a Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program. The program will provide subsidized childcare for student-parents enrolled at all of TROY’s campus in Alabama—Troy, Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City. To qualify, students must be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants.

Many students receiving Pell Grants at TROY are also working parents, said Dr. Cynthia Hicks, Associate Professor in the College of Education and a coordinator for the CCAMPIS Project. Lack of access to affordable childcare is a significant barrier to these students finishing their degrees on time, or at all.

“We see this new program as something that will help more of our students complete their degrees, and in a timelier fashion,” Dr. Hicks said.

Under the program, the subsidized childcare services will be provided through local child care centers near TROY’s campuses, or at the Coleman Center for Early Learning and Family Enrichment at the Dothan Campus.

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones played a key role in helping TROY secure this grant. In July, Sen. Jones sent a letter to the Department of Education expressing his support for the application submitted by Troy University. He has been vocal advocate for making quality education more accessible, urging Alabama universities and colleges to apply for CCAMPIS grants and supporting funding for CCAMPIS programs.

“After visiting the first and only Alabama CCAMPIS site at Northwest-Shoals Community College last year, I knew right away this was a program I wanted to support and grow. Since then, we’ve secured $34 million in additional federal funding for the program and added two more Alabama schools to our roster of CCAMPIS sites. Today, nearly five million college students are attending school while raising children, so it is critical we find accessible child care solutions for these students so they can stay on track to earn their degrees,” said Sen. Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee.

TROY will begin accepting applications for the program this fall, with the program set to begin in January. Students who feel they are eligible for the child care subsidies can email Dr. Hicks at hicksc@troy.edu to learn more or be notified when applications are available.