Centre joining Coalition for College, continuing push to ease access to higher education  

Underscoring a commitment to ensuring that all students have access to a successful, affordable, and transformative college experience, Centre College is joining the Coalition for College, which is dedicated to the goal of improving the college admission application process for all students. 

The Coalition is a group of more than 150 colleges and universities across the U.S. committed to increasing students’ access to higher education. The Coalition’s members are united in their mission to support lower-income, under-resourced, and/or first-generation students by providing responsible financial aid and bolstering student success in college and beyond. Coalition members are committed to working to make college affordable and ensuring students graduate on time, often with little or no debt.     

As a national leader in access and opportunity, Centre College awards more than $43 million in financial aid each year and has committed to increasing the number of Pell-eligible students on campus to 25% of its overall enrollment within the next five years. The College was recognized this year by Bloomberg Philanthropies for its work to improve access and success for lower-income students. Centre was one of 10 institutions in the nation to receive a $1 million grant from the Kessler Scholars Collaborative to improve access for first-generation students, and the College is also home to the successful Grissom Scholars Program, which offers full-tuition scholarships to 10 first-generation students each year.  

“The Centre community is a testament to what bright, promising students can do when they are given a chance to excel at the highest level,” said Centre President Milton C. Moreland. “Joining the Coalition for College builds on the work we’ve done to tear down barriers for students of all backgrounds.”  

Research shows that not all students have equal access to higher education, the Coalition notes, specifically, in many instances students from underrepresented communities are not provided with the tools and resources they need to apply to college. In addition, they frequently struggle with applying for financial aid, and they often do not receive the financial aid for which they qualify. The Coalition offers hands-on resources to help students learn about, prepare for, and apply to college.     

The Coalition for College is a free platform of college planning and application tools that streamline these processes and allow students to begin planning for college starting as early as 9th grade. The online tools include a digital portfolio, a collaboration platform, personalized college search and discovery, and an application portal that reshapes the process of applying to college, reducing students’ unfamiliarity with the application.   

“These resources help to level the playing field for all students, regardless of background or previous experience, so they can navigate planning and paying for higher education with confidence and make informed decisions about their future,” says Chad Spencer, Centre’s vice president for enrollment management.  

Coalition institutions have demonstrated their commitment to access, affordability, academic outcomes and student success, and are leaders in actively building supportive environments that foster a sense of belonging for all students. Coalition schools outperform national graduation rates by 17 percent.    

Founded in 1819, Centre College is a premier national liberal arts and sciences college, serving approximately 1,400 students. Providing an extraordinary community and a supportive, personal academic path to a meaningful life and career, Centre is ranked No. 17 for Best Value among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report,