MCLA Receives $684,096 State Grant to Support Student Success and Degree Completion

January 12, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, MA — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) received $684,096 in State University SUCCESS 2.0 funding to support student retention and degree completion efforts, according to an announcement from Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll.

The grant will enable MCLA to implement comprehensive support services focused on helping vulnerable student populations, particularly Pell Grant-eligible students, successfully complete their degrees.

"This funding represents a significant investment in our students' futures," said MCLA President James F. Birge. "The SU SUCCESS 2.0 program will allow us to provide the wraparound supports and proactive services that research shows make a real difference in helping students persist and graduate."

"The degrees that students earn will provide them with increased economic mobility for themselves and their families," said Noe Ortega, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. "It is a key component of the American Dream that you are working to make real in Massachusetts."

The State University SUCCESS 2.0 program is modeled on proven, research-based practices including the SUNY ACE/CUNY ASAP initiatives that have demonstrated significant gains in retention and degree completion nationwide.

These evidence-based strategies are designed to help students overcome barriers to degree completion and achieve increased economic mobility for themselves and their families.

The grant funding comes as part of the state's commitment to expanding access to higher education and ensuring that more Massachusetts students can earn baccalaureate degrees.

About MCLA
At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.