Despite its standing as one of the University of Lousiana System’s most diverse and accessible institutions, Grambling State University is the most underrepresented school in its program designed to attract former students back to complete college.
GSU offers just one degree program out of 62 available online and in-person offerings through the ‘Compete Louisiana’ initiative, a project designed to pair former college students with some earned credits with academic counselors to help adult learners earn baccalaureate degrees.
Programs are not offered on an exclusive basis within the initiative, as several institutions offer GSU-based programs such as management, history, marketing, and psychology.
The program offers participants a flat tuition rate of $275 per credit hour to encourage enrollment.
A recent profile by the Advocate on the program shows promising results for enrollment, but low returns for Grambling.
Here’s how many students are enrolled in the program, by campus, this semester: ULM, 81; UL Lafayette, 77; Northwestern State, 74; McNeese, 49; Nicholls, 26; UNO, 24; Louisiana Tech, 18; Southeastern, 15; Grambling, 11.
Louisiana Tech and Southeastern each offer three degree programs in general or interdisciplinary studies, family and consumer sciences, health informatics and information, and criminal justice.
The 81 Compete LA students enrolled across the University of Louisiana Monroe 12 initiative offerings account for more than 43% of the institution’s enrollment increase for the fall 2020 semester.
Last month, ULM and McNeese received more than $2.4 million in federal funding to support workforce development in the region – a key metric of the Compete LA initiative.
