UNM-LA NEWS
UNM-Los Alamos has launched a new initiative aimed at improving college graduation rates in Northern New Mexico. The Graduation Project, modeled on UNM-Albuquerque’s highly successful program of the same name, seeks to encourage former students to return to school to finish their degrees.
Research has shown that many students leave their university studies without a degree due to financial reasons, as well as a lack of institutional support and difficulty enrolling in the classes they need in order to graduate. The Graduation Project at UNM-Los Alamos will address these challenges through personalized outreach to eligible students, dedicated advisement services throughout their time at the college, individualized financial aid and scholarships, free tutoring, and internship opportunities and career planning services.
Kathryn Vigil, Director of Student Services at UNM-LA, comments, “Many students enrolled at UNM-Los Alamos work part-time or full time in addition to taking college courses. We find that personal obligations or life changes are the main hurdles that our students experience and several just need a class or two to finish. We hope that some extra encouragement will go a long way toward helping them complete the program that they started.”
To be eligible for the program, former students must have completed at least 45 credits toward their degree, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Former students who are interested in The Graduation Project and who would like to resume their studies should contact UNM-LA Student Services at 505-662-5919 or visit losalamos.unm.edu/gradproject.html for more information.
“It’s never too late to finish your degree,” Ms. Vigil notes. “The Graduation Project can help make it possible.”
UNM-Los Alamos is an innovative, rigorous, and affordable comprehensive branch community college that provides foundations for transfer, leading-edge career programs, and lifelong learning opportunities. More information about UNM-Los Alamos is available at losalamos.unm.edu.