{U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) and Bloomfield College’s administration today announced the U.S. Department of Education has awarded the college $220,000 to help prepare 25 disadvantaged students for graduate school.

“As a former public high school history teacher, I am thrilled to see this kind of federal aid coming to some of the most-deserving, hardest-working students in northern New Jersey,” said Pascrell, who worked 12 years in the classroom. “This grant shows that financial help will be there for those who seize their educational opportunities.”

Upon learning of the grant award, Bloomfield College President Richard Levao said, “We are most appreciative for this wonderful recognition which will enable the College to enhance its educational mission.  Not only does this represent an endorsement and recognition of the critical role of the college, it is another gratifying expression of confidence in the quality of the college's programs and the dedication of our faculty and staff.”

Josephine Cohn, Bloomfield College’s assistant vice president for academic development, wrote the application for the grant.

Most Bloomfield College students are the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree, often with the help of scholarships, grants and other financial aid. Many Bloomfield College graduates do not pursue higher degrees because they continue to face financial constraints after college.

The McNair grant, named after Ronald McNair, the nation’s second African-American to travel in space, is designed to help level the graduate school playing field. McNair, who died with six other astronauts in the tragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, was a laser-physicist educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The grant provides funding for opportunities to prepare for post-baccalaureate study including scholarly research, preparation for graduate admission exams, mentoring by faculty members, and advanced critical thinking skills courses.

Congressman Pascrell, a longtime supporter of Bloomfield College, last visited the campus in 2008 to announce the awarding of the federal Predominately Black Institutions grant for the advancement of math, science, technology, and health-related initiatives. The PBI grant has been instrumental in upgrading the science labs and sending science and education majors to global educational symposiums on environmental issues and technology.
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