Community Foundation of Louisa County Supports Career and College Readiness

CORALVILLE, IOWA (March 2, 2021) — The Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Community Foundation of Louisa County to provide support to students and educators through the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will support virtual and in-person seminars and advising as schools prepare to return after the pandemic caused an abrupt end to the 2019-2020 academic year in March 2020.

The Community Foundation of Louisa County is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Through this partnership, the Community Foundation of Louisa serves residents of Louisa County through our granting program and the development of new funds that benefit Louisa County.
  

The Louisa County program will work to bridge gaps in career and college readiness planning caused by school closures and bring focus toward the importance of career exploration and planning in high school, including exploration of apprenticeships, career and technical education opportunities, and college during both the Spring and Fall 2021 semesters.

The project will bring college planning and financial aid information and resources to the students and families of Louisa County communities to inform high school students and parents of the steps required to achieve their educational goals, as well as specialized events to assist seniors with FAFSA form completion.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertainty for in-person events, the grant programming will be transitioned to virtual when needed to ensure students are able to continue the important steps in planning for life after high school. With services provided through ICAN, the initiative hopes to serve more than 2,200 individuals including: students, parents, and educators through a partnership with Louisa-Muscatine, Columbus Community, and Wapello High Schools.

In an effort to empower students with the understanding that higher education is accessible to everyone, the Louisa County Initiative is part of a wider effort by ICAN to reach every middle- and high school and every student in Iowa to better prepare students for college and the workforce. According to Complete College America, more than 60 percent of Iowa jobs will require a college education by 2020.

“Education and training beyond high school is necessity for long-term success in the ever-changing job market,” explained Rob Miller, ICAN President. “This grant enables ICAN to continue meeting the needs of Iowa students even in a global pandemic.”

ICAN, a nonprofit organization providing career and college readiness planning to students and parents in Iowa, has been educating and empowering Iowa’s future workforce since

1998.

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About ICAN

The Iowa College Access Network is a nonprofit, educational organization. ICAN is the College Access Network for Iowa, and a member of the National College Access

Network (NCAN). ICAN has 10 locations in Ankeny, Cedar Rapids/Hiawatha, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Orange City, Sioux City and Waterloo, which provide information and support to students and their families as they plan their postsecondary education and apply for financial aid. All ICAN programs and services are provided without charge. For more information about ICAN, call (877) 272-4692 or visit www.ICANsucceed.org.

About the Community Foundation of Louisa County

The Community Foundation of Louisa County is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Through this partnership, the Community Foundation of Louisa serves residents of Louisa County through our granting program and the development of new funds that benefit Louisa County.