NEO awarded two Title III Grants totaling more than $7 million

Miami, Okla. — Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College has been awarded two federal Title III grants through the Strengthening Institutions Program, providing more than $7.2 million in combined project funding over five years to strengthen academic programs, expand student support, and prepare students for a changing workforce.

NEO received an individual five-year grant totaling $2,584,849 to strengthen its Health Studies programs. The college also received a cooperative grant with Connors State College totaling $4,651,767, including $2,938,387 designated for NEO and $1,713,380 for Connors State. Both grants began Oct. 1, 2026, and will run for five years.

"NEO has a strong history of securing funding through the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program," said NEO Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Dustin Grover. "These grants have consistently provided important resources to support institutional improvement, strengthen academic programs, and expand opportunities for student success."

NEO's individual project, Investing in Health Studies, will focus on three major initiatives: expanding nursing simulation, increasing artificial intelligence literacy among Health Studies faculty, and developing individualized student success coaching. The project includes plans to hire a Simulation Lab Coordinator to assist nursing faculty with incorporating simulation into traditional and Fast Track nursing courses and a Health Studies Success Navigator and Data Manager to develop a customized student coaching and support system.

The project will also provide AI training for Health Studies faculty and support collaboration to integrate AI into Health Studies courses. The initiatives are designed to improve Health Studies enrollment, student persistence, graduation and transfer rates, credentials awarded, graduate job placement, and long-term earnings.

The cooperative project with Connors State College, Advancing Artificial Intelligence at NEO & CSC, will strengthen institutional capacity through AI training, curriculum development, instructional integration, and data analytics.

The project includes faculty AI training, development of a three-course AI microcredential, integration of AI into general education courses through a summer AI Academy, and modernization of institutional data infrastructure using AI-driven analytics. The microcredential will include two foundational AI courses and one program-specific course, with specialized coursework developed across eight academic divisions.

"Both grants address significant challenges facing higher education today, particularly for rural institutions," Grover said. "These projects will help NEO address the growing shortage of healthcare professionals while building the capacity to respond to the significant impact of artificial intelligence on higher education and the workforce. Together, these initiatives will better prepare our students and position NEO to meet the changing needs of our region."

Through the cooperative project, NEO and Connors State aim to expand workforce-relevant curriculum, strengthen AI literacy among students and faculty, improve student outcomes, and prepare graduates with skills relevant to an increasingly AI-driven workforce.

Dr. Joy Bauer, who brings years of experience leading grant initiatives, has been identified as project director for both Title III grants and will oversee implementation of the projects during the five-year grant period.

The two awards continue NEO's efforts to secure external resources that strengthen academic programs, support student success, and respond to the evolving workforce needs of northeast Oklahoma and the surrounding region.