CAMP Grant Award

Idaho State University is happy to announce that they have been awarded a five-year College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) grant in the amount of $2.125 million from the U.S. Department of Education.

CAMP, a federally funded program, will provide assistance to students who are migratory or seasonal farmworkers, or whose parents are migratory or seasonal farmworkers, and who are enrolling and completing their first year of undergraduate studies at ISU. The CAMP program will provide extensive support services to meet the educational, social, and cultural challenges often encountered by students/families of migrant/seasonal farmworker backgrounds entering post secondary education. The program will provide free academic advising, personalized tutoring, study skills and academic workshops along with financial literacy resources (ie: scholarship search, FAFSA completion). 

Bringing the CAMP program to Idaho State University has been a dream of many individuals. As a federally funded program, the CAMP grant is an ambitious process in which institutions of higher education or community organizations compete for federal monies. CAMP joins the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) at ISU, a similar program that aims to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers (or children of such). ISU CAMP will begin the process necessary to recruit and enroll eligible students. More information will be coming soon.

“To see the access, support, and opportunities the CAMP program will provide for migrant/seasonal families in Idaho is truly amazing” says Guillermo Raya, a CAMP alumni and currently the Associate Director of TRIO Educational Talent Search. “CAMP was my home away from home. It provided staff that believed in my educational goals. It truly made a difference for me because without its support I wouldn’t be in this position to empower others.  I know it will do the same for our students.” The CAMP program, along with campus and community partners will provide 30 eligible students a year the opportunity to be part of intensive and supportive services. CAMP will also provide STEM access to students, informing about career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with an emphasis in computer science.

Sari Byerly, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Access and Outreach Programs also praised the program: “There are many amazing opportunities that stem from the CAMP grant, from serving students throughout the community to adding employment opportunities in the community. The dedicated grant writing teams over the years that have worked tirelessly to bring this program to Idaho State University have been amazing. Mr. Raya has truly led the charge to help make this grant a reality for ISU.”  

CAMP will join the Access and Opportunity Programs at ISU, which currently houses eight federal TRIO grant programs that create a support network as students enter their second year of college. In addition, CAMP will add 3 full-time, 2 part-time summer  teaching, and several student employment positions to Eastern Idaho. The positions will include an Associate Director, Advisor/Instructor and Recruiter/Advisor as these play an important role in the support and success of CAMP students. Individuals interested in these positions are encouraged to look for the postings on ISU’s employment page in the coming months.

ISU TRIO Access and Opportunity Programs welcomes the CAMP program to the family and looks forward to serving our first ISU CAMP cohort of 2021!

Please contact Dr. Sari Byerly for more information about the ISU CAMP program, byersari@isu.edu or 208-282-3242.