University of Mount Olive Awarded Nearly $3 Million Title III Grant to Build AI-Enabled Pathways for Rural Students
The University of Mount Olive (UMO) in Mount Olive, Wayne County, North Carolina, has been awarded a Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support a five-year institutional transformation initiative focused on student success, retention, graduation, workforce preparation, artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, faculty development and technology modernization.
The grant's initial award of $1,459,057 covers October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Continued funding for years 2-5, which would bring the total award to $2,999,880, is contingent upon the availability of federal appropriations and the university meeting the Department's requirements for continued funding.
The initiative, "Rural Transformation: Building AI-Enabled Pathways to Student Success and Workforce Opportunity," is designed to strengthen UMO's capacity to serve students while preparing graduates for high-demand careers in an increasingly AI-driven economy, strengthening rather than replacing the personalized advising and instruction that characterize the UMO experience.
Planned initiatives include AI-enhanced advising and early-alert systems, 24/7 AI-supported tutoring, AI literacy integrated throughout the curriculum, career-focused advising, workforce pathways, faculty development and expanded student programming.
The project also supports technology modernization, including smart classrooms, expanded Wi-Fi, upgraded networking infrastructure, a dedicated AI/PC laboratory, a cybersecurity laboratory, and enhanced science and agriculture learning environments. New and enhanced academic programs will address high-demand fields including cybersecurity, healthcare, agriculture, veterinary science, education and business.
UMO's proposal identified challenges including first-year retention and graduation rates, declining numbers of graduates, and the additional barriers faced by many first-generation, low-income, rural and Pell Grant-eligible students. "This grant represents an investment in our students, faculty, communities, and the rural workforce we serve," said Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Burt Lewis.
UMO qualified for the Strengthening Institutions Program (Title III, Part A) based on its institutional eligibility and demonstrated need. The university is designated by the National Center for Education Statistics as a Rural-Distant Institution and serves rural communities in eastern North Carolina. By Year 5, UMO aims to increase full-time undergraduate enrollment, raise first-year retention, increase the six-year graduation rate and increase median graduate earnings, and plans to sustain the initiatives through university resources beyond the grant period.
University of Mount Olive official announcement
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 橄榄山大学校门标志（官方图）。橄榄山大学官网。 / The University of Mount Olive entrance sign (official photo). University of Mount Olive website.
