UMass gets $330,000 to expand free early college program

Providing broad access to higher education

The University of Massachusetts has received a $330,000 grant to launch a pilot program that will eventually give thousands of high school students the chance to save money on their college education by providing a free one-year head start on earning a degree, officials said Wednesday.

The grant from the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation will support the university's Commonwealth Collegiate Academy, designed to increase college opportunities among first-generation, low-income students, as well as students of color.

Read more