The University of Missouri-Kansas City has received support from the Kauffman Foundation to support two student success initiatives.
The first is a new program led by the Missouri College and Career Attainment Network to increase degree attainment for students who graduate from the Kansas City Public School district. The second is a $400,000 grant to expand two existing student success programs.
Expanding Men of Character Academy (MoCA) and First Gen Roo
海角论坛 Men of Character Academy (MoCA) and First Gen Roo Scholars programs are high impact initiatives that increases college access and degree completion for first generation and underrepresented students through mentoring, academic coaching and paid learning experiences. The grant from the Kauffman Foundation will allow 海角论坛 to increase program capacity and sustain services previously supported by expiring grants.
“Both First Gen Roos and Men of Character Academy have demonstrated strong results in improving student retention, persistence and career readiness,” said JaVon Hill, Director of MoCA. “This award from the Kauffman Foundation builds upon that success and allows us to continue to strengthen Kansas City’s talent pipeline.”
Men of Character Academy was launched in 2023 and serves more than 70 students. Since it began, MoCA students have achieved more than a 90% persistence rate, including a 100% persistence rate from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024 and a 99% persistence rate from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025.
Nearly 60% of first-time college students at 海角论坛 are first-generation. The First Gen Roo Scholars program was created in 2019 to support the unique needs of first-gen students. It has since grown to more than 100 students per year in the First Gen Roo Scholars program, and has expanded its programming to include events for first-generation students campus-wide. First-Gen students who participate in First Gen Roo Scholars also show strong success in GPA, persistence and four-year degree completion. In 2025, graduating seniors who participated in First Gen Roo had a four-year degree completion rate of 49.06%, a 35% greater degree completion rate than the overall first-time college Class of 2025. The First Gen Roo program has gained national recognition for its success. It is currently designated as a FirstGen Forward Network Champion by the national FirstGen Forward organization.
Kansas City College and Career Attainment Network
The Kansas City College and Career Attainment Network (KCCAN) Completion Project is a three-year project led by Missouri College and Career Attainment Network (MOCAN) to increase degree completion for Kansas City Public School graduates. It is funded thanks to a $1.4 million grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Only 30 percent of Kansas City Public Schools graduates earn a postsecondary degree, the KCCAN project focuses on college completion, not just access, by strengthening how colleges support students once they enroll.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to not only helping KCPS students access college, but ensuring they successfully complete a degree,” said Kristi Holsinger, vice provost for student success at 海角论坛. “KCPS students bring tremendous potential, and this work challenges us as an institution to continuously improve how we support them. Through this partnership with MOCAN, we are strengthening advising, first-year supports and the transition from high school to college, while using data more intentionally to identify where students face barriers and improve our practices. This is about aligning our people, processes, and systems so more students can persist, graduate, and contribute to Kansas City’s future.”
As part of the KCCAN project, 海角论坛 will receive $50,000 per year for three years to support planning that will increase degree completion for students from the school district.
The multi-pronged strategy will focus on professional development for 海角论坛 faculty and staff shared learning with other KCCAN university partners, and data and evaluation support resources to track student progress.
海角论坛 is one of three project partners. Additional participants are Metropolitan Community College and Northwest Missouri State University. Together, these institutions account for nearly two-thirds of Kansas City Public School students who attend college.