Reading, PA, December 11, 2018 – Reading Area Community College (RACC) has been awarded $75,000 as part of a grant from the BB&T Economic Growth Fund through the Berks County Community Foundation. The grant will be used to support the RACC President’s Initiative Fund. Specifically, the grant will help fund the expansion of the Peer Mentorship Program for five semesters from spring 2019 through May 2021, and will double the opportunities for mentorship for each semester. 

The RACC Peer Mentorship Program serves to promote academic success, and increase the student graduation rates. First-year RACC students are paired with outstanding upper-class students who act as mentors throughout the academic year. “This grant from the BB&T Economic Growth Fund will help us expand the Peer Mentor Program to assist first-year students in their academic success. We know that students who participate in a quality mentor program are more prepared academically for challenges they face during their first year of college,“ says RACC President Susan D. Looney. “The funding will also be used for scholarships which will allow these funds to support RACC’s mission of offering access, opportunity, excellence and hope for all students.”

“We are excited to have this opportunity to support RACC’s President’s Initiative Fund, and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on Reading Area Community College students and their academic success,” says David Roland, BB&T market president, Berks County/Northern Montgomery County. The BB&T Economic Growth Fund was established in 2017 to invest in local economic development opportunities. 

The Berks County Community Foundation received $2.5 million in connection with BB&T’s acquisition of National Penn in 2016. The Fund allows the Community Foundation to support charitable projects and initiatives that impact economic development efforts in Berks County.

To learn more about the RACC Peer Mentorship Program or the Berks County Community Foundation visit racc.edu or bccf.org.