Eastern was awarded two grants totaling $345,252 from the Illinois Board of Higher Education at Tuesday’s IBHE meeting in Hilton Hotel in Springfield.

Eastern was one of six institutions in the state to receive a portion of the $1.28 million given to IBHE under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Linda Morford, chair of Eastern’s department of Educational Administration, is the director of the $232,652 grant that will be used to fund four outreach service programs to assist local teachers and administrators.

“It’s directly benefiting education at all levels,” Morford said. “It’s really important for us to reach out to the schools in the area.” Some rural schools don’t have as many opportunities for training programs as those in larger cities, she said.

This is the second time Eastern received this three-year grant, and the first time it was awarded in full.

“It’s really good to know that the board of higher education thinks we’re doing the right things in serving this area,” said Mary Bower, who works with grants in the College of Education and Professional Studies. “It feels like they still like what we’re doing.”

Some of the programs funded by the grant support a survey administered by Eastern to recent education graduates to evaluate their preparedness in their career.

“We are finding out basically if they feel like their preparation in college is helping them as teachers,” Bower said. “It gives universities information about things that they’re doing well.”

Other programs include a mentoring and induction program for new administrators and a workshop program for administrators in the area. The grant also supports a program that targets and assists schools that did not meet the adequate yearly progress as part of No Child Left Behind.

“I am thrilled that we have received one of the IBHE grants,” said Diane Jackman, Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies. “This grant will allow us to continue and expand many partnerships and projects already under way.”

The second grant awarded to Eastern was $112,600 for a cooperative work-study program that helps place Eastern students in work-study experiences outside the university.

“It’s putting students out there in the work world where they’re getting practical experience,” said Dan Crews, grant manager and director of publicity for the College of Arts and Humanities.

The program allows students to get work experience at businesses in Illinois by paying half of their salary and having the business pay the other half.

“These companies could be anything from major companies to small ‘Mom ‘n Pop’ operations,” Crews said.

The program assists about 100 students a year. This is the 16th grant of this type Eastern has received.

“It just goes to show Eastern’s commitment to helping students and preparing them for the work world,” Crews said.