New York Sen. Ray Meier visited the ACCESS Project at Hamilton College on Oct. 26 to announce that he has secured another $500,000 through the 2006-07 New York State budget to continue the project. Meier has secured $3 million for the ACCESS Project since its inception in 2000.
The ACCESS Project provides low-income parents with educational opportunities. The program provides an intensive introduction to the liberal arts with social service, career and family support. All of the students, prior to beginning the program, were dependent on county Social Services programs. To date the ACCESS Project has assisted more than 70 local welfare-eligible parents. The parents have either earned college degrees or are in the process and have decreased their dependence on social services buy nearly 90 percent.
"In my capacity as chairman of the Senate Committee on Social Services, Children and Families, I have worked to ensure that families who depend on public assistance have access to the supports they need to bring them from a life of dependence to a life of independence. Among the tools that make a difference is access to higher education, child care, and work supports. I believe in the ACCESS Project because it provides all of these tools and moves families from welfare to work," Meier said.
Vivyan Adair, director of the ACCESS Project said, "The ACCESS program has made a measurable difference in the lives of low income student-parents in our region. ACCESS students have earned college degrees and are now working in medicine, education, law and social services. In addition," said Adair, "our students' children and indeed their communities have benefited. We are extraordinarily grateful for all of Senator Meier's vision, commitment and support of our program and for his dedication to the people of central New York," she said.
ACCESS students are unlike traditional students because they face many more challenges, such as abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, low self-esteem, physical and learning disabilities, and family crises.
However, even with these difficulties, ACCESS students have far surpassed
the statistics of welfare student populations nationwide. In addition, the
classes are at par with first year students at Hamilton College, who have
far fewer challenges and are admitted to Hamilton based on their high
academic ability.
Kenya Cyrus, staff assistant for the ACCESS Project and a former ACCESS student herself said the program helped change her life. "Coursework with fantastic professors at Hamilton College taught me to think differently, to understand the way our world works, and to communicate, write and analyze proficiently."
