The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), Vermont’s statewide organization supporting education for Vermonters beyond high school, announced that it has received a significant five-year funding extension for its Educational Opportunity Center, which helps Vermont adult learners connect with college and workforce training.
The $2.9 million federal grant allows the EOC to continue its work through 2026. The EOC was founded in 1991 and has helped more than 60,000 adult Vermonters over the last three decades.
“We talk about education as the ‘great equalizer,’” said Scott Giles, VSAC President and CEO. “Thinking about those 60,000 people, and the milestones they’ve been able to achieve in their lives – the families they’ve grown, the businesses they’ve started, and the communities they’ve strengthened – really makes that truth hit home. I’m so proud of the work that VSAC’s counseling team does every day, and I’m grateful to the hard work of our Congressional delegation that will allow that work to continue,” he said.
Governor Phil Scott stressed the importance of continual workforce training, adding that it’s a critical time for growth – both for Vermont and for Vermonters.
“Working to grow Vermont’s workforce and expanding workforce development opportunities have been top priorities for my administration,” said Governor Scott. “This will be even more critical as we work out of the pandemic and rebuild, and programs like this will go a long way in helping Vermonters develop the tools they need to succeed.”
Merrilyn Tatarczuch-Koff, VSAC Director of Vermont’s EOC, said the program works with some 1,600 Vermonters each year who do not have bachelor’s degrees and wish to continue their education. According to Tatarczuch-Koff, EOC counselors, working with numerous community partners, can help their clients, either virtually, by phone, or in person. Seven statewide counselors offer one-on-one counseling in the way of career exploration, identifying educational and professional certification programs, and connecting with funding sources such as scholarships and grants.