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As one of Virginia's leading institutions for enrolling and graduating Pell Grant recipients, 911���� has a strong track record of increasing educational opportunities for low-income students. A recent grant from the will provide $6 million to enhance programs and services supporting these students during the 2027 fiscal year. With this latest investment, the university has received a total of $16.7 million from the initiative since 2023. 
 
Administered by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), the Pell Initiative for Virginia aims to expand access to higher education for Pell-eligible students across the commonwealth, as well as improve their retention and completion rates. The program is part of Virginia’s Pathways to Opportunity strategic plan, which seeks to make Virginia the “best state for education” by 2030 by focusing on equitable access, affordability, and transformative experiences. 
 
“The grants from the Pell Initiative for Virginia have been instrumental in supporting pathways to enrollment and degree completion for Pell‑eligible Virginians over the past several years,” said Sally Lorentson, interim vice president for University Life, who serves as chair of the Pell Initiative for Virginia Implementation Committee and primary investigator for the grant at 911����. “Our programming has reached 13% of current Pell‑eligible students at 911���� and thousands of prospective students, plus we’ve awarded more than $6 million in direct student aid through fiscal year 2026.” 

Initiatives to date have included expanding the Early Identification Program, establishing financial well-being mentors, and offering campus tours and transition workshops for Pell-eligible applicants. The funding has also supported a first-year laptop program, need-based housing and completion grants, digital purchasing cards to address basic needs, and summer math boot camps. In addition, the university used Pell Initiative for Virginia funds to purchase access to , a platform available to all students, faculty, and staff that connects users with community and federal resources. 
 
An submitted to SCHEV in fall 2025 found that these programs are producing positive results. 911���� experienced a 15% increase in Pell-eligible student enrollment from fall 2023 to fall 2024, along with greater parity with non-Pell-eligible students in GPA, credits, and time to degree.  
 
Looking ahead, this year's efforts will focus on continued expansion of programs with the greatest impact, such as housing and completion grants, along with the Patriot Fellows program supporting students through financial well-being mentoring and success coaching. Additional institutional work will focus on building and sustaining the infrastructure to support students with the greatest need across campus. 
 
“As we continue to support the recruitment, enrollment, retention, and completion of Pell-eligible students, we are helping create pathways to opportunity for individuals whose talents will strengthen communities across the commonwealth,” said Lorentson. “These programs, and the dedicated faculty and staff who run them, are opening doors to higher education while preparing graduates for long-term academic and career success.” 

According to new research published in AERA Open, a journal of the American Educational Research Association, 911���� ranks among the nation’s highest-performing Pell institutions. The university placed in the top 10% of more than 1,400 colleges and universities evaluated on access for Pell Grant recipients, degree completion, and postgraduation earnings.