PUEBLO, Colo.

CSU Pueblo Secures $1 Million Grant to Help 150 Students Complete Degrees

A new COSI Achieve award pairs scholarship funding with wraparound support services, targeting students who face financial obstacles before finishing their degrees.

Colorado State University Pueblo has received a $1,007,841.02 grant to help 150 students each year overcome financial barriers and complete their degrees. The award comes through the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) Achieve grant program, which the state announced in December 2025 and finalized in April 2026.

The program pairs tuition assistance with wraparound support services aimed at keeping students enrolled through graduation. It targets nontraditional students, those returning to school after time away, and students balancing jobs and family responsibilities while pursuing degrees.

“We are thankful to the Colorado Department of Higher Education for its continued investment in the futures of students. Being awarded the COSI Achieve grant will allow us to address the issue of helping people fund their educational goals. COSI Achieve will support the university’s efforts to remove barriers that prevent students from completing their degrees by also including necessary student support services. The ultimate goal is to allow students, staff, and faculty to engage in conversations about access and persistence, ensuring that every student has the support they need to complete their degree.”

Dr. Kathryn Starkey, Dean of Extended Studies, CSU Pueblo

COSI Achieve merges two state programs: Matching Student Scholarships, which covers tuition costs, and the Community Partnership Program, which funds holistic student support. State outcomes data show students who receive both types of assistance are more likely to stay enrolled and earn credentials.

The grant will support students like Anne Cabello, a grandmother of 25 who returned to college after decades away, and Jevin Jordan, who used COSI funding to return to school after nearly a decade and earn his psychology degree.

The program begins serving students in July 2026.

For more information, contact Lori Lucero, Grants Specialist in Extended Studies, at 719.549.2392.