CSU Pueblo Secures $1 Million Grant to Help 150 Students Complete Degrees
The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative Achieve grant will provide tuition support and wraparound services to help students overcome barriers and persist through graduation.
PUEBLO, Colo. – A $1,007,841.02 grant will help 150 students each year at CSU Pueblo overcome financial barriers and complete their degrees through a combination of scholarship funding and comprehensive support services.
The university received the award 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 services designed to help students stay enrolled and graduate.
“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,” Starkey said. “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 succeed and complete their degree.”
Supporting Students Facing Financial Barriers
The funding targets students who face obstacles in paying for college, including nontraditional students returning after time away or those balancing work and family responsibilities while pursuing degrees.
COSI Achieve merges two successful state programs: Matching Student Scholarships, which helps cover tuition costs, and the Community Partnership Program, which funds holistic student support services.
State outcomes reports show students receiving both financial aid and wraparound support services are more likely to persist in college and successfully earn their credentials.
Real Stories Behind the Program
The grant will benefit students like Anne Cabello, a grandmother of 25 who returned to college after decades away, and Jevin Jordan, who used COSI support to come back to school after nearly a decade and earn his psychology degree.
University leaders say the program is designed to strengthen educational access while creating pathways for students whose college journeys may have been interrupted by financial hardship, work obligations, or family responsibilities.
Program Launch and Application Information
The program begins serving students in July 2026.
Interested students may apply online using the COSI Achieve application form.
For more information about the COSI Achieve program, contact Lori Lucero, Grants Specialist in Extended Studies, at 719.549.2392.
CSU Pueblo continues expanding student success initiatives through scholarships, wraparound support services and community partnerships.
