Grant Will Provide Low-Income Central Piedmont Students With Laptops

With a $875,000 grant from the Gambrell Foundation of Charlotte, as many as 700 first-year, full-time students at Central Piedmont Community College will receive laptop computers, and approximately 3,500 students will receive laptops throughout the grant’s five-year period.

Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer

Central Piedmont and the Gambrell Foundation have partnered in order to tackle the divide that makes it difficult for lower-income students to afford computers and often prevents them from completing their courses.

In order for students to be eligible for the program, they must be first-year students who qualify for the maximum amount of federal Pell grants, which is the highest level of financial need, according to college officials.

“We think this innovative and generous grant will lead to greater academic success among our lower-income students,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont. “We think this segment of our student population will achieve increased retention and degree-completion rates. More students earning degrees and moving into family sustaining careers or pursuing more education will have a positive impact on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.”