Celebrating the 2025 Liaison IMPACT Grant Winners

At Liaison, we believe that even the smallest ideas—when supported with care, collaboration, and funding—can spark big change. That’s why, since 2019, we’ve proudly grown our IMPACT Grant, an employee-driven initiative created to celebrate and support the impactful work of our partner institutions.

What started as an $11,000 seed fund has blossomed into something powerful. With more than $200,000 awarded to date, the IMPACT Grant has helped bring to life 18 student-focused projects across the U.S. and Canada. From food security and technology equity to mental health and career mentorship, these programs all have one thing in common: They aim to remove barriers to student success and make a lasting impact.

At experience: LIAISON | San Antonio this past June, we gathered not just to talk strategy and innovation—but to honor action. The IMPACT Grant awards ceremony was a heartening reminder of what’s possible when mission meets momentum.

This year, we received a wide range of applications, each one reflecting the creativity, compassion, and commitment of our higher ed partners. While every initiative inspired us, the following three stood out for their potential to create sustainable, student-centered impact.

Bishop State Community College set out with a bold but necessary goal: Reduce student food insecurity by 30% in just one academic year. Their approach is as comprehensive as it is compassionate, combining pantry expansion, emergency food vouchers, and education about local resources. Accepting the award, Dean of Health Sciences Andrea Agnew, Ph.D., highlighted the ripple effect this program will have on academic persistence and student wellness.

As an online institution with a large population of student-parents, Los Angeles Pacific University (LAPU) plans on using the Grant funds to directly support the overlooked student parent population. Recognizing the unique challenges these students face—balancing academics with caregiving and other responsibilities—LAPU is committed to creating a more engaging and inclusive virtual experience for them. With the help of IMPACT Grant resources, the institution will hire a dedicated community coordinator to lead a new virtual campus community for student parents. As LAPU’s Chief of Staff Andy Benis explained, “These students sacrifice so much of their time to pursue education in hopes of creating better futures for their families. We want to move beyond survival—we want them to thrive while in school.” The initiative will use a mobile app to connect student parents with peers and offer access to essential services like mental health support, academic advising, and career coaching, all designed to improve engagement, retention, and student success.

By connecting current college students with underserved middle and high school students, California State University San Bernardino is creating a mentorship pipeline that demystifies the college journey. It’s about more than raising awareness; it’s about building relationships that encourage first-generation and historically excluded students to see higher education as attainable and welcoming. Assistant Program Director Brianna Deadman shared how this initiative will light the path from application to graduation, ultimately increasing college enrollment among these student populations in the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire.

The IMPACT Grant is entirely employee-driven. Every dollar comes from Liaison staff through payroll contributions and fundraising activities. And every funding decision is made by a volunteer committee of employees who are deeply invested in higher ed success.

It’s a grassroots effort with an institutional impact. And the energy at this year’s ceremony was proof that IMPACT projects don’t just solve problems, they change lives.

The IMPACT Grant awards at experience: LIAISON were more than just a feel-good moment at our annual event. They served as a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and who we’re doing it for. Whether you're an advisor helping one student at a time or a president leading your institution’s future, your work inspires us every day.

We’ll continue to listen, fund, and celebrate the ideas that are driving real progress in higher education. Because at Liaison, we’re in it for the long haul, and always in it together.