CLOUT Program

Community and Corporate Outreach
External Activities, Partnerships and Projects

CLOUT Program
Computers • Literacy • Opportunity • University • Technology

  • In Westchester, our nineteen year partnership with Westchester County Department of Social Services (DSS) continues to be a success with the Certificate in Personal Computer Applications for the Workplace Professional program. The students must be receiving TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) and all have children.
  • The Certificate in Personal Computer Applications for the Workplace Professional is a one-year, 18 credit, full-time program beginning with a combination of not-for-credit seminars and credit-bearing courses, culminating in a 280-hour internship.
  • A new part-time offering which began in the 2008-2009 academic year, The Administrative Assistant Modules program provides the opportunity for participants to earn 6 credits in technology systems courses and, at the same time, build their foundation skills in the College Success Skills Seminars.  Students engage in specific skills enhancement at an increasing level of knowledge in order to secure employment.
  • CLOUT's comprehensive support services include tutoring, counseling, parenting skills, student performance review, employment preparation, and job search, and use of all University services and facilities including computer labs, e-mail, and libraries.
  • Mastercard, Inc., Ciba Specialty, Inc. and the foundation of the Back to School Clothes for Kids sponsored brand new clothing, book bags, and supplies before the new school year in September for 62 of our students' children through the Back to School Clothes for Kids program run in Westchester County.
  • During the Holiday Season, members of the Pace University community supported the CLOUT Holiday Wish List. Ninety-three of our students' children were sponsored by Pace employees and friends of Pace and received holiday gifts like educational toys, books, and clothing.
  • Pace University is a member of the Education and Work Consortium, a unique collaboration between two private institutions (Metropolitan College of New York and Pace University) and one public institution (Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York). The Welfare to Careers Project (WTCP) is a nationally replicable program developed by the Consortium that links college education to work experience and career training, with the ultimate aim of permanently lifting the working poor out of poverty.
  • WTCP serves 197 students, who are TANF eligible, and enroll at Medgar Evers College or Metropolitan College of New York to obtain a baccalaureate degree. To facilitate the dissemination of information and to collect the requisite data that supports the success of the project, Pace University's Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems developed a research study, database, and Web site. The purpose of the study is to determine if education in the form of a baccalaureate degree concomitant with comprehensive career counseling leads to a higher standard of living and ultimately moves participants out of poverty. The study will also ascertain if particular programs are more effective than others. Since the Welfare to Careers Project has been designed to provide comprehensive support to participants in the form of career counselors and academic support specialists, the study will also measure the effectiveness of these services.

The CLOUT Program received funding from the following primary sources:

  • Westchester County Department of Social Services renewed funding in the amount of $769,106 for the academic year 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 to provide education and training through the Certificate Program, Administrative Assistant Modules Program, and Associate Degree Program to various populations on or formerly on public assistance.
  • The Education and Work Consortium renewed funding in the amount of $40,000 for January 2008-August 2009 and an additional $40,000 for September 2009-August 2010 to provide the implementation of the Welfare to Careers Project Research and Database Design.
  • Dr. V. Sadagopan received an IBM Community Grant for CLOUT in the amount of $1000 to help serve the needs of the CLOUT students in Westchester.