CRETE, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Doane College has received a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help improve retention rates for male and minority students over the next five years.

The Title III grant is one of 40 awarded to colleges and universities to help serve low-income and underrepresented groups. The college will use the funds to hire staff members dedicated to improving the retention rates at the school by 5 percent from the first year to the second year, and reducing heavy alcohol consumption on campus by 10 percent.

Associate vice president for academic affairs Kate Marley says the school will incrementally pick up the costs of personnel salaries. The college has already committed more than $540,000 in funds to create staff positions.