College Promise programs make it easier for students from low-income backgrounds to attend college by covering tuition.
May 17, 2018
Great Lakes Education Philanthropy Update
 
Adding Student Success Strategies to College Promise Programs<

Beyond Free Tuition: Adding Student Success Strategies to College Promise Programs

College Promise programs make it easier for students from low-income backgrounds to attend college by covering tuition. But many students face obstacles beyond financial need, causing them to drop out before realizing the full benefits of higher education.

Social policy research organization MDRC hopes to improve outcomes for College Promise students through the College Promise Success Initiative (CPSI). The project is based on the early success of the Detroit Promise Program, which supplements free tuition with evidence-based student success supports such as coaching, financial incentives, data tracking and summer engagement strategies.

Great Lakes recently committed $1 million to support CPSI, which will apply best practices identified through the Detroit Promise work at four College Promise programs across the country, and share what is learned with the field. Through this project, we hope to learn more about what it takes to keep College Promise students enrolled and on the path to graduation. Read more

 
Ohio Apprentice Scholarship Program

Ohio Apprentice Scholarship Program Fosters Higher Retention Rates

Apprenticeships can help students get the training they need for careers in high-paying fields like construction and manufacturing. But the modest wages apprenticeships pay can make it difficult for students to afford required tools, equipment and clothing. To enable more students to overcome these obstacles, we expanded our successful Tools of the Trade Apprentice Scholarship program into Ohio in 2017.

In partnership with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the program awarded $1,000 scholarships to 200 apprentices attending Ohio community colleges. We are happy to report that 93% of scholarship recipients are continuing their apprenticeships or have already completed their programs. Read more

 
The Aspen Institute, College Excellence Program

Congratulations to Aspen Presidential Fellow Sue Cui

sue cuiWe are proud and excited to share the news that Great Lakes Senior Program Manager Sue Cui has been named an Aspen Presidential Fellow for Community College Excellence. The Fellowship is aimed at developing the next generation of leaders in the community college field to transform institutions and promote student success in college and the workforce. Sue will share her passion, experience and unique point of view with 39 other Fellows beginning this July.

 
A Vision for Equity report

New AAC&U Report Explores Strategies for Fixing Equity Gaps

In 2015, the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ (AAC&U) launched the Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence initiative to help expand current research on equity and identify ways to help more students stay enrolled and graduate. We partnered with Strada Education Network to fund the project, and last year we provided a second grant to allow AAC&U to share their findings with the field. AAC&U released their culminating report, A Vision for Equity, in March at the 2018 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Democracy conference.

 
Great Lakes Increases Support for Madison College’s New South Campus

Great Lakes Increases Support for Madison College’s New South Campus

Great Lakes is helping Madison College proceed with construction of its new South Campus on an accelerated timeline. The project will expand access to higher education and community support services for residents of Madison, Wisconsin’s underserved South Side. The South Campus was initially projected to be built in three phases over five years. Great Lakes has pledged up to $10.2 million to ensure that the entire complex will be built in one year and be ready for action the fall of 2019. A recent article in the Wisconsin State Journal reflected the community’s excitement about this important project.

 
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