 |
Four North Carolina community colleges have joined a network spearheaded by the Aspen Institute whose goal is to align these colleges’ programs with available career and bachelor’s degree pathways, according to a press release.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program announced the 55 community colleges that will join the Unlocking Opportunity network on Aug. 19. The four North Carolina colleges participating are Durham Technical, Stanly, Isothermal, and Forsyth Technical community colleges.
Participants in the network will work with Aspen to assess their programs, set goals, and implement reforms across three years. Among those goals is an enrollment increase in and completion of high-value workforce and transfer programs.
“Every year, millions of students rely on community colleges for a low-cost pathway to what they assume will be a high-value credential,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “The leaders at each of the 55 colleges that have signed up for Unlocking Opportunity have made clear that they will spend the next three years working toward the kinds of reforms needed to make that assumption a reality for thousands more students.”
Sign up for the EdWeekly, a Friday roundup of the most important education news of the week.
Dr. Margaret Annunziata, president of Isothermal Community College, reiterated the college’s commitment to ensuring its credentials and degrees lead students to meaningful opportunities.
“Joining the Unlocking Opportunity network allows us to strengthen that commitment by aligning our programs with the needs of our community and our region’s workforce,” Annunziata said. “This partnership will help us open more doors for students — whether their goals are to secure a rewarding career or to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree.”
Leaders from Forsyth Tech and Durham Tech also expressed their excitement for their participation in the network.
“We are committed to helping every student find a pathway that leads to a brighter future,” Dr. Janet N. Spriggs, president of Forsyth Tech, said in a press release. “Joining the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity network allows us to build on that commitment by ensuring our programs are aligned with the good jobs and bachelor’s degree opportunities that our students deserve.”
“Our goals are ensuring upward economic mobility and student success,” said Durham Tech Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Pat Ashley. “Participating in Unlocking Opportunity will help us hone in on what will most help our students.”
In North Carolina, other efforts to better align community college programs with workforce needs include a new proposed funding model, Propel NC, and Boost.
Funded by a $35.6 million grant from Arnold Ventures — also one of the funders of the Unlocking Opportunity network — Boost is an accelerated college-to-career program designed to increase completion rates and move students into high-wage, high-demand jobs by providing them with timely and relevant support, dedicated student advising, and financial incentives. To be eligible for Boost, students must be enrolled in degree programs that Propel NC identifies as being in-demand fields.
Related reads
The Unlocking Opportunity network began with 10 pilot colleges in 2023. Since then, those colleges have already begun improving graduates’ post-graduation outcomes, the Aspen press release said, thanks to the reforms implemented through the network.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College revised its agronomy curriculum to teach students how to operate GPS-guided tractors and drones — key skills for available agriculture jobs that allow graduates to secure higher entry-level wages. On the other hand, the college eliminated its dual credit culinary classes and its associate degree culinary programs after discovering these graduates earned low wages and could receive on-the-job training instead.
Leaders at San Antonio College in Texas were able to address a local nursing shortage by expanding its clinical site capacity. That expansion was possible through partnerships with nearby hospitals and colleges, as well as new state-of-the-art simulation labs. The college also created a quickly-growing accelerated RN-to-BSN program to address the shortage.
In Wyoming, Laramie County Community College leaders recognized the availability of management jobs for bachelor’s degree holders. The college also worked with the University of Wyoming to increase the number of transfer students and align their curricula.
The reforms from these 10 colleges are on track to place more than 20,000 students in “high-value programs of study that lead to good jobs,” according to the press release. With the added 55 colleges, the network will reach more than 100,000 students, the release said.
“With this expansion, Aspen will (for at least the next three years) track and support progress for 65 participating colleges, including those 55 just selected,” the release said. “Aspen will use insights from this work to inform the broader field through fellowship programs, publications, and state partnerships to provide professional development to college leaders and teams.”
Editor’s note: Arnold Ventures supports the work of EdNC.
Recommended reading
