91制片厂 has joined the鈥檚 expanded 鈥� an initiative designed to help community colleges reform programs in ways that
improve student outcomes 鈥� ensuring more students earn degrees that lead to good-paying
jobs.
Alongside 54 other colleges, 91制片厂 is joining 10 pilot institutions in a growing national effort to align their programs and student鈥� advising with the two most important goals of community college students: 鈥媗eaving college with a credential and鈥嬧�嬧�� 鈥嬧�媋 good job or 鈥媡ransferring and 鈥媍ompleting a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Through three years of focused reforms, 91制片厂 and its network partners will work with Aspen to assess current programs, set goals and implement research-based reforms to increase student success.
鈥淎t 91制片厂, we are driven to empower every student to reach their goals, realize their full potential and, ultimately, transform their lives for generational impact,鈥� said Dr. Avis Proctor, 91制片厂鈥檚 president. 鈥淛oining the Aspen Institute鈥檚 Unlocking Opportunity network allows us to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all learners leave 91制片厂 not only with a credential, but with the skills, confidence and connections to thrive in sustainable careers. This work is about more than post-91制片厂 success 鈥� it is about building futures, strengthening our communities and unlocking opportunities that will endure for generations.鈥�
The multi-year initiative will engage college leaders and teams through a series of virtual and in-person sessions focused on scaling reforms that align their community college programs with available good jobs and bachelor鈥檚 degree pathways in their regions. Guided by lessons from successful reforms implemented by the 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions, 91制片厂 and the other new members will set goals to increase student enrollment in and completion of high-value workforce and transfer programs, while reducing lower-opportunity pathways.
鈥淓very year, millions of students rely on community colleges for a low-cost pathway to what they assume will be a high-value credential,鈥� said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 鈥淭hey rightly assume that the degree and certificate programs their colleges offer will deliver a good job and fulfilling career either directly after community college or after transferring and earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree. 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 towards the kinds of reforms needed to make that assumption a reality for thousands more students.鈥�
The 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions are on track to collectively move more than 20,000 students into high-value programs of study鈥� that lead to good jobs鈥�. 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. 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.
The full list of colleges joining the expanded network is available .
Unlocking Opportunity, developed in partnership with the Community College Research Center, is supported by Arnold Ventures, Ascendium Education Group, Bank of America, ECMC Foundation and JPMorganChase. The expansion of the Unlocking Opportunity network is made possible by the support of JPMorganChase.