COMPLETE COLLEGE AMERICA PARTNERS WITH LUMINA FOUNDATION TO ADVANCE STUDENT SUCCESS IN KENTUCKY
September 28, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS – Complete College America (CCA) announced today a $550,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to advance CCA’s Purpose First strategy in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In response to the statewide imperative for Kentucky’s postsecondary institutions to dramatically increase student success and eliminate attainment gaps, the Purpose First strategies will aim to create clear connections between labor needs, guided pathways, and students’ career goals, particularly for racially minoritized students.
Complete College America developed the Purpose First strategy to align the work of business and industry professionals with postsecondary institutions, while also ensuring the comprehensive transition from high school to college for students.
“We are very pleased to support this exciting new partnership between Complete College America and the Kentucky Council for Postsecondary Education,” said Lumina Foundation Vice President Debra Humphreys. “The work will build on the progress Kentucky has already made and will ensure that all students have the advising and support they need to choose a program of study that not only aligns with their personal goals and interests but also with regional workforce demands.”
To ensure greater social mobility for minoritized communities, whether high school graduates or displaced workers, institutions of higher learning must provide relevant information associated with all careers and link academic pathways to all programs of study, clearly identifying connections between learning outcomes and job competencies for students.
The grant from Lumina Foundation will support the implementation of the Purpose First strategy within two- and four-year institutions across Kentucky. Purpose First serves as the missing link in aligning academic major decisions and career choices to outline guided pathways for students to make informed decisions and hit early benchmarks toward on-time graduation.
“Kentucky has taken great strides to connect higher education degrees and credentials to the workforce,” said Dr. Aaron Thompson from Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education. “The partnership with CCA to implement Purpose First strategies in Kentucky will accelerate this work and mean clearer pathways to gainful employment, especially for our minority and low-income students. I’m excited to get the work started.”
CCA advances its mission in partnership with its 48-member Alliance, comprised of states, systems, institutional consortia, and partner organizations taking bold actions to significantly increase the number of students successfully completing college. CCA has been honored to have Kentucky as a highly engaged Alliance member for the past ten years and looks forward to deepened engagement through Purpose First.
“Engaging students with their choices of certificates or degrees and highlighting the connections between what they are learning, and their future careers is crucial to student success, especially for low-income students, first generation college-going students, adult learners, and minoritized students,” said Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of CCA. “Complete College America looks forward to partnering with higher education and workforce leaders across Kentucky to develop strategies that will enhance the good work already underway and support more students to complete a degree of value.”
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About Complete College America
Established in 2009, Complete College America is a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates and closing equity gaps by working with states, systems, institutions, and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success. CCA envisions a nation where all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or familial educational achievement have equal opportunities to access and complete a college education or credential of value because postsecondary institutions, policy makers, and systems of higher education welcome, invest in, and support these students through and to an on-time completion. Learn more at www.completecollege.org/.
About Lumina Foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy.
About Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
The Council on Postsecondary Education is leading transformation in our workforce, economy and quality of life by advancing progress in educational attainment across Kentucky. As the state’s higher education coordinating agency, we champion high-quality, inclusive and affordable postsecondary opportunities that prepare students for civic engagement and sustainable careers. That’s why we are undertaking the 60×30 goal, an ambitious effort to raise the percentage of working-age Kentuckians with a postsecondary degree or certificate to 60% by the year 2030. At CPE, we believe that higher education matters – for everyone.
Media Contacts
Dhanfu Elston, Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President
media@completecollege.org
Tracy Chen, Director of Media Strategy
tchen@luminafoundation.org
Sue Patrick, Chief Communications Officer
Sue.Patrick@ky.gov
Dr. Dhanfu Elston
media@completecollege.org
