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Media ContactAscendium Acts on Grant Partners’ Feedback to Refine Philanthropic Practices
Director of Learning and Impact Bethany Miller reflects on the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s recent survey of Ascendium’s 2022 grant partners. Overall, respondents reported positive perceptions of Ascendium’s performance as a funder. They also identified areas for improvement that we are committed to acting on, including convening our grant partners more and better communicating our strategies and goals.
New Resources Aim to Increase Understanding of CBE Program Designs
A new framework and accompanying research brief from American Institutes for Research and the Competency-Based Education Network aims to improve understanding of competency-based education (CBE) program design at colleges and universities in the U.S. These new resources also explore an intentional approach to CBE program design by practitioners, with goals of facilitating rigorous research on the efficacy of key design elements and supporting stronger program design that leads to positive learner outcomes.
Introducing our New Deputy Director of Education Grantmaking, Dr. Janice Hicks
Ascendium is pleased to welcome Dr. Janice Hicks to our Education Philanthropy team as our new deputy director of education grantmaking. Janice will support grantmaking across portfolios focused on strategies to transform postsecondary education institutions and systems to better serve learners from low-income backgrounds.
Keith Witham Reflects on the Past Six Months, Ascendium Discusses the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison, and More
- Keith Witham Reflects on His First Six Months as Vice President of Education Philanthropy
- Ascendium’s Molly Lasagna and Others Discuss the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison
- Strategic Media Partnerships Amplify Solutions to Rural Learners’ Challenges
Aligning Postsecondary Education Programs and Workforce Demands to Help Learners Access Good Jobs
Research from the Urban Institute has led to the development of a framework and dedicated resources that explore how the alignment of training and credential programs with good jobs improves outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds. These resources specifically outline approaches for learners in short-term career and technical education programs.
Strategic Media Partnerships Amplify Solutions to Rural Learners’ Challenges
Three recent Ascendium grants support media organizations whose work makes a national impact in rural postsecondary education and workforce training systems. These organizations' reporting is critical to increase public understanding of issues affecting rural learners from low-income backgrounds, amplify rural learners’ voices, and share promising solutions through national media outlets and networks.
Keith Witham Reflects on His First Six Months as Vice President of Education Philanthropy
Halfway through his first year as Vice President of Education Philanthropy, Keith Witham provides an overview of the past six months of Ascendium’s grantmaking. He also looks ahead, reaffirming Ascendium’s commitment to transforming the lives of learners from low-income backgrounds through postsecondary education and workforce training.
Tackling Economic Inequity, Validation Grant Guidance Released, and Part 2 of Q&A with UIA’s Bridget Burns
- How a Coalition of Nonprofit, Private Colleges Is Tackling Economic Inequity
- Validation Grant Guidance Released for Partners Evaluating Effectiveness of Innovations and Reforms
- Q&A: UIA’s Bridget Burns on Helping Struggling Students Get Back on Track (Part 2)
Validation Grant Guidance Released for Partners Evaluating Effectiveness of Innovations and Reforms
Ascendium awards validation grants to support independent evaluations that help build the body of evidence about ideas that merit acceptance as standard practice. We recently released guidance designed to provide clarity to prospective grantees about the information we look for in applications for validation grants that center impact evaluations.
How a Coalition of Nonprofit, Private Colleges Is Tackling Economic Inequity
Although the vast majority of learners pursue postsecondary education in hopes of landing a good job, career advising is frequently limited and opportunities such as internships are often out of reach for learners from low-income backgrounds – many of whom work while attending college and can't afford to take on unpaid work. The Yes We Must Coalition hopes to solve this by helping member institutions employ strategies for career preparedness that have proved successful at community colleges.
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