WHY MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS?
High-quality reporting and storytelling are vital for investigating, proposing, and disseminating systemic solutions to challenges faced by learners from low-income backgrounds. When media highlight problems alongside evidence-based solutions, successful practices have the potential to scale up. Media amplification can also encourage individual policymakers, communities, and government agencies to address critical issues in improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes. By framing and amplifying the issues critical to improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes, media partners get important information in front of those who can advocate for and make real, systemic change.
Learn more about how our media partnerships support learners from low-income backgrounds.
Bringing Forward Underserved Learners’ Experiences
The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Different Voices of Student Success lifts underserved learners’ experiences and shares best practices for supporting them.
Connecting Postsecondary Education, Training, and Work
The Job, a weekly newsletter from Work Shift News, provides in-depth coverage on education, training, and work, equipping policymakers and others with the information they need to act on it.
Empowering Incarcerated Learners on their Postsecondary Education Journeys
Roadtrip Nation’s video and digital storytelling on postsecondary education in prison connects incarcerated learners, and those who support them, with narratives to help them define their own road in life.
Highlighting Solutions in Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
The Hechinger Report produces high-quality reporting on research, reforms, and promising solutions with the goal of improving the American education system.
Supporting National Reporting on Postsecondary Education in Prison
Open Campus’ biweekly newsletter College Inside investigates the future of postsecondary education in prison by focusing on incarcerated learners’ stories.
Supporting National Reporting on Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
Open Campus’ bimonthly newsletter Mile Markers explores the voices and issues shaping postsecondary education and workforce training in rural communities.
Examining the Impact of Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
The Rural Impact podcast features in-depth, data-driven discussions with experts that explore rural issues from several angles.
Creating Content on the Future of Work, Postsecondary Education, and the Skills Gap
American Public Media produces and distributes audio content that informs, enriches, and inspires listeners in a changing postsecondary education and workforce landscape.
Strengthening Media Coverage of Postsecondary Education Topics
The Education Writers Association is the go-to resource for education writers, supporting the expansion of high-quality, thoughtful media coverage nationwide.
Covering the Future of Work to Prepare and Sustain a Thriving Workforce
WorkingNation’s reporting informs the workers of today and tomorrow about scalable solutions to shape a robust workforce.
Reporting on Postsecondary Education Pathways in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Watch, one of the nation’s longest-standing nonprofit newsrooms, helps residents explore pathways to improving their communities and lives.
Listening to What’s Next in Postsecondary Education
Academic Intelligence’s Future U. podcast series examines the postsecondary education landscape through interviews with national thought leaders and innovators.Integrating Data Driven Strategies
Exploration
This grant supports the Thrive for Life Prison Project in enhancing its data infrastructure and capacity through the development of a customized software technology designed to effectively support learners impacted by incarceration as they navigate transitions from incarceration to reentry.
Highlighting Lessons Learned from the Developmental Education Reform Movement
Other
This grant supports FutureEd in producing a comprehensive review of learning from more than a decade of national developmental education reform efforts, highlighting promising strategies and issuing a renewed call for action.
Bolstering the Impact of "The Class" Documentary
Scaling
This grant supports Senior Class Project, LLC, in expanding the national reach and impact of its docuseries, The Class. The Class showcases the journey of six students to postsecondary education and highlights how they overcome challenges in pursuing a college degree.
Reporting on the Future of Work, Postsecondary Education and the Skills Gap
Other
This grant supports American Public Media’s Marketplace program in producing content about the changing postsecondary education and workforce landscape and the impacts of those changes on learners and U.S. global competitiveness. Marketplace reporting will explore ways to align skills-development opportunities with employer needs.
Introduction to Strategic Evidence Planning for Ascendium Exploration Grantees
Other
This grant supports Project Evident in identifying Ascendium-funded nonprofits ready to develop roadmaps for building and using evidence to generate stronger outcomes.
Building Pathways to Credentials for HEP Students
Exploration
This grant supports the National Prison Debate League in exploring the potential to provide course credits in partnership with postsecondary institutions, and/or develop a stand-alone certificate, so that incarcerated learners receive credit for their participation in this valuable learning and enrichment program.
Subscribe and Stay Connected
Get Ascendium news right to your inbox, from grant announcements and project spotlights to where you can find our program staff in the field.