Supporting Learner Success

A postsecondary credential can change the trajectory of a person’s life. Some call higher education the great equalizer, but the data tells a more complicated story: one of low completion and high attrition, especially for the learners who stand to benefit most. 

Almost two-thirds of community college students are placed into developmental education (Source: Community College Research Center), and fewer than 20% graduate within two years, according to Complete College America. In workforce training, the numbers aren’t much better. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that overall apprenticeship completion rates were below 35% (Source: AIR). Making things more complicated is the fact that more than 70% of college students today fall into the “nontraditional” category, balancing work, caregiving, or other responsibilities alongside their education (Source: National Center for Education Statistics).

At Ascendium, our Support Learner Success strategy aims to help postsecondary institutions and workforce training providers meet learners where they are and build structures that support their long-term success. That means shifting away from outdated models that expect students to adapt to rigid systems and structures and instead creating systems designed for the realities of today’s learners.

I know how important this is, not just professionally but personally. I grew up in rural Mississippi, benefitting from Head Start, Medicaid, and SNAP — programs that helped sustain me and my family. I graduated high school with straight As and honors, but I struggled with standardized college entrance exams. I took the ACT five times and never scored higher than an 18, the bare minimum to enroll in a public university in my state. I made it to college, but that number stayed with me. It made me doubt whether I truly belonged.

Because I met the academic requirements, I wasn’t placed into developmental education. But looking back, I believe I would have benefited from what many institutions call corequisite courses, particularly in writing. In my first college composition course, I earned a 28 out of 100 on my first paper. It felt like confirmation of every fear I had about not measuring up. That one moment could have derailed everything. Instead, I reached out, found support, and eventually earned a B in the course. It was a turning point.

My siblings had different journeys. Both experienced developmental education, with mixed results. My sister thrived and now works as a licensed mental health therapist. My brother, despite his effort, struggled to advance beyond remedial coursework, lost financial aid, and is now one of the 43.1 million Americans with some college but no degree (Source: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center). These stories — theirs and mine — shaped my research and career. They’re part of why I believe institutional and training systems must change.

Over nearly two decades, I’ve worked at colleges and universities across the country, including some of the most innovative places: under-resourced but student-centered institutions where structural changes led to better outcomes. I’ve seen what’s possible when institutions make guided pathways the norm, align credit and noncredit programs with good jobs, and treat career navigation and basic needs support as essential, not extra.

Now, at Ascendium, I’m proud to help scale those solutions nationally. Our Support Learner Success strategy invests in efforts to:

• Scale seamless pathways to credentials of value across public institutions.
• Build reentry pathways for incarcerated learners.
• Implement academic and holistic supports such as basic needs assistance, embedded tutoring, advising, and career navigation.
• Redesign structures with learners’ needs in mind, including improving course scheduling and leveraging technology to deliver effective supports.

The challenges learners face are real. According to The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, nearly 60% of college students report experiencing at least one form of basic needs insecurity, and 67% of the students eligible for SNAP benefits do not receive them. But I’ve also seen what’s possible when systems are designed with empathy and intention, when they remove barriers instead of reinforcing them.

This work is hard, but it’s necessary. And for me, it’s personal. I know what it feels like to doubt your place in higher education. I know what it means to persist. And I believe that postsecondary education and workforce training can still be powerful engines of opportunity if we commit to creating the conditions that enable every learner to thrive.