CAEL Member Matters - March 2021

A Monthly Lookback at Some of the Good Work in the CAEL Community

Not every school can count among its alumni someone who appears on a coin issued by the United States Mint. Benedict College now can. Civil rights leader and Benedict alumna Septima Poinsette Clark will adorn a collectible $1 coin. In addition to being an important figure in civil rights and their connection to education and voting issues, Clark was an adult learner. She would sandwich her teaching job between morning and evening classes, earning her bachelor's degree some 20 years after graduating high school (Carolina Panorama).

Phoenix College president Dr. Larry Johnson was raised by a single mom, so when he became familiar with nonprofit Helping Hands for Single Moms, he says its mission resonated with him. Now, a partnership between the college and the nonprofit will help women seeking nursing degrees. Helping Hands has awarded more than $6 million in scholarships since 2002 and boasts a 91 percent graduation rate over the past five years. Most of the women who enter the program earn around $10,000 per year. Upon completing, they typically land a making five times that (KSAZ).

The Colorado State University System has released a study that finds that Colorado State University Pueblo created an economic impact of more than $61 million for its region last year. In addition to the direct benefits created by student activity, the college's role in sustaining a thriving workforce is critical to the local economy, the university's president noted (Pueblo Chieftain).

Linking Learning and Work

To help its students and meet workforce needs, Indiana Tech is partnering with businesses amid the rapid employment changes driven by the pandemic and advances in technology. A dedicated team of Indiana Tech faculty members meets regularly with businesses to respond to employer demands. For shorter-term needs, Indiana Tech can offer learners stackable certificates that offer immediate career impact and the opportunity to construct traditional academic credentials (Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly).

The City University of New York (CUNY) is offering upskilling resources to support regional recovery from the massive employment disruptions created by the pandemic. Its six participating colleges, which include Queensborough Community College, the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College, LaGuardia Community College, and Kingsborough Community College, will offer 'education and training [blended] with career development.' Featuring stackable microcredentials and industry-validated certifications, the program will offer on- and off-ramps for learners in technology, health care, and education fields. Industry and government partners include Amazon, Google, the New York City Workforce Development Board, and the statewide Future Skills Exchange Workforce Development Institute (Campus News).

Purdue University Global has awarded more than 6,000 microcredentials in the past year. In a press release, the institution details the benefits of these bite-sized servings of learning and how they can add up to both employment opportunities and traditional academic credentials (Purdue).

The advanced manufacturing industry is facing several talent-pipeline challenges. Even as retirements trim the ranks, remaining employees must upskill to keep pace with evolving technologies. Overall demand for staffing is growing. Melissa Lachcik, apprenticeship coordinator and continuing education development coordinator at Joliet Junior College, explains how apprenticeship programs can sustain skilled workforces (Crain's Chicago Business).

Students interested in training for growth roles in CNC operations and programming, welding, and industrial maintenance can apply for a scholarship program covering tuition for industry-sanctioned certificates issued by City Colleges of Chicago (Lawndale News).

DeVry University is continuing its partnership with Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. The linkup, which has been underway since 2015, establishes education benefits for Perkins employees, franchisees, and their immediate family members. Participants receive discounts on associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs. The collaboration also includes an evaluation process that recognizes certain Perkins corporate training as college-level credit toward DeVry programs (press release).

Nurturing Nursing Career Paths

Delgado Community College is partnering with Ochsner Health to create rewarding career opportunities and meet pressing workforce demands in health care. Ochsner is providing financial support to expand Delgado program capacity. It also is offering education benefits that cover full-time tuition for its employees who pursue degrees and credentials in Delgado nursing and allied health programs (Delgado).

York College of Pennsylvania is partnering with Montgomery County Community College(MCCC) to offer MCCC nursing students a smooth and affordable pathway linking the institutions' nursing programs. York College's RN to BSN online program gives registered nurses the opportunity to complete their BSN in as little as 12 months and accepts all MCCC nursing program credits (Montco Today). 

Clayton State University and Gordon State College, both CAEL members, are partnering to create a new pathway to a master's degree in nursing. The arrangement allows students from Gordon State with a B.S. in nursing to receive priority review when applying to Clayton State's master of science in nursing ' family nurse practitioner program (The Citizen).

A new agreement between Albany State University and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will help students apply associate of applied science degrees toward bachelor's degrees at Albany State University. Transfer students will be able to choose from onsite, virtual, and telephone advising at Albany State. Qualifying students receive guaranteed admission. Targeted career pathways include nursing ' and several more, like early childhood education, chemistry, biology, accounting, business management, healthcare management, technology management, criminal justice, and computer science (The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education).

More on the Art of Articulation

SUNY Empire State College and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) announced a transfer agreement focused on streamlining bachelor's degree pathways for HVCC students with associate degrees in computer information systems. Transfer students can apply up to 79 HVCC credits toward the 124-credit requirement for a SUNY bachelor of science degree. The transfer program also includes a waiver of the orientation fee, a partial scholarship, and guaranteed program admission (The Record).

San Juan College is using an Equity Transfer Initiative grant to make the transfer experience of their students more seamless. The grant, which 'aims to increase transfer rates for African-American, Hispanic, adult, and first-generation learners,' will allow students to use resources at Fort Lewis College while still enrolled at San Juan College. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of students who complete their plans to transfer and earn bachelor's degrees (Farmington Daily News).

UNC Charlotte and Wake Technical Community College are partnering to address state workforce needs. Their collaboration includes the 49erNext program, a co-admission process that helps expedite completion of baccalaureate degrees. Qualifying students can transfer into more than 75 undergraduate degree programs covering more than 130 majors at UNC Charlotte. Wake Technical is the fifth community college in the state to join 49erNext (Inside UNC Charlotte).

In Service of Veterans

Bellarmine University will bolster its support of veterans by opening a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student. The center will offer mentorships and other career support, financial assistance, and curricula aligned with military experiences. The university recently marked the third anniversary of its Office of Military and Veteran Services (WDRB). 

Excelsior College has entered a partnership with the United States Veterans Chamber of Commerce. Chamber career and education events support veterans and will complement Excelsior's specialized services for servicemembers (Excelsior).

Finally, Central Maine Community College has again been recognized as a Military Friendly School. The recognition is based on publicly available data and the results of a Military Friendly survey, which covered responses from more than 1,200 institutions. Performance indicators include student persistence, loan repayment, job placement, graduation, retention, and loan default rates (Bangor Daily News).

Central Main Community College was joined by several other CAEL members:

Western Governors University (eleventh straight year) (press release).

Herzing University, which was founded in 1965 by a Navy veteran. The private nonprofit institution has 10 campuses in seven states and includes an online division (press release).

Georgia Southern University (tenth consecutive year, a 'gold-level distinction in the large public school category.') It also was recognized as a Military Friendly Spouse School (Savannah Business Journal).