News

Meet Our New Program Officer for Strategic Engagement, Learn How Rural Community Colleges Are Helping Learners, and More

• Introducing Our New Program Officer for Strategic Engagement, Amy Kuether
• Rural Community Colleges Utilize Strengths and Assets to Improve Learner Success
• Perspectives from the Field: Community Colleges Connect Learners to Credentials that Meet Local Workforce Needs

In Utah, Major Educational Gaps Exist for Incarcerated People. Here's What's Being Done

Of the 2.3 million people currently incarcerated in the U.S., only 5% have access to high-quality postsecondary education. A new university research center aims to fix that problem by gathering and distributing data that allows states to serve incarcerated learners more equitably.

Lifting Up Postsecondary Education in Prison During Second Chance Month and More

• It’s Time to Change the Way We Think About Incarcerated Learners
• Three Takeaways from RAND Corporation’s Report: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Prison Education
• Record Number of Wisconsin Apprentices Receive Tools of the Trade Scholarships

It’s Time to Change the Way We Think About Incarcerated Learners

As the postsecondary education field recognizes Second Chance Month, Senior Program Officer Molly Lasagna argues it's time to apply what we've learned in broader education reforms to ensure the success of incarcerated learners. Doing so will require building the capacity of the field to be student ready.

Three Takeaways from RAND Corporation’s Report: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Prison Education

Beginning in late 2020, RAND Corporation undertook a comprehensive assessment of the impact that the COVID-19 health crisis had, and continues to have, on postsecondary education in prison programs. The goal of this project was to collect critical information that can help inform educators, colleges, corrections officials and policymakers about the overall impact of the health crisis and its effects on access to postsecondary education in prison programs, along with options to mitigate the short- and long-term adverse consequences.

Keith Witham Named New Vice President - Education Philanthropy, Q&A with AHEP’s Ved Price and More

• A Message from Our New Vice President - Education Philanthropy, Keith Witham
• Q&A: AHEP’s Ved Price on the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs
• Grant Partners Selected for Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Q&A: AHEP's Ved Price on the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison Programs

Executive Director Ved Price from the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison speaks with Ascendium Senior Program Officer Molly Lasagna about pressing issues around postsecondary education in prison programs. That includes how the field can prepare incarcerated learners for meaningful employment upon their release.

Ready for Pell Initiative Brings Opportunities and Second Chances to Inmates

JFF and Ascendium’s Ready for Pell initiative is helping some postsecondary institutions, including ones in Wisconsin, prepare for the reinstatement of Pell grant eligibility for incarcerated learners on July 1.

Over $69 Million in New Grants, the Learning and Impact Team Welcomes Jessa Valentine and More

• $69 Million+ in New Grants Highlighted by Investments in Job Pathways, Partnerships and More
• Jessa Valentine Joins Learning and Impact Team
• CORI Research on Digital Skilling is Put into Practice

$69 Million+ in New Grants Highlighted by Investments in Job Pathways, Partnerships and More

Ascendium’s philanthropy is off to a fast start in 2023 with the recent approval of 34 grants totaling over $69 million. Included in these grants is support for initiatives to connect learners from low-income backgrounds with good jobs, strengthen conditions for partnerships to emerge between colleges and employers, invest in high-quality postsecondary education in prison systems and more.