News

Postsecondary Education Trends We’re Watching in 2023

With 2022 in the rear view, Ascendium has kicked off the new year with optimism and excitement. We’ll continue to work closely with our grant partners and will be watching several postsecondary education trends in 2023. Future grant opportunities may be informed by the trends we see, especially if they connect to our goal of fostering upward mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds.

A Farewell Message from Amy Kerwin

• A Personal Message from Amy Kerwin
• Reflections on Visiting Sing Sing, Plus Resources That Center Incarcerated Learners
• Fund for Workforce Equity Organizations Selected

Reflections on Visiting Sing Sing, Plus Resources That Center Incarcerated Learners

In September, members of Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy team visited Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where they had the opportunity to meet directly with the facility’s students. We’ve gathered some reflections on that visit, as well as a trio of nationally distributed resources that uplift the voices of incarcerated learners and the work being done to help this population succeed.

Partnerships Help Offer Rural Learners In-Demand Career Credentials, Promising Caring Campus Results and More

• Local and Online Postsecondary Education Providers Partner to Offer In-Demand Career Credentials in Rural Areas
• Caring Campus Makes Student Success Everyone’s Business, With Promising Results

New Investments Total $17 Million+ for Dev Ed Reform, Rural Workforce Training, Skills Training Programs and More

• Investments in Dev Ed Reform, Rural Workforce Training Among $17 Million+ in Recently Approved Grants
• Merit America Skills Training Programs Generate Upward Socioeconomic Mobility

New COVID-19 Transfer Data Findings, the Impact of Media Grant Partners on Inequity and More

• COVID-19 Transfer Data Reveals Trends that Can Inform Equity and Student Success Policies
• Engaging with Media Showcases Grant Partners’ Positive Impact on Inequity
• Are You Interested in a Student-Centered Partnership?

A Pivotal Time for Postsecondary Education in Prison, the Impact of Administrative Holds on Student Success and More

• Q&A: Molly Lasagna on the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison Ahead of Pell Restoration
• Hold Up: What We Do and Don’t Know about the Impact of Holds on Postsecondary Student Success
• Congratulations to 10 Exemplary Community Colleges in the Running for 2023 Aspen Prize

Q&A: Molly Lasagna on the State of Postsecondary Education in Prison Ahead of Pell Restoration

There’s less than a year to go before the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated learners. Ahead of this historic moment, our new senior program officer focused on expanding postsecondary education in prison shares what is being done to prepare providers, what goes into creating high-quality programs and how Pell restoration is informing Ascendium’s philanthropy.

Ascendium Grows its Team to Further Our Grantmaking, Bringing Together Rural College Leaders and More

• Education Philanthropy Positions Will Enhance Evidence Based Grantmaking, Translate Evidence to Insights and Enrich Strategic Connections
• Learning Communities Bring Together Rural College Leaders
• Proposals Still Being Accepted for Fund for Workforce Equity

Education Philanthropy Positions Will Enhance Evidence Based Grantmaking, Translate Evidence to Insights and Enrich Strategic Connections

Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy is hiring for three mission-critical positions. These roles underscore our commitment to evidence-based grantmaking and will deepen our capacity to tell essential stories that amplify partners’ important work. This growth will also advance Ascendium’s thought leadership in the fields in which we operate and bolster our ability to share insights with those best positioned to improve outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.