News

Local and Online Postsecondary Education Providers Partner to Offer In-Demand Career Credentials in Rural Areas

Rural postsecondary institutions often lack the resources to offer bachelor’s degree programs in locally in-demand fields that lead to well-paying jobs. One solution is to supplement local postsecondary courses and training with online offerings that can be completed from any location. Ascendium’s recent awards to the Wakiya Foundation and to Reach University support postsecondary education credentials resulting from partnerships between local and online postsecondary providers. These partnerships lead to options for learners from low-income backgrounds to pursue family-sustaining careers where they live.

Families and Workers Fund Joins the White House and Partners to Announce More Than $70 Million in Infrastructure Workforce Funding Aligned with the Talent Pipeline Challenge

The White House Talent Pipeline Challenge resulted in grants totaling $70 million to support equitable development of the infrastructure workforce, especially in rural areas and for underrepresented groups. Ascendium and peer organizations contributed to these funds.

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

Investments in Dev Ed Reform, Rural Workforce Training Among $17 Million+ in Recently Approved Grants

Ascendium recently approved nine new grants totaling over $17 million. These grants support a range of initiatives designed to help learners from low-income backgrounds, including developmental education reform, expanding pathways to upwardly mobile careers in information technology and the scaling of proven strategies to improve transfer outcomes.

Advancing Colleges in Appalachia

Like many community colleges across the country, members of the Community Colleges of Appalachia (CCA) faced challenges during and in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis. However, membership in CCA remains strong. With a grant from Ascendium, CCA will enhance their ability to support member colleges in better serving learners from low-income backgrounds.

Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Now accepting applications for action-oriented research projects that address gaps in evidence for rural learner postsecondary education and workforce success.

We’re Finally Making Progress Supporting Rural Tech – We Can Do So Much More

According to a report from the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), nearly 60% of rural Americans are interested in tech jobs and careers. CORI continues to push for investments in rural America to ensure rural learners have the opportunity for socioeconomic growth in the digital age.

Ascendium Education Group Releases 2021 Education Philanthropy Report: Stronger Together

Ascendium Education Group has released its 2021 Education Philanthropy report, Stronger Together. The report tells the story of Ascendium’s philanthropy during 2021 and what can be achieved through partnership and collaboration.

Shining a Light on Rural Colleges

Two mapping tools, supported by Ascendium, aim to expand the field’s understanding of rural colleges. Complementary to each other, one tool explores where rural colleges are located while the other focuses on colleges that serve rural learners.

Why a Rural-Serving College May Look Different Than You Think

There’s a lot of complexity around the term ‘rural,’ particularly when classifying postsecondary institutions as such. Using a new metric and definition, the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges has identified over 1,000 rural-serving institutions.