News

Evolving Our Team to Better Meet the Needs of Learners, We’re Hiring, and More

• Changes in Education Philanthropy Support Evolving Needs of Learners from Low-Income Backgrounds
• New Initiatives Aim to Cut Early Student Dropouts by Increasing Connection
• Why Supporting Financial Aid Administrators Is Key to Unlocking Opportunities for Incarcerated Learners

Changes in Education Philanthropy Support Evolving Needs of Learners from Low-Income Backgrounds

Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy is adapting our organizational structure to meet the current and future needs of learners from low-income backgrounds. The promotion of two internal leaders to key positions will enhance our grantmaking strategy, tools, and partnerships. We are also hiring a deputy director of education grantmaking to oversee strategic grantmaking pipelines in one or more philanthropic focus areas.

Support for Evidence-Based Workforce Training Models, New Projects to Help English-Language Learners, and More

• Targeted Investments Support Expansion of Evidence-Based Workforce Training Models
• New Projects Examine Barriers for English-Language Learners
• Recent Resources Show the Value of Good Workforce Training Programs

Recent Resources Show the Value of Good Workforce Training Programs

A college education can be transformative, but it’s not the only route to career success. We’ve rounded up three resources highlighting promising approaches to workforce training that are already working to improve the lives of learners from low-income backgrounds.

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

Rural Community Colleges Utilize Strengths and Assets to Improve Learner Success

Rural community colleges offer many examples and lessons on how to improve postsecondary education success for learners from low-income backgrounds. Institutions across the country can learn from the rural community colleges profiled in the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s (CEP) latest report, which highlights how they utilize their strengths and assets to best serve their learners. Insights shared in the report will also inform continued enhancements to CEP’s curriculum for community college leadership and its on-the-ground support of institutions working on transforming to better serve learners.

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

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

Ascendium Announces Grant Partners for Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success

Ascendium is pleased to announce the grant partners selected to receive funding through our Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative.

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