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Expanded Programming from Operation Fresh Start Prepares Dane County Youth for Careers in Construction and Conservation
Operation Fresh Start is creating a new Conservation Graduate Crew pathway, providing pre-apprentice training for young adults just starting careers in conservation work. A $250,000 grant from Ascendium will support the new pathway, as well as the existing Construction Graduate Crew pathway.
Professional Development in a Pandemic - Part 1
Ascendium supported the University of Wisconsin System with a grant to help students increase completion of math gateway courses. This article is the first in a two-part series that details the University of Wisconsin System Math Initiative’s development of instructional strategies to remove remote learning barriers to student success in gateway mathematics courses.
A Virtual Culture of Care
As part of the Caring Campus Initiative, supported by Ascendium, coaches from the Institute for Evidence-Based Change helped staff at several community colleges introduce small changes in their behavior to foster better connections with students. Supporters of the initiative believe that human connection between faculty, staff and students is the ultimate retention tool.
Maine Community Colleges, Nonprofits Launch $1.2M Effort to Train Remote Workers
Ascendium and other co-funders are supporting Maine’s seven community colleges to provide free training for up to 700 rural learners to prepare them for remote work jobs.
Learning and Impact at Ascendium
In 2020, Bethany Miller joined Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy team as deputy director - learning & impact. Her role: to strengthen our strategy and operations to deliver a greater impact for learners from low-income backgrounds. Learn more about Bethany and the vision for the Learning and Impact team and how they hope to increase our philanthropy’s effectiveness and contribute to better outcomes for these learners.
To Improve Student Retention, IEBC’s Initiative Aims to Create More Caring Campuses
Ascendium is supporting the implementation and evaluation of Caring Campus, an initiative of the Institute for Evidence-Based Change that works with college staff and faculty to build a culture of connectedness to increase learner success.
Madison-Area Nonprofit JustDane to Develop Hospitality Management Training Program for Residents Impacted by Incarceration
Madison-area nonprofit JustDane is developing a hospitality management training program. Aided by a $55,000 planning grant from Ascendium, the 12-week program will provide a pathway into hotel and restaurant management and entrepreneurship for people experiencing significant barriers to employment.
Education Behind and Beyond Bars
The country's postsecondary education institutions are ramping up efforts to serve students currently or formerly in prison. Ascendium Vice President - Education Philanthropy Amy Kerwin discusses recent grants that will research quality benchmarks for prison education programs and center the voices of incarcerated students in policy discussions.
San Antonio College Emerges Winner of the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
San Antonio College won the 2021 Aspen Prize. This award, funded by Ascendium, Joyce Foundation and Siemens Foundation, honors community colleges with outstanding practices that impact and benefit learners of color and learners from low-income backgrounds.
For College Students in Crisis, Emergency Grants are a Lifeline
Students from low-income backgrounds who struggled to complete their degree during the COVID-19 health crisis have been able to utilize completion grants through the University Innovation Alliance. Support for exploring the development and piloting of these grants was provided by Ascendium in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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