WHY MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS?
High-quality reporting and storytelling are vital for investigating, proposing, and disseminating systemic solutions to challenges faced by learners from low-income backgrounds. When media highlight problems alongside evidence-based solutions, successful practices have the potential to scale up. Media amplification can also encourage individual policymakers, communities, and government agencies to address critical issues in improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes. By framing and amplifying the issues critical to improving postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes, media partners get important information in front of those who can advocate for and make real, systemic change.
Learn more about how our media partnerships support learners from low-income backgrounds.
Bringing Forward Underserved Learners’ Experiences
The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Different Voices of Student Success lifts underserved learners’ experiences and shares best practices for supporting them.
Connecting Postsecondary Education, Training, and Work
The Job, a weekly newsletter from Work Shift News, provides in-depth coverage on education, training, and work, equipping policymakers and others with the information they need to act on it.
Empowering Incarcerated Learners on their Postsecondary Education Journeys
Roadtrip Nation’s video and digital storytelling on postsecondary education in prison connects incarcerated learners, and those who support them, with narratives to help them define their own road in life.
Highlighting Solutions in Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
The Hechinger Report produces high-quality reporting on research, reforms, and promising solutions with the goal of improving the American education system.
Supporting National Reporting on Postsecondary Education in Prison
Open Campus’ biweekly newsletter College Inside investigates the future of postsecondary education in prison by focusing on incarcerated learners’ stories.
Supporting National Reporting on Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
Open Campus’ bimonthly newsletter Mile Markers explores the voices and issues shaping postsecondary education and workforce training in rural communities.
Examining the Impact of Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training
The Rural Impact podcast features in-depth, data-driven discussions with experts that explore rural issues from several angles.
Creating Content on the Future of Work, Postsecondary Education, and the Skills Gap
American Public Media produces and distributes audio content that informs, enriches, and inspires listeners in a changing postsecondary education and workforce landscape.
Strengthening Media Coverage of Postsecondary Education Topics
The Education Writers Association is the go-to resource for education writers, supporting the expansion of high-quality, thoughtful media coverage nationwide.
Covering the Future of Work to Prepare and Sustain a Thriving Workforce
WorkingNation’s reporting informs the workers of today and tomorrow about scalable solutions to shape a robust workforce.
Reporting on Postsecondary Education Pathways in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Watch, one of the nation’s longest-standing nonprofit newsrooms, helps residents explore pathways to improving their communities and lives.
Listening to What’s Next in Postsecondary Education
Academic Intelligence’s Future U. podcast series examines the postsecondary education landscape through interviews with national thought leaders and innovators.Launching a National FAFSA Completion Campaign
Other
This grant supports the National College Attainment Network in launching a national media campaign to encourage students and families to complete the FAFSA following delayed implementation of the revised application for the 2024-25 academic year. The campaign aims to encourage an additional 300,000 students to complete the FAFSA by August 31.
Supporting the Future U. Podcast 7th Season
Other
This grant supports Academic Intelligence in producing the Future U. podcast series, which features interviews with national thought leaders and innovators working to improve student success in postsecondary education. Future U. will produce four episodes that specifically explore issues related to and insights generated from Ascendium’s grantmaking.
Maintain Momentum: Supporting Postsecondary Education Membership Organizations and Networks
Scaling
This grant supports Achieving the Dream and its members in continuing to advance student success reforms despite COVID‐19‐related impacts.
Building Postsecondary Rural and Prison Education Funder Collaboratives
Scaling
This grant supports Social Strategy Associates, through the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation, in providing backbone structure and planning support to launch funder collaboratives in two Ascendium strategic focus areas: Rural Postsecondary Education & Workforce Training and Postsecondary Education in Prison. The grantee will provide logistical and strategic support to Ascendium and peer funders in developing agendas for collaboration and identifying shared priorities and opportunities for aligned funding.
Institutional Collaborations in the Postsecondary Education in Prison Space
Exploration
This grant supports Rhodes College in Tennessee in facilitating collaboration across three postsecondary institutions that each operate programs in one prison facility in order to strengthen program alignment, facilitate resource sharing and improve offerings and outcomes for incarcerated learners.
Seeding Innovation in Restorative Justice Curriculum
Exploration
This grant supports the Restorative Justice Lab at the University of North Alabama in developing an applied learning complement to its 18-hour credit-bearing Certificate in Restorative Justice for incarcerated learners and laying the groundwork for evaluation contextualized to in-prison program delivery.
Subscribe and Stay Connected
Get Ascendium news right to your inbox, from grant announcements and project spotlights to where you can find our program staff in the field.