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.Special Report: Modernizing Federal Policy to Serve Today’s Students
Other
This grant supports Inside Higher Education in producing a special report: Modernizing Federal Policy to Serve Today's Students. The report will include an in-depth analysis of the impact of state and federal postsecondary education policy on working learners, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, and highlight opportunities for federal policy to be modernized to better meet the needs of today’s learners.
Analyzing Public Comments for Proposed Rulemaking on Prison Higher Education and Pell
Exploration
This grant supports the Research Collaborative on Higher Education in Prison at the University of Utah in analyzing and synthesizing the public comments submitted in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the expansion of Pell Grants for incarcerated students. This analysis will support Ascendium, the Research Collaborative and others in identifying salient field concerns and questions regarding the reinstatement of Pell grant eligibility for incarcerated learners in July 2023.
2022 Rural Matters Podcast
Scaling
This grant supports Michael Levin-Epstein in producing a four-part podcast series focused on postsecondary education and workforce training in rural communities on the Rural Matters podcast.
CompetencyXchange Task Force
Exploration
This grant supports the Competency Based Education Network in developing a comprehensive agenda to scale implementation of competency-based education across the nation by engaging a coalition of key stakeholders in planning.
Future U. Podcast
Scaling
As part of Ascendium’s 2022 Strategic Media Partnerships, this grant supports Academic Intelligence’s production of the Future U. podcast series featuring interviews and stories about topics related to removing barriers to success in postsecondary education. The series will include four themed episodes under Ascendium’s direction dedicated to Ascendium’s focus areas and highlighting its grantees.
Maintain Momentum: Supporting Postsecondary Education Membership Organizations and Networks
Scaling
This grant supports the Association of American Colleges and Universities and its members in continuing to advance student success reforms despite COVID‐19‐related impacts.
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