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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

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Streamline Key Learner Transitions

Our philanthropy supports institutions and systems as they work to facilitate seamless transitions between educational and career opportunities after high school.

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How We See the Problem

Leveraging workforce training, transferring between postsecondary providers and entering or re-entering the workforce are pivotal moments in a learner’s career or academic journey. Institutions and systems can implement policies and practices that inadvertently make these transitions difficult. For example, when curricula don’t align, or information systems are incapable of sharing data effectively, students risk losing credits, momentum and money. The jump from postsecondary education into the workforce also presents challenges, especially when institutions offer programming that does not align with the skills employers need.

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Ascendium's Approach

An investment priority to...

Explore diverse pathways to and through postsecondary education and workforce training

Means we support...

  • Identifying, validating and scaling high-quality, nontraditional postsecondary education and training models, such as apprenticeships, career pathways, short term credentials and competency-based education
  • Promoting collaboration between postsecondary education and non-degree providers

Which will lead to...

  • Increasing learners’ understanding of the credentialing landscape and equitable pathways to careers
  • Increasing learner completion of nontraditional postsecondary education and training that enhance their readiness and access to employment, sustainable career pathways and additional education
  • Recognition from the traditional academe of high-quality, non-degree credentials and training, resulting in accessible and equitable pathways to additional education and careers

An investment priority to...

Ease transitions between, and returning to, postsecondary providers

Means we support...

  • Reforming policy and practice to improve transfer and application of credit at system, state and regional levels
  • Supporting effective strategies to reengage adult learners with some college, but no degree

Which will lead to...

  • Learners with some college but no degree re-enrolling and earning a high-quality credential
  • Increasing the number of learners who successfully move between education providers without losing credit, slowing momentum or delaying credential completion

An investment priority to...

Smooth transitions between postsecondary education and the workforce

Means we support...

  • Promoting postsecondary alignment and collaboration with workforce and economic development
  • Expanding data infrastructure and information sharing between postsecondary education providers and the workforce
  • Scaling effective institutional policies and practices that promote successful job placement leading to socioeconomic mobility

Which will lead to...

  • Postsecondary and workforce systems sharing data to provide learners with relevant education that meets economic and workforce needs and learners’ goals
  • Postsecondary institutions demonstrating commitment to learners’ career outcomes

Grants to Streamline Key Learner Transitions

To learn about our approach to grantmaking (Exploration, Validation, Scaling), visit our How We Fund page.

Labor Market Playbook

Scaling
The Aspen Institute Inc|$368,000|6/2017 - 7/2019
This grant supports The Aspen Institute in creating a set of tools to help community colleges improve students’ labor market outcomes through replicable, evidence-based practices and strategies for strengthening employer collaboration.

Career Ready Internship Grant-Four-year institution program evaluation

Validation
MDRC|$413,999|4/2016 - 6/2019
This grant supports MDRC in evaluating Ascendium's Career Ready Internship program. MDRC will analyze data from each of the 33 CRI sites and conducting student and employer surveys to assess impact on student persistence and experience, college-employer relationships, program implementation and scale and sustainability.
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Latest News

June 23, 2022

Read About Our New Team Supporting Incarcerated Learners, Help Us Shape Our Future Communications and More

  • Introducing Our New Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison Team
  • Help Us Evolve Our Communications
  • Informed Self-Placement Engages Students in the College Placement Process, With Encouraging Results
Read More
June 10, 2022

New Guide Supports Efforts to Better Recognize and Map Military Training to Civilian Credentials

Servicemembers entering postsecondary education or the workforce bring with them considerable knowledge and skills gained from their military experiences. Improving their postsecondary education and training outcomes requires the consistent awarding of prior learning to servicemembers. Read more about our recent support of a project that aims to increase credit mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds, particularly servicemembers and veterans.

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Resources

COVID-19 Transfer, Mobility and Progress: Spring 2022 Report

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has released its eighth report in a series which analyzes undergraduate transfer enrollment and pathways throughout the COVID-19 health crisis. This report examines data from the spring 2022 term, with numbers indicating transfer enrollment dropped another 6.9% over last year.

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Creating Seamless Pathways for Military Service Members: A Scaling Guide

An evaluation of the Military Credentialing Advancement Initiative (MCAI), this scaling guide by DVP-PRAXIS outlines three cases for approaching military-to-civilian learning for postsecondary systems, institutions and training organizations. By supporting new pathways between military competencies and high-quality civilian credentials, we hope to encourage broader recognition of individuals with military training and experience upon entering the workforce.

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Carolynn
Lee

Senior Program Officer,
Streamline Key Learner Transitions

Maryann
Rainey

Program Officer,
Expand Postsecondary Education in Prison

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