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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

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Sharing knowledge is at the heart of our mission. Explore Ascendium’s growing library of publications that examine the complex challenges facing postsecondary learners, and how we’re helping our partners address them.

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Rural Matters
Rural Matters

Advancing Rural Communities Through Apprenticeships and a Stronger Public-Sector Workforce (Part IV)

April 2023
The fourth and final episode in a podcast series features representatives from Reach University and The Council of State Governments. Each shares thoughts on the potential for apprenticeship programs to help fill jobs in rural America and what their organizations are doing to connect learners in rural communities to high-quality jobs.
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AR 2022 NewsRelease Featured

2022 Education Philanthropy Report: Meeting the Moment

April 2023
This year’s report is all about overcoming the challenges presented by our changing world. Inside, you’ll read about the tremendous efforts of our grant partners to improve postsecondary education and workforce training systems so that learners from low-income backgrounds can succeed beyond high school.
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APIAReport resource
APIA Scholars

Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders in Higher Education: A Collection of Campus Research to Inform Student Success

March 2023
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander learners are one of the most overlooked student populations in postsecondary education. A significant barrier to including these learners in broader postsecondary education discussions is the lack of research that can provide insight into their educational journey. This report shares findings from a research initiative that helps stakeholders better understand Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander learners and the institutions that serve them.
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rural comm
The Aspen Institute

Rural Community College Excellence: A Guide to Delivering Strong Opportunity for Students and Communities

March 2023
Rural community colleges not only provide a space for educational attainment, they also serve as hubs that generate opportunities for upward mobility and drive local talent development. However, excellent rural community colleges often receive less attention than their urban peers. This guide uplifts the strategies and practices of excellent student-centered rural community colleges identified through the Aspen Prize process.
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Rural Matters
Rural Matters

Institutional Resilience in Puerto Rico and Rural Areas (Part III)

March 2023
The third in a four-part podcast series, this episode highlights work by Excelencia in Education that explores resiliency efforts at five Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) in Puerto Rico. These rural-located institutions are committed to student success for Latino learners, even amidst challenges such as declining enrollment, demographic shifts and fiscal constraints. Lessons learned from these HSIs are applicable to institutions on the mainland facing similar issues.
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pr resource
Excelencia in Education

Institutional Resilience in Puerto Rico: A First Look at Efforts by Puerto Rican HSIs

February 2023
Excelencia in Education conducted interviews at five Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) in Puerto Rico to learn more about their efforts in resilience over the last five years. This report identifies key efforts by those HSIs that demonstrate resilience, including overviews and strategies that can be used by postsecondary education institutions to improve opportunities for Latino learners.
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rural texas resource
Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation

Rural Learning Systems: Driving Outcomes in Rural Texas

February 2023
UpSkill Coastal Bend, a partner in the Rural Learning Systems cohort, is working to increase educational attainment and workforce training for learners across six rural counties in Texas. This article by CivicLab explains how the organization is connecting learners to postsecondary education and training for in-demand jobs. These include existing jobs and those that may come from the expansion and retention of businesses who need skilled workers.
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hendry co resource
Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation

Rural Learning Systems: Talent Development in Hendry County

February 2023
The FutureMakers Coalition, a partner in the Rural Learning Systems cohort, has brought together educators, employers, community organizations and others in rural Hendry County, Florida, to build better systems for boosting educational attainment and improving job training. This article shares what the coalition has done so far in their effort to get more learners from low-income backgrounds the education and training they need to meet the demands of skilled jobs in their communities.
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moving fwd
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

Future Opportunities for Rural Workforce and Rural Development (FORWARD) Curriculum

January 2023
Cooperative Extension professionals (CEPs) are embedded within many communities across the U.S. This curriculum was created to help CEPs leverage their experience and serve as facilitators of workforce solutions in rural communities. Using this curriculum will help them work with community stakeholders to design and implement career pathways that lead learners and workers from low-income backgrounds to in-demand jobs in rural places.
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Rural Matters
Rural Matters

Driving Economic Mobility Through Rural Education (Part II)

December 2022
The second in a four-part podcast series, representatives from Patrick & Henry Community College and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program expand on the importance of community college partnerships that put the focus on crafting regional economic solutions. When community colleges establish partnerships with four-year institutions and local and regional employers, high-quality postsecondary education can be developed in alignment with local job needs. This creates economic opportunity for learners, especially those from low-income backgrounds.
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LISC resource
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Rural Works Highlights Report: Year 2

September 2022
Rural Works, an initiative of Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), focuses on community-wide workforce development programming to support more rural workers. This report shares insights from the initiative’s second year, including expansion into more rural communities and the addition of growing workforce partnerships.
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Rural Matters
Rural Matters

Strengthening Educational and Professional Outcomes in Rural Communities (Part I)

September 2022
The first in a four part podcast series, five guests on this Rural Matters episode speak to timely issues in rural postsecondary education. This includes how to achieve better opportunities and outcomes, utilize meaningful partnerships and create pathways to education and career success. Leveraging the unique assets of rural communities, these partners elevate rural America as a viable place to live, learn and work.
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