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EDUCATION PHILANTHROPY DIVISION OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP

Resource Library

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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Screenshot 2023 04 28 at 1.08.09 PM
Academic Intelligence

Higher Ed’s Role in Growing Economies

April 2023
In this podcast episode, Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo speak to Brēyana Ray of the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI). Brēyana talks about CORI’s work in rural communities to build tech ecosystems and bring awareness to these good jobs. When rural learners stay in their region and take advantage of local postsecondary education and training opportunities, they can achieve upward mobility within the growing digital economy.
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new america
New America

When Community Colleges Offer a Bachelor’s Degree: A Literature Review on Student Access and Outcomes

March 2023
State policymakers are increasingly allowing community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in order to meet growing demand for credentials in high-demand and applied fields. This report synthesizes research about such programs’ ability to improve student access and outcomes.
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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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RANDReport resource
The RAND Corporation

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Prison Education

March 2023
This report from RAND Corporation looks at trends in the COVID-19 infection rate for the U.S. state prison population and uses the results of a 2022 survey to examine how the health crisis and response efforts affected postsecondary education in prison programs.
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MappingComm
Teachers College, Columbia University

Mapping Community College Finance Systems to Develop Equitable and Effective Finance Policy

March 2023
With a view toward equity, researchers from HCM Strategists have mapped and compared three very different state systems to reveal the diversity and complexity of how community colleges are financed. They also provide an analytical framework for informed and effective reforms so that these institutions can be better equipped to help their students complete degrees.
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ColeridgeConvening
Coleridge Initiative

3rd Annual National Convening: Cross-Agency Collaboration for Evidence-Building

March 2023
The Coleridge Initiative hosted a convening highlighting the potential of collaborations amongst government agencies and researchers to produce actionable insights that could improve government programs. Presenters at the event included members of Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy. The convening report spotlights the potential of federal, state, and private data owners working together to answer policy questions, particularly those with relevance to postsecondary education and workforce training outcomes.
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MDRC ImprovingOutcomes
MDRC

Improving Outcomes for Men of Color in College: Recommendations for Advancing Success in the “Dual Pandemics”

March 2023
Across colleges and universities, the COVID-19 health crisis and racial injustice have contributed to startling enrollment declines for men of color. This is particularly true at community colleges, which serve as a primary pathway into postsecondary education. This brief from MDRC’s College Completion Strategy Guide shares strategies that colleges and universities can use to support this population of learners.
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transferAndProgressFall2022
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Transfer and Progress

March 2023
A recent National Student Clearinghouse Research Center analysis reveals concerning trends: that community college enrollments and transfer rates, particularly from two- to four-year institutions, continue to fall. Community colleges and transfer play an important role in serving learners from low-income backgrounds as they pursue their educational goals. The report, the first in a series that uses a new measure of students’ income background, builds on work done tracking transfer trends throughout the COVID-19 health crisis.
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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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