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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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EP UniversityofIdaho
University of Idaho

Project Profile: The Effect of Institutional Programs and Practices on Low-Income Rural College Students’ Academic, Psychosocial, and Workforce-Related Outcomes

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, the University of Idaho examines the programs and practices that improve rural college students’ educational outcomes and their transition into the workforce. Data, descriptive reports, and insights will be collected, analyzed, and stored within a new dashboard available to stakeholders who make decisions related to rural postsecondary education.
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EP DigitalPromise
Digital Promise Global

Project Profile: Exploring the Effectiveness of Skills Training and Wage-Based Incentive Programs on the Social Mobility of Rural Early Childhood Education Providers in Tennessee

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, Digital Promise explores the effectiveness of a skills training program and a wage-based incentive program on the upward mobility of rural early childhood education providers in Tennessee. Findings from the evaluation of these programs will inform policy makers and institutions implementing similar programs in support of their early childhood education workforce.
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EP NCStateUniversity v2
Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research

Project Profile: Rural College Leaders Program: Catalyzing Institutions to Improve Student Outcomes

July 2023
A project of the Building Evidence to Increase Rural Learner Success initiative, the Belk Center evaluates its Rural College Leaders Program (RCLP) to ensure it has the best impact on its partner colleges and the learners they serve. Through evaluation, RCLP will be strengthened and broader lessons from the community of practice shared with other rural-serving community colleges across the country.
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RuralEducatorBriefs
Community Colleges of the Appalachia Region

Rural Educator Academy Cohort 1 Report Briefs

June 2023
Six community colleges participated in the first cohort of the Rural Educator Academy (REA). This community of practice is focused on ways to improve student success metrics for rural learners from low-income backgrounds across the Appalachia region. Through these briefs, each college shared their journey, including goals, challenges, and what they learned through participation in REA.
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2023aspenprize
Aspen Institute

The 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

April 2023
The Aspen Prize recognizes the transformative power of community colleges by honoring institutions with outstanding student outcomes. The winners and finalists for 2023 offer lessons on what’s possible when a college commits to delivering on its promises, both to students and the broader community.
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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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