COMMUNITY VOICES: BC, CSUB positioning Kern County students for decades to come

July 5, 2017

California needs 1.1 million more workers with bachelor’s degrees by 2030 to keep up with economic demand, PPIC research has found. Three regions will play an especially critical role in addressing this challenge: Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, and the San Joaquin Valley.

Improving college enrollment and graduation rates in these regions could help close more than half of this projected statewide skills gap, according to a new PPIC report, Meeting California’s Need for College Graduates: A Regional Perspective. It analyzes the challenges ahead and recommends ways to meet them. At a Sacramento event, report coauthor Kevin Cook summarized the findings and a panel of experts described promising initiatives already underway in these regions. Report coauthor Hans Johnson, director of the PPIC Higher Education Center, moderated the panel discussion.

Panelist Benjamin Duran, executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, said his group has created a partnership of public and private colleges and universities, as well as community college districts, from Kern through San Joaquin Counties. One of the consortium’s projects involves improving remedial education, which has traditionally consisted of non-transferable classes that delay—and all too often end—students’ college careers. Under the newer approach championed by the consortium, students deemed underprepared for college work are able to enroll in college-level courses right away but also get supplementary support.

The Central Valley consortium is also working to encourage more students—particularly those in the community colleges—to take 15 units per semester or 30 per year so that more of them graduate on time. “When you’re able to go to school full time, the research is showing that you’re far less likely to drop out—you’re going to finish quicker,” Duran said.

Alma Salazar, senior vice president of the Center for Education Excellence and Talent Development at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, said, “We do what all great organizations do—we take someone else’s idea and try to make it better.” The result, she said, is the L.A. Compact, modeled after an effort in Boston. It is a collaboration among area organizations, educational institutions, unions, and local government leaders. The focus is on three goals:

  • All students graduate from high school;
  • All students have access to and are prepared for success in college; and
  • All students have access to pathways to sustainable jobs and careers.

Ken O’Donnell, associate vice president of the Student Success Program Integration and Assessment at California State University, Dominguez Hills, talked about his campus’s success in improving its six-year graduation rate from about 30% to 42% in a few years. O’Donnell echoed the PPIC report, which finds that improving success rates for those already in college will have the greatest impact on the statewide skills gap. “You’ve already improved capacity without adding a single additional seat,” he said.

Original post can be found at:

https://www.ppic.org/blog/regional-action-boost-college-success/

COMMUNITY VOICES: BC, CSUB positioning Kern County students for decades to come

Sonya Christian and Lynnette Zelezny

January 20, 2019

Bakersfield is home to two major institutions of higher education — Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield. Each has a rich history and tradition of serving students and meeting the needs of the Bakersfield community. Since opening its doors to 13 students in 1913, BC has grown to serve more than 33,000 students annually. And since its founding in 1965, CSUB has grown to serve more than 10,000 students annually, with more than 70 percent of its 50,000 graduates remaining and working in the Central Valley. Though each institution has a different focus, both share a common goal: to position Kern County students for success that will advance the economic vitality and the health of our community.

The challenge is clear, however. According to data reported by the California Department of Education, Kern County’s educational attainment rates are below state averages, with adults over 25 years of age earning bachelor’s degrees at half the rate statewide, and in some surrounding rural communities, rates drop to below 2 percent.

And yet, as presidents of your community college and state university in Bakersfield, we believe that we are living in the best of times for higher education serving the Bakersfield community.

We have statewide support

At the state level, each of our systems are seeing major reforms designed to advance timely completion. The CSU’s ambitious Graduation Initiative 2025 aims to increase graduation rates, while the community college system is implementing a new funding formula that incentivizes completion, particularly of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). Senate Bill 1440 legislation guarantees students who complete an ADT at BC can transfer with 60 credits to a CSU with junior-level status. These reforms have positioned each college to maximize the dollars that flow to our community from Sacramento.

We have an award-winning collaborative model

After launching the Kern Promise and later the Finish in 4 project with fully-mapped four-year transfer programs from BC to CSUB, both have received statewide accolades and secured additional funding to strengthen our partnership. In December 2017, CSUB earned recognition as a transfer champion because of the increase of the ADT degree holders it was enrolling and graduating, most of whom are BC ADTs. In September 2018, Bakersfield College earned the California Community College Chancellor’s Student Success award for our work with CSUB on transfer pathways. As a result of that collaboration, CSUB also has received national recognition for the social mobility of its graduates and its quality education at an affordable price.

We have local support

Just last year we received an outpouring of support from business and industry leaders, community leaders and political leaders for the co-location of a BC facility on the CSUB campus. These letters were publicly presented to the Kern Community College Board of Trustees at its December 2018 meeting.

Now is the right time to implement our bold vision for a BC-CSUB co-location.

A co-location model is a smart move for our students and our community. By creating the conditions for BC students to enroll in BC courses on the CSUB campus, we will streamline transfer pathways and create efficiencies that result in savings for the student and the taxpayer. Imagine 1,000 students per term each take one less three-unit course to earn their degree due to lower waitlists, less wandering through non-degree-applicable courses and a clearer focus on their end goals. That savings equates to $370 per student, or $370,000 per term for those 1,000 students. Over a 20-year period, that’s a savings of $14.8 million.

A co-location model is a model of opportunity for leadership among faculty, staff and students to become a model of quality education for the state and for the nation. This will be a model through which students learn the 21st century skills of creativity, innovation and problem-solving that will serve them well in our quickly-evolving, automated work. These tangible skills will serve them well as we diversify the industry base we attract to our region.

This partnership is essential to make the San Joaquin Valley an economically booming, vibrant community. By expanding educational opportunities and focusing on completion of the baccalaureate, we will bring communities out of poverty to engage in active citizenship and lead healthy, productive lives.

It is a great time to be in Bakersfield.

Sonya Christian, Ph.D., is starting her sixth year as Bakersfield College’s 10th president. Lynnette Zelezny, Ph.D., in July 2018 began her tenure as Cal State Bakersfield’s fifth president. Christian can be reached at president@bakersfieldcollege.edu, and Zelezny can be reached at 661-654-2241.

Original post can be found at:

https://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/community-voices-bc-csub-positioning-kern-county-students-for-decades/article_a5d16c62-185c-11e9-842b-331edcf7537d.html

Having a plan crucial to finishing college quickly

A national educational movement that started in 2009 is becoming more powerful and widespread each year, extending now from coast to coast. Complete College America is an initiative encouraging college students to earn their degrees as expeditiously and conscientiously as they can.

In the last decade, studies have shown students who create an aggressive educational plan and follow it are more likely to graduate than those who slowly and gradually move toward graduation. Perceptive educators have taken notice, and collectively have developed a movement that is becoming a wave.

I am fortunate to participate in this wave in several ways. I am part of a Central Valley consortium which is a strong proponent. I recently attended a national CCA conference in Chicago. And I have a granddaughter whose recent college graduation exemplifies this initiative.

Complete College America supports a number of approaches to help students advance toward their degrees in a timely way. It encourages college students, including those at community colleges, to take at least 15 units each semester. It creates new avenues for students to take university-level English and math in their first semesters, without going through remedial courses.

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC), with members from Stockton to Bakersfield and comprising some 20 community colleges and universities, shares best practices from CCA among members to help students complete their associate and bachelor degrees expeditiously.

One young woman, who attended college in the East and exemplified the theme of completing college promptly, is my granddaughter, Hanna Spevak. Last month I attended her graduation from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., well within four years – in fact, at the midpoint of her third year.

Hanna told me that while attending a public high school in Reno, she was encouraged by her parents to enroll in advanced placement (AP) courses. By scoring high enough on the AP exams, she had accumulated 42 college credits – including 11 in Spanish – before graduating from high school. She also took a summer class before her first fall semester.

But then Hanna told me something I found even more crucial. “Once I got to college,” she said, “because I enjoy scheduling and organizing, I did a lot of planning – reading carefully the college catalog and each semester’s course schedule.”

Hanna made it a point to know exactly which courses were necessary in her major (sociology), her minor (Spanish) and her general education requirements. “I was constantly creating potential schedules for the upcoming semester,” she said, “so that when I met with my academic adviser, I knew exactly which classes I needed to take.”

Hanna credits her dad, Mike, an alumnus of Los Banos High and a graduate (in four years) of UC San Diego, for “constantly asking about my plans, schedules and classes. His persistence guided me to stay on track.”

She is also grateful to her mom, Karen, who supported her every step, including many trips from Reno to Rock Hill. Hanna said both parents encouraged her to fully enjoy her college experience.

Hanna’s story has some instructive points.

1) Success in college planning begins with planning in high school. Any student who can take AP or “dual enrollment” courses (in which they earn both high school and college credit) can get a big jump on college and a leg up on a timely graduation.

2) Students must take responsibility for their own education planning. That means knowing the college catalog and precisely which courses fulfill specific requirements in their majors.

3) College students need moral, academic and psychological support. Hanna was fortunate to have parents who had successfully navigated their way through college. Her academic advisers double-checked what she was doing and offered additional guidance.

Many high school and college students don’t have such advantages; others have different advantages. Complete College America offers proven ideas to help, encouraging colleges to work with parents of students and to provide mentors to students whenever possible.

I’m proud to be a part of the Complete College America movement.

 

John Spevak is a resident of Los Banos; he wrote this for the Los Banos Enterprise. Email john.spevak@gmail.com.

Original Post – https://www.losbanosenterprise.com/opinion/article223585590.html

CHSU Now Offers the First 4-Year Medical School in the Valley

CHSU Now Offers the First 4-Year Medical School in the Valley

December 2018

California Health Sciences University (CHSU) is proud to announce that our College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) now has approval to accept applications from students for Osteopathic Medical school!

“We are exceedingly proud to hold the distinction of being the first, 4-year medical school in the Valley,” exclaimed Dr. John Graneto, Dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. “We are now recognized as the 3rd Osteopathic Medical school in California and students can apply to our program starting May 3, 2019, when the application cycle opens.”

Our College of Osteopathic Medicine at CHSU is the thirty-fifth in the Nation.

The CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine will admit 75 students in our program the first year with the total student body growing to 600 students in the program at one time.

CHSU will accept medical school applications beginning May 3, 2019 through the AACOMAS website hosted by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Construction of our new CHSU campus is underway and the College of Osteopathic Medicine building will be the first to be completed in time for classes to begin in July 2020. Check out the latest drone and time lapse construction progress on our website.

The new three-story, state-of-the-art College of Osteopathic Medicine building has an expansive, 21,000 sq.ft. Simulation and OSCE Lab, Clinical Skills Lab, and two large classrooms designed for our team-based learning curriculum.

We have also designed a Teaching Kitchen to ensure our students and patients understand how to prepare healthy meals and the importance of proper diet in relation to good health.

Osteopathic medicine had its genesis in holistic care and now boasts an impressive track record of producing primary care physicians.

The next step in COCA accreditation comes in fall 2019 with a comprehensive site visit once our new medical school building is nearer to completion.

We encourage Valley students, physicians, and other partners to join us in our mission to remedy the deficit of health care providers in our community and help fulfill the medical needs of local families, especially the underserved population.

Sincerely,

John W. Graneto, D.O., M.Ed.
Dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine
California Health Sciences University

 

Higher education leaders and legislators will convene to revisit policy and legislative action that will have a great impact on higher education at the annual CVHEC Policy and Legislative Summit

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/25/18 

Contact:Angel Ramirez, Communications Manager

(559) 698-4665 or angelr@csufresno.edu

Higher education leaders and legislators will convene to revisit policy and legislative action that will have a great impact on higher education at the annual CVHEC Policy and Legislative Summit

(Fresno, CA – October 26, 2018) – The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) will hold its annual Higher Education Policy and Legislative Summit on Friday, October 26, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Fresno. The nine-county regional consortium from San Joaquin to Kern counties brings education leaders, legislators and policy advocates together to address the central valley’s higher education needs. The strength of the consortium is drawn from working collectively to encourage policy and legislation to support post-secondary goals. This year Assembly members Dr. Joaquin Arambula (District 31) and Adam Gray (District 21) will share a discussion with UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland on collective challenges faced in higher education.

“The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is a critically important and unique group because of its unified voice that brings together all of the higher education institutions in the Central Valley,” said Ellen N. Junn, President of California State University, Stanislaus. “The members come together for the sole purpose of enhancing student success and access to high quality baccalaureate degrees and beyond for everyone across the Central Valley. Educational attainment is especially precious for the economic vitality of the Central Valley and indeed the entire state, and CVHEC joins with our region’s state elected officials to make that promise a reality.”

Joining the valley’s higher education leaders will be partners from the Public Policy Institute of California, California Futures Foundation, Community College League of California and The Campaign for College Opportunity. Participants will also hear from Valley students who will share personal experiences as a result of the transformative policies.

“Jointly, CVHEC member institutions are working to implement student success initiatives brought about through blockbuster legislation and policy that has drawn the attention of state leadership. CVHEC member institutions in the Central Valley nine county region are working collaboratively to make strides that will lead the rest of California,” said Dr. Benjamin T. Duran, CVHEC Executive Director. “This year, CVHEC member institutions have chosen to emphasize that ALL MEANS ALL in the Central Valley. The strategies showcased this year are designed to close equity achievement gaps.”

The summit will showcase the work the consortium of central valley institutions has committed efforts toward for the collective goal of increasing persistence and certificate and degree completions. Over 130 intersegmental education leaders from throughout the Central Valley are expected to attend. For more information about the summit, please visit: http://cvhec.org/cvhec2018summit/.

###

About Central Valley Higher Education Consortium

Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a 501(c)3 incorporated non-profit organization

comprised of 27 accredited public and private colleges, universities, and community college district

members. CVHEC was founded in 2000 by then Fresno State President John D. Welty along with 18

college and university leaders. Jointly, the consortium serves over 250,000 students in California’s Central Valley, a nine-county region. Its focus is to increase the region’s higher education attainment rate. www.cvhec.org

COC Brings Leaders Together for ‘Doing What Matters’ Institute

May 6, 2018

More than 50 presidents, CEOs, college chancellors and board of trustee members representing more than 30 colleges attended the “Doing What Matters” CEO Institute at the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center Thursday.

Hosted by College of the Canyons, the one-day symposium, which also attracted representatives from various Economic Development partnerships throughout the state, focused on what it means to lead campuses and make a positive impact in surrounding communities through the DWM initiative.

Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy is a California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office initiative and statewide program that invests more than $200 million dollars annually into career education among the state’s 114 community colleges.

“The conference created the perfect opportunity for college chancellors and CEOs to learn about major influences and shifts to the state economy and labor market, as well as how community colleges can work with business leaders to help meet the needs of employers now and into the future,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook.

“We look forward to seeing how we can work together to move forward strategically and advance workforce and economic development through innovative partnerships strategy development and collaboration,” Van Hook said.

After opening remarks made by Van Hook, Jim Mayer, president and CEO of California Forward, spoke about the need for partnerships and the integration of government agencies to adapt to an ever-changing world.

“Even in booming times, we have to learn how to do more with less,” Mayer said. “We need the ability to anticipate changes that are happening so we can respond. This will be easier if we have a robust set of partnerships.”

Other speakers at the conference included Bill Allen (President/CEO of Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation and Co-Chair of the California Stewardship Network), Kish Rajan (Principal of KRPA), Bill Scroggins (President of Mt. San Antonio College), Paul Granillo (President/CEO of Inland Empire Economic Partnerships), Ben Duran (Executive Director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium).

Each presentation was followed by a facilitated dialogue session to encourage the exchange of ideas among attendees.

Original post can be found at:

https://scvnews.com/2018/05/04/coc-brings-leaders-together-for-doing-what-matters-institute/

National University Ranked Among Top Twenty Universities Nationwide Serving Primary Adult Learners

National University Ranked Among Top Twenty Universities Nationwide Serving Primary Adult Learners

November 27, 2017

2017 Washington Monthly offers the only such comprehensive ranking assessment of institutions serving the adult learner population

La Jolla, Calif. – The private, nonprofit National University is among the top colleges and universities in the United States for adult learners, according to an exhaustive new report by Washington Monthly, a nonprofit magazine that is known for its annual rankings of higher education systems in the country. The rankings use a range of attributes to assess the impact of institutions to the public good in categories of social mobility, research and service.

Already among the largest nonprofit, private universities in California, National University ranked #1 in Southern California and #18 in the nation in the category of Best Colleges Serving Adult Learners, which are generally defined as students who are at least 25 years old. While other college rankings tend to be based on statistics and data points relevant to universities serving a more traditional population, the Washington Monthly assessment, which appears in the September/October 2017 edition, uses metrics more applicable to the adult learning population and is billed by the magazine as the “first-ever ranking of its kind.”

The rankings are included here: http://wmf.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/2017/WM_2017_Embargoed_Rankings.pdf

“We are very pleased to see National University recognized as a leader in serving the adult learner population through this independent assessment,” said National University President Dr. David Andrews. “We applaud the achievements of our dedicated adult students, who are juggling many responsibilities while pursuing their educational goals, and we will continue to explore innovative and relevant ways to support them through their educational journeys.”

Through the recent launch of Precision Institute at National University, the University is leading a four-year $20 million initiative to research and pilot new approaches aimed at creating a higher education experience that can more precisely identify and be responsive to the needs of individual learners from a range of backgrounds and experience levels. With the application of advanced technologies, open education resources, and predictive analytics, the initiative aims to apply these data-driven approaches to create an even more powerful and personalized student experience that guides students to successful completion of their academic and career goals.

The Washington Monthly rankings were based on federal government sources, such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), as well as the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges. Colleges were measured on seven factors: ease of transfer/enrollment; flexibility of programs; services available for adult students; the percentage of students 25 and older at the college; mean earnings of adult students 10 years after entering college; loan repayment rates of adult students five years after entering repayment; and tuition and fees for in-district students. Colleges were only ranked if data was available for all seven measurements, and National University earned its highest score – 8 out of a possible 9 points – for the flexibility of programs.

Washington Monthly noted how too many rankings of colleges and universities ignore adult learners, who constitute approximately 40 percent of all college students. “Policymakers and journalists have a blind spot when it comes to adult learners because of their own traditional college experiences: most went to college (probably selective ones) right after high school and didn’t stop until they had a diploma or two,” according to the October, 2017, edition of Washington Monthly.

In the case of National University, the institution was founded in 1971 on principles of providing a quality education with a mission to make education more accessible to students who might not otherwise be served by traditional higher education institutions. The University, the flagship institution of the National University System, offers a unique one-class-per-month format, evening courses, and options for students to learn on campus, online, or through hybrid programs. The average age of National University students is 32, and the student population is diverse, serving both a significant military population as well those who are juggling careers and families to achieve their academic goals.

About National University
Founded in 1971, National University among the largest private, nonprofit institutions of higher education in California. With more than 150,000 alumni, National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse population of students. Four schools and two colleges – the College of Letters and Sciences; the Sanford College of Education; the School of Business and Management; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies – offer more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 23 teacher credentials. Programs are offered at locations throughout California and across the nation, and are also available online. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California. http://www.nu.edu/

The Majority Report – Ed Trust West

ETW_The Majority Report_FINAL

Higher education leaders and legislators will convene in Fresno October 18 to address Central Valley degree attainment efforts

Media Release

Fresno, CA – A key feature of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium’s (CVHEC) Higher Education Legislative and Policy Summit is a discussion on strategy solutions to increase the Central Valley’s degree attainment rates. Higher education leaders, including all of the Central Valley Presidents and Chancellors of 25 colleges and universities from Stockton to Bakersfield, will convene in Fresno on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Fresno for the summit.

“The strength of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium has always been the ability of the member colleges and universities to act collectively on issues and challenges facing Central Valley students,” said Dr. Joseph I. Castro, Fresno State President and CVHEC Board Chair. “We are laser focused on enhancing student success across the region through bold and innovative programs.”

The October 18 summit will feature conversations with higher education leaders, philanthropy partners, higher education researchers and advocates. A Keynote Conversation with California Community College Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Charles A. Dana Center University of Texas, Executive Director Dr. Uri Treisman and Kristen Soares, President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities will be facilitated by Fresno State President and CVHEC Board Chair Dr. Joseph Castro. A higher education legislation panel will feature Assembly members Dr. Joaquin Arambula (District 31) and Devon Mathis (District 26). The lunch address will feature a DACA Conversation between Congressman Jim Costa (District 16) and Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith. Addressing higher education policy reforms to increase graduation rates are CVHEC member Presidents from Reedley College, Dr. Sandra Caldwell, Modesto Junior College, Dr. Jill Board, and Merced College, Mr. Chris Vitelli. They will give a report on current success strategies that are expected to trend graduation rates in the right direction.

“Jointly, CVHEC member institutions serve over 250,000 students in the Central Valley. Unfortunately, Central Valley degree attainment rates are low, much like the rest of California,” said Dr. Benjamin T. Duran, CVHEC executive director. “On average a student will complete community college in four to six years and an undergraduate degree in six to eight years. These rates are lackluster. At our October 2016 Policy and Legislative Summit, the CVHEC Board of Directors committed to ambitious, but achievable, objectives for its two- and four-year member institutions to establish a regional exemplar to reverse the current trend on graduation rates. This summit is a report card on that commitment.”

Since October 2016, CVHEC member institutions have supported higher education legislation such as AB 705 (Irwin) which was just signed by Governor Jerry Brown on Friday, October 13. This bill legislates multiple measures, a process of placing students into college credit math and English through multiple measures and bypassing assessment tests and remediation courses at the community college. Remediation has been proven to be a culprit of student success. The summit will feature research and discussion on how reform measures such as multiple measures and implementation of co-requisite remediation improve college success for all students, especially students of color.

Through funding from the College Futures Foundation, CVHEC has established a Central Valley Math Pathways Task Force co-chaired by a community college and CSU professors. This task force will put systems in place to address low-completion rates of college-level math. It will also establish a co-requisite response to the CSU Chancellor’s Executive Order 1110 which calls for the reform of remediation at all CSU campuses by 2018.

Further, a cornerstone of reversing the downward trend is the implementation of Guided Pathways – a student centered system that will dramatically change how community colleges operate. Chancellor Oakley and CVHEC member colleges working on implementation will address how this system change will enhance student’s college experience and success.

A testament to these efforts is the Fresno designation as one of 17-nationally recognized Talent Hubs. In September 2017, Lumina Foundation announced a grant award to CVHEC in collaboration with Fresno Compact to support and recognize current efforts to increase degree attainment rates, especially among Hispanic, African American and low-income students.

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium’s Higher Education Legislative and Policy Summit will begin at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and will convene at 1:15 p.m. About 100 higher education leaders from throughout the Central Valley will attend. National leaders and policy partners from throughout California will also be in attendance.

To schedule interviews with Dr. Duran, Dr. Castro or other presenters, please contact CVHEC Communications Manager Angel Ramirez at (559) 292-0576 or angelr@csufresno.edu.

About Central Valley Higher Education Consortium

Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a 501(c)3 incorporated non-profit organization comprised of accredited public and private colleges, universities, and community college district members. CVHEC was founded in 2000 by then Fresno State President John D. Welty along with 18 college and university leaders. Today, it is a 25-member strong consortium. Jointly, the consortium serves over 250,000 students in California’s Central Valley, a nine-county region. Its focus is to increase the region’s higher education attainment rate.

www.cvhec.org

Media Contacts:

Virginia Madrid-Salazar
CVHEC Strategies Lead
(559) 974-7400 or vmadridsalazar@csufresno.edu

Angel Ramirez
CVHEC Communications Manager
(559) 292-0576 or angelr@csufresno.edu

Lumina Foundation designates the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium and Fresno Compact as a Talent Hub

Fresno, California – Lumina Foundation has announced the Fresno Compact in partnership with the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) as one of 17 communities across the country designated as a Talent Hub. Fresno, among the other cities, earned this new designation by meeting rigorous standards for creating environments that attract, retain, and cultivate talent, particularly among today’s students, many of whom are people of color, the first in their families to go to college, and from low-income households.

Each Talent Hub focuses intensively on one of three populations that is critical to raising the nation’s overall post-high school attainment level to 60 percent of working-age adults by 2025: 18-to-22-year-old students; older adults with college experience who stopped out before finishing their studies; or adults with no formal education beyond high school. Talent Hub cities are committed to eliminating deep disparities in educational outcomes among African-Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians, who fare poorly in contrast with white and Asian students.

The 17 communities designated as Talent Hubs are: Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Boston; Cincinnati; Columbus, Ind.; Dayton, Ohio; Denver; Fresno, Calif.; Los Angeles; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; New York; Philadelphia; Racine, Wis.; Richmond, Va.; Shasta County, Calif.; and Tulsa, Okla.

“These communities are the creative and entrepreneurial engines that power our nation,” said Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. “For our country to meet growing demand for an educated workforce, we must bolster community-based efforts that are tightly focused on increasing the numbers of people in cities across the country with education and training beyond high school.”

Each community designated as a Talent Hub will receive $350,000 in grant funding over 42 months. Grant funding will support local efforts to educate more people, allowing community and postsecondary leaders to better meet the specific needs of residents. Lumina will provide these funds in partnership with the Kresge Foundation.

Through the designation of the Fresno Talent Hub, current efforts already underway will serve as a model for the Central Valley and California. Efforts utilizing remediation reform with co-requisite models for both English and math will increase in college-level course completion. Further, full-time enrollments through a 15 to Finish strategy will increase retention and persistence rates. Overall, through these efforts and other related efforts Fresno County’s degree attainment rates will be dramatically impacted specifically among Hispanic, African American and low-income populations.

Kresge’s support for Talent Hubs comes from its national Education Program, which includes a focus on aligning and strengthening urban higher education ecosystems to help more low-income, under-represented and minority students gain access to and succeed in higher education.

“The Fresno Compact and the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium have become effective and valuable partners in providing a pathway for college success and degree attainment for students in the region,” said Dr. Benjamin T. Duran, Executive Director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium. “The Talent Hub designation by Lumina Foundation is a testament to the good work this community is doing to improve the well-being of its residents.”

Marc Johnson, Executive Director of the Fresno Compact adds, “The Talent Hub designation serves both as an aspirational target for other cities to aim for and a platform from which cities designated as Talent Hubs can build. Talent Hubs are one outgrowth of Lumina’s Community Partnerships for Attainment, which was in excess of $10 million in grants to 75 cities across the country. This partnership, which began in 2013, will continue to work directly with communities to expand educational opportunities beyond high school.”

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. Lumina envisions a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. The Foundation’s goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy. For more information, visit www.luminafoundation.org.

The Kresge Foundation is a $3.5 billion private, national foundation that works to expand opportunities in America’s cities through grant making and social investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and community development in Detroit. In 2016, the Board of Trustees approved 474 grants totaling $141.5 million, and made 14 social investment commitments totaling $50.8 million. For more information, visit www.kresge.org.

Fresno Compact is a 501c3 non-profit that focuses community-wide efforts on preparing students for the increasing demands of society and the workplace. In doing so, it provides a mechanism for mobilizing business and community support of local K-12 and higher education institutions, and it acts as a connector for sharing of information among education, business, and community leaders. The Compact’s efforts are specifically focused on high school and post-secondary attainment. Fresno Compact’s board is composed of 35 members, with a majority of board members from the business community.

Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a 501(c)3 incorporated non-profit organization comprised of accredited public and private colleges, universities, and community college district members. CVHEC was founded in 2000 by then Fresno State President John D. Welty along with 18 college and university leaders. Today, it is a 25-member strong consortium. Jointly, the consortium serves over 250,000 students in the California Central Valley, a nine-county region. Its focus is to increase the region’s higher education attainment rate.

Media contact:

Benjamin Duran, Executive Director
Central Valley Higher Education Consortium
bduran@csufresno.edu
(559) 292-0576 or mobile at (209) 761-0534

Contact Us

  • cvhecinfo@mail.fresnostate.edu

  • 559.278.0576

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