SILVER SPRING, MD, Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achieving the Dream (ATD) is partnering with Lumina Foundation to identify and support community colleges committed to increasing the enrollments of adult learners aged 25 and older. Through the Prioritizing Adult Community College Enrollment (PACCE) initiative, 20 institutions will be supported in scaling promising efforts that intentionally address improving their enrollments of adult students, particularly Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American students.
The average age of community college students is 28. To increase the enrollment and success of adult learners, who are more likely to be balancing employment, parenting, and other commitments, this grant will provide technical assistance. This support will consist of personalized feedback, open office hours, individualized coaching and a monthly curriculum.
“As open access institutions, our community colleges are pivotal to helping increase the enrollment, re-enrollment and success of adult learners,” said Dr. Monica Parrish Trent, ATD vice president, Network Engagement. “The colleges who will be the recipients of this grant already show that they have a deep understanding of the needs of adult students and include racial equity as an explicit goal. This direct support will help them accelerate, scale, and sustain their efforts.”
“We are excited to provide this opportunity in support of helping more adults access higher education. We are looking for community colleges that have great ideas and want to go further, faster with help,” said Shauna Davis, strategy director for community college participation at Lumina Foundation.
Public two-year institutions located in the following states are eligible: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Additionally, all 35 Tribal Colleges and Universities are eligible for this grant opportunity. Applications are encouraged from all colleges meeting the RFP criteria regardless of their affiliation with ATD. ATD Network status will not be a factor considered during the review process.
The request for proposals was released to eligible institutions today and applications are due Sept. 17, 2021. The project will run from Oct. 2021 through May 31, 2023, when all enrollment strategies should be fully scaled at participating colleges.
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Achieving the Dream (ATD) leads a growing network of more than 300 community colleges committed to helping their students, particularly low-income students and students of color, achieve their goals for academic success, personal growth, and economic opportunity. ATD is making progress in closing equity gaps and accelerating student success through a unique change process that builds each college’s institutional capacities in seven essential areas. ATD, along with nearly 75 experienced coaches and advisors, works closely with Network colleges in 45 states and the District of Columbia to reach more than 4 million community college students. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
