National College Access Network

http://www.collegeaccess.org National College Access Network - Press Room National College Access Network - Press Room en-us Copyright National College Access Network. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. <![CDATA[NCAN Awarded TG Public Benefit Grant for Success Best Practices Project]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Awarded_TG_Public_Benefit_Grant_for_Success_Best_Practices_Project.aspx20 Members Also TG Public Benefit Grant Recipients

(Washington, D.C.) July 2 - The National College Access Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce approval of a TG Public Benefit Grant for Supporting Best Practices in Student Success. The "Success Best Practices" project will grant funds to four NCAN members to develop best practices in working with low-income, underrepresented students through the pipeline of higher education until they complete a degree. NCAN also congratulates 20 of its members receiving TG Public Benefit Grants.

"NCAN appreciates this support from TG, not only for their direct support of NCAN's work to develop best practices in student success to be disseminated throughout the education community, but also for this very significant investment in college access and success initiatives across the country," said Kim Cook, Executive Director of NCAN.

The four, to be selected, NCAN members will receive planning grants to create, enhance or expand their persistence, retention and success programs. NCAN will provide technical assistance throughout the project, evaluate the projects, and develop an evaluation report that will be shared among the college access and success community. The evaluation work will be done in partnership with the Institute for Higher Education Policy. More information about applying for this opportunity will be released later this summer.

"With only approximately 20 percent of low-income, underrepresented students in higher education completing a bachelor's degree within 6 years of starting school, NCAN and its members are working to increase their success rate," commented Dr. Tia McNair, NCAN Assistant Director and project manager for this program.

These programs are important in supporting the education continuum of students who received college access services throughout high school. The result of this project will be the development of four student success programs that will benefit the students currently being served by those programs and an evaluation report that will serve as a practitioner-focused, implementation roadmap for other college access programs that want to develop and strengthen their own student success programs.

"These grants reflect our continued commitment to support programs that promote and improve access to higher education, particularly for low-income students," said Sue McMillin, TG President and CEO. "By helping these programs succeed, we believe we are making a difference for the students and communities served by these programs."

For the 2010-2011 academic year, TG awarded $5.6 million in competitive grants to 50 institutions and nonprofit organizations to advance access to college, student retention, and educational research. This is the sixth consecutive year TG has awarded the competitive grants through its Public Benefit Grant Program, the company's philanthropic initiative. To learn about the Public Benefit Program, please visit http://www.tgslc.org/publicbenefit/. The 20 NCAN member program grant recipients received over $2.1 million for projects outlined below.

NCAN Members Receiving TG Public Benefit Grants

National College Access Network Inc.; Washington, DC
Supporting Best Practices in Student Success; $184,925

10,000 Degrees (Formerly Marin Education Fund); San Rafael, CA
Organizational Capacity Building; $49,505

ACCESS; Boston, MA
High School Advising Program; $100,000

Admission Possible; St. Paul, MN
Organizational Capacity Building; $294.450

Bottom Line; Jamaica Plain, MA
College Access and College Success Programs; $100,000

College Bound; St. Louis, MO
Complete U Persistence Program; $93,500

College Crusade of Rhode Island; Providence, RI
RI Gear Up; $106,868

College Forward: Austin, TX
AmeriCorps for College Access and Success; $124,500

CollegeTracks; Bethesda, MD
College Access and Success Program; $150,000

Dynamy; Worcester, MA
Youth Academy; $65,000

Education is Freedom; Dallas, TX
College and Scholarship Application Support; $170,000

Franklin & Marshall College Keystone Advising Corps; Lancaster, PA
Planning for our Future: Expanding and Sustaining the National College Advising Corps, Keystone Region; $115,571

Fulfillment Fund; Los Angeles, CA
College Access & Success Model; $100,000

Graduate Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA
Organizational Capacity Building; $97,325

Houston A+ Challenge; Houston, TX
Preparing to Dream: Expanding College Access for Low-Income Students through Better Information,
Preparation, and Support; $90,000

On Point for College; Syracuse, NY
Organizational Capacity Building; $78,870

Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, The; St. Louis, MO
Bravo Grant Program; $75,000

Stark Education Partnership, Inc.; Canton, OH
Organizational Capacity Building; $24,795

University of Missouri: The Missouri College Advising Corps; Columbia, MO
Increasing College Access for Rural and Urban Missouri Students; $114,810

University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA
Increasing College Access through Digital Technologies; $103,281

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About National College Access Network
Incorporated in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the mission of the National College Access Network (NCAN) is to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams. NCAN achieves this mission by serving as a convener for the access and success community, an advocate for public policy in support of student access and success, and a provider of member services and strategic assistance to communities seeking to create college access and success programs and networks.

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About TG
TG is a public, nonprofit corporation that promotes educational success to help millions of students and families realize their college and career dreams. TG provides critical support to schools, students, and borrowers at every stage of the federal student aid process - from providing information on how to pay for a higher education including financial aid options, to facilitating successful loan repayment after graduation.

]]>7/8/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 7 New Members]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/July2010Members.aspx
Baldwin Promise Authority, MI - www.baldwin.k12.mi.us/Baldwin%20Promise.asp
Center for Student Opportunity, MD - www.csopportunity.org
EnvironMentors, Heritage University, WA - www.ncseonline.org/environmentors
EnvironMentors, Kean University, NJ - www.ncseonline.org/environmentors
EnvironMentors, Louisiana State University, LA - www.ncseonline.org/environmentors
Hendricks College Network, IN - www.hendrickscollegenetwork.org
Ms. Deanea Mercer, Supporting Individual

Baldwin Promise Authority, MI
Baldwin Promise Authority is a Michigan Promise Zone under the Michigan Promise Zone Authority Act, Act 549 of 2008, and is the only small rural district who has earned this designation. Baldwin Promise Authority is a newly created and currently fundraising to provide scholarships for the first two years of the Baldwin Promise.

Center for Student Opportunity, MD
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Center for Student Opportunity (CSO) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to empower first-generation college and other traditionally underserved students to and through college by providing information, guidance and scholarships. CSO strives to ensure that students and their supporters—parents, counselors, community leaders and mentors—have the necessary information and resources to pursue and succeed in college.

EnvironMentors, Heritage University, WA
EnvironMentors, Kean University, NJ
EnvironMentors, Louisiana State University, LA
EnvironMentors is a program of the National Center for Science and the Environment. The above colleges and universities have established EnvironMentors’ Chapters on their campuses. Established in 1990, the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) improves the scientific basis for environmental decision making. EnvironMentors was founded in Washington, DC in 1992 as a community environmental education program whose mission is to mentor and motivate high school students from under- resourced communities as they conduct scientific research and acquire skills that will allow them to build careers and become active stewards of their communities and the environment.

Hendricks College Network, IN
Hendricks College Network is an educational network that provides access to and support for post secondary education, business training, and workforce development in Hendricks County and surrounding areas. Hendricks College Network, formerly the Post-Secondary Education Task Force, was established in 1998 by the Hendricks County Commissioners as part of the development of a comprehensive plan relating to all aspects of the county’s needs.

NCAN welcomes Ms. Deanea Mercer as a Supporting Individual.]]>7/1/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 12 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_12_New_Member_Organizations.aspx

Clarke County School District AT&T Graduation Project, GA - www.clarke.k12.ga.us/offices.cfm?subpage=35313
College Readiness 21, WI - www.wficweb.org/College-Readiness-21.htm
ConnectEDU, MA - www.connectedu.net
Family Restoration Project, NY - www.frponline.org
Indiana’s College Success Coalition / Learn More Indiana, IN - www.learnmore.org
Light of the City Resource Center of Maryland, MD - www.thelightofthecity.webs.com
Mitchell Kapor Foundation, CA - www.mkf.org
Project GRAD Cincinnati, OH - www.projectgradcincinnati.org
Southwest Tennessee Educational Pathways, TN - www.swtdd.org/redi/what-is-step.php
University of Washington Office of Minority & Diversity Affairs, WA - depts.washington.edu/omad
West Texas A&M University - Amarillo College Talent Search, TX - www.wtamu.edu/cts
White-Williams Scholars, PA - www.wwscholars.org

Clarke County School District AT&T Graduation Project, GA - The AT&T Graduation Project is a project in the Clarke County School District, partnered with Athens-Clarke County Family Connection Partnership/ Communities In Schools of Athens. The Graduation Project coordinates three graduation teams across the school district serving 350 9th and 10th grade students.

College Readiness 21, WI - College Readiness 21 is a program of the Wisconsin Foundation for Independent Colleges (WFIC). WFIC partners with each of Wisconsin’s 20 independent colleges, Wisconsin companies, nonprofits, youth serving organizations, and school partners. The WFIC model is designed to produce Wisconsin’s future leaders, committed citizens, and dedicated professionals. The model is built on the following three service pillars: Pre-College Services, College Retention Services, and Career Readiness Services. College Readiness 21 (CR21) provides approximately 500 under-served, low-income youth with the skills needed to successfully complete high school and enter an institution of higher education.

ConnectEDU, MA - ConnectEDU is the nation’s leading technology firm dedicated to providing students, educators and employers with comprehensive solutions to successfully navigate education and employment transitions. ConnectEDU's mission is to democratize access to higher education and career opportunities for all students by empowering them and their advisors with the information, resources and collective bargaining power required to realize successful life-transitions.

Family Restoration Project, NY - We are a not-for-profit community organization that is committed to the restoration, reconciliation and well being of multi-cultural urban families in the city of Rochester, New York. By providing easily accessible, holistic human services our goals are to empower individuals to lead stable and responsible lives, to provide positive intervention within the family structure and to bridge the gap between basic physical, emotional, and spiritual needs with available resources in our community.

Indiana’s College Success Coalition / Learn More Indiana, IN - Learn More Indiana is here to guide Hoosiers on how to get to college so that students of all ages can achieve the dream of a degree. Indiana's College Success Coalition is working to eliminate barriers to help Indiana students get the education they need to succeed in life by increasing the number of Hoosiers who finish high school, enroll in college and earn a degree. Learn More Indiana is home to the Indiana's College Success Coalition, which is the KnowHow2Go Indiana statewide network.

Light of the City Resource Center of Maryland, MD – The Light of the City mission is to expose under-represented and under-served students, middle & high school, to a variety of careers and colleges and provide them with the necessary tools to help them make their dream of becoming successful a reality. Light of the City professional advisors/counselors equip students and families with the knowledge to select, attend and graduate from college. Programming includes the "College & Career Information Hour" every Saturday morning 8am - 9am. WOL1450 or www.wolam.com (listen live only).

Mitchell Kapor Foundation, CA - The Mitchell Kapor (KAY-por) Foundation is a private foundation with the mission to ensure fairness and equity, especially in low-income communities of color. We support organizations and activism which illuminate and mitigate the conditions and dynamics of inequality. Founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist Mitchell Kapor in 1997, the Foundation's grants program focuses on funding organizations which are working to ensure justice and equity for vulnerable and underserved communities, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nearly all of our grant work focuses on environmental, educational, and civic issues.

Project GRAD Cincinnati, OH - The mission of the program is to ensure a quality public school education for all at risk children in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school graduation rates increase and graduates are prepared to enter and be successful in college. The goal of Project GRAD is to see at least 80 percent of students graduate from high school and 50 percent of these graduates enter and graduate from college. Project GRAD makes a long-term commitment to each public school district and works across all grades from K through 16 to achieve sustainable and systemic change.

Southwest Tennessee Educational Pathways (STEP), TN - STEP is an acronym for Southwest Tennessee Educational Pathways. It is the intent of STEP to change the educational culture of the region. The leadership of the REDI region understands the linkages between education, workforce and economic development. STEP, the cornerstone of the REDI initiative, is a two-phase College Access Program. STEP and REDI are both part of the Southwest Tennessee Development District.

University of Washington Office of Minority & Diversity Affairs, WA - The mission of the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity is to ensure the access and academic success of a diverse student population through the advancement of knowledge, academic excellence, diversity, and the promotion of values, principles, and a climate that enriches the campus experience for all. At the University of Washington and around the state, our student programs serve: 10,000 middle and high school students as they prepare and plan for college, and over 4,200 undergraduate students with new student orientation, academic advising, instructional support, mentoring and financial aid and scholarship needs.

West Texas A&M University-Amarillo College Talent Search, TX - The mission of College Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in the postsecondary education institution of their choice. The College Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. College Talent Search also serves high school dropouts by encouraging them to reenter the education system and complete their education.

White-Williams Scholars, PA – The current mission is to inspire and support high achieving Philadelphia public high school students of limited financial means to fulfill their potential. The organization serves over 1,000 students each year. In 1917 White-Williams Scholars pioneered the concept of in-school counseling and hired the first counselors for public and parochial elementary and secondary schools. The organization initiated several other services—including vocational guidance and placement, nutritional instruction, and teacher training in social work—which were eventually absorbed by the schools.

]]>6/3/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 5 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_5_New_Member_Organizations.aspx

Clemson University Emerging Scholars, SC - www.clemsonemergingscholars.org
DePaul University Center for Access and Attainment, IL - www.depaul.edu/emm/caa
Georgia Student Finance Commission, GA - www.gsfc.org
KIPP Through College, NY - www.kipp.org/students/kipp-through-college
National Student Loan Program, NE - www.nslp.org

Clemson University Emerging Scholars, SC
Since 2002, The Emerging Scholars Program has made higher education a reality for students who have not seen college in their future. The mission of the Emerging Scholars Program at Clemson University is to enhance South Carolina’s economic prosperity by increasing the number of college graduates that come from economically disadvantaged areas and first generation families.

DePaul University Center for Access and Attainment, IL
The mission of the Center for Access and Attainment at DePaul is to serve as a focal point for dialogue, strategy and action concerning college access and attainment, consistent with DePaul's vision to exceed national norms in recruiting, retaining and graduating a diverse student body, with an emphasis on first-generation and low-income students in the Chicago area.

Georgia Student Finance Commission, GA
The Georgia Student Finance Commission helps Georgia students achieve their educational goals by administering financial aid programs and advocating for Georgia students and other state institutions on issues related to financing higher education. GSFC administers the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Scholarship and Grant programs as well as other state-and lottery-funded scholarship and grant programs. GSFC also provides free financial aid consultation to Georgia residents and is involved in many activities designed to promote financial literacy and default prevention.

KIPP Through College, NY
KIPP Through College (KTC) instills the academic, professional and character skills needed for KIPP alumni to be successful in high school, college, and the competitive world beyond. Each region and single site school develops its own local High School Placement/KIPP Through College Program specially structured to address the needs of the students and alumni.

National Student Loan Program, NE
National Student Loan Program (NSLP) is a private, not-for-profit, national guarantee agency that assists students and parents with higher education access by providing loan guarantees in the FFEL Program for the Stafford, PLUS, and Grad PLUS products. Established in 1986, NSLP is a top ten guarantor, delivering quality service to schools and lenders.

]]>5/5/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - HERA]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_HERA.aspxHERA: Pell Grant Funding, Federal Student Loan Changes, and CACG Expansion

The recently-signed Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act included many access-related issues originally proposed in the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) of importance to our work including an increase to the maximum Pell Grant award, a shift to Direct Lending and reauthorization of the federal College Access Challenge Grants.

In summary, Pell Grants, the foundation of federal student aid for our neediest students, will increase to a maximum award of $5,550 next year and to almost $6,000 by 2017. This increase will come by indexing the award to the Consumer Price Index starting in 2013 to match rising costs-of-living for five years. Next, beginning July 1, 2010, all Federal student loans will be originated through the Direct Loan program. The bill also included new income-based repayment programs and support for minority-serving institutions, community colleges.

Of special interest to NCAN members is an increased appropriation for federal College Access Challenge Grants made to the states. The total for the program will more than double from $66 million per year to $150 million per year for fiscal years 2010 – 2014. These formula grants are made to states with a governor-designated agency receiving them. As with the current grants, non-profits may work with those agencies to request sub-grants to help with the work. We encourage you to engage your state agencies in conversations about the opportunities that might exist for your program to partner in the state’s work.

NCAN held an information webinar for members to detail all of the issues on Wednesday, April 14th. NCAN Members can read more about this on the NCAN web site Government Relations page and see a recording of the webinar on the Member Webinar page. Both pages are on the “Member Only” menu. If you need assistance logging in, please email Carrie Warick at warickc@collegeaccess.org.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Annual Conference]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Annual_Conference.aspxNCAN’s 15th Anniversary Conference

The National College Access Network will hold its 15th Anniversary Conference at the Hilton Washington, in Washington, D.C., October 11-13. The agenda will include Welcome Speaker Jim Applegate, a Congressional Breakfast, 32 workshop sessions, and more. Registration will launch on May 3.

NCAN is pleased to announce that Dr. James Applegate will be the Welcome Speaker. Dr. Applegate is the Senior Vice President for Program Development at the Lumina Foundation for Education, leading the development of funding programs to dramatically increase college attendance and completion in the U.S., with a focus on underserved students.
Dr. Applegate also served as Senior Fellow and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and was a Professor of Communication at the University of Kentucky. Earning his B.A from Georgetown College (KY) and an M.A. and Ph.D. from University of Illinois, Dr. Applegate’s dissertation received the award given to the most outstanding dissertations completed in his field.
The NCAN conference will offer 32 workshop sessions in eight focus areas: College Access, Student Success, Collaboration, Financial Aid, Development, Nonprofit Management, Policy/Advocacy, and Innovation. NCAN received over 140 submissions for these workshops! In addition to these workshops and other conference activities, NCAN will host a Congressional Breakfast on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, October 13.
Finally, NCAN is pleased to announce that registration for the Annual Conference will open on Monday, May 3. Early registration will cost $550 for members and $625 for non-members.

We hope you will be able to join us in Washington, D.C. from October 11-13. If you would like to join the Conference email list, please contact ncan@collegeaccess.org.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Advisor Training]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Advisor_Training.aspxNational Advisor Training Program Announced

NCAN member programs were recently invited to attend the first National Advisor Training Program that will be offered this summer. The training, made possible by the TG Public Benefit Grant Program, will be held on July 27-28th at George Washington University.

The first 100 programs interested selected one advisor to attend for free and receive free lodging and a travel stipend. Members are able to send additional advisors for $250 per person with on your own lodging and travel.

This national training will train both novice and veteran college access program advisors to enhance their skills and to share effective strategies that will benefit the students, parents, and adult learners they are charged to advise. The training will include a range of topics including academic preparation for postsecondary education, standardized testing and college entrance exams, the college admissions process, financial aid, scholarship applications, and advising resources. Each participant will be given a pre- and post-assessment; access to follow-up, bi-monthly webinars; and an updated advisor manual (hard copy) that can be used as a resource and a training mechanism for other staff members. NCAN will utilize experts from organizations such as The College Board, ACT, Federal Student Aid, and NACAC to help conduct the training. In addition, highly skilled staff personnel from some of the member programs will also be utilized throughout the training.

If you are interested in attending the training, please visit the Advisor Training webpage. If you have any questions about the training, please feel free to contact MorraLee Holzapfel, Director of Technical Assistance at holzapfelm@collegeaccess.org.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Intern Welcome]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Intern_Welcome.aspxNCAN Welcomes Spring Intern: Ms. Jennifer Johnson

Ms. Jennifer Johnson joined the National College Access Network as the Communications Intern for Spring 2010. As an NCAN intern, she is responsible for updating the Building Blocks Toolkit for members and conducting practitioner interviews for the Research to Practice (“R2P”) Newsletter. Jennifer is a first-year doctoral student in the Higher Education Program at the University of Maryland. A former middle school teacher and TRIO Upward Bound Counselor, Ms. Johnson has extensive experience with pre-college outreach programs, data management/evaluation and student advising. Her work focuses on improving college access and persistence for underrepresented students in higher education.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Regional Meetings]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Regional_Meetings.aspxOver 600 Attend NCAN Regional Meetings Nationwide

NCAN recently completed a series of four regional meetings held around the country in Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia that attracted over 600 participants from 256 programs in 32 states. These one-day sessions allowed NCAN to share updates on its new strategic priorities, brief attendees on federal policy initiatives and facilitate workshops on data usage and postsecondary success programs. We were pleased to work with NCAN members and KnowHow2GO (KH2GO) sites that served as our partner organizations for each meeting to ensure that the agendas were responsive to NCAN member interests.

“These regional meetings gave us the opportunity to connect with members to talk about NCAN’s strategic priorities around data and postsecondary success and to continue the local networking for practitioners,” said Kim Cook, NCAN Executive Director. “More importantly, this information empowers members to be advocates for college access and success.”

We began the series in Seattle at the University of Washington with host partners College Success Foundation and KH2GO Washington that launched the newly-formed Washington College Access Network (WCAN). Speakers included a panel of students talking candidly about their experiences in accessing and succeeding in college as well as afternoon breakout sessions on data and success.

Our Chicago meeting was held at University of Illinois - Chicago by the Illinois Student Aid Commission and KH2GO Illinois. Luncheon speaker Ed Pacchetti of the U.S. Department of Education provided a timely and informative summary of the new developments in college access and success legislation, including reauthorization of federal College Access Challenge Grants.

Southern region members joined at Atlanta Metropolitan College for our regional meeting with partner host and NCAN member Project GRAD Atlanta. Participants heard welcome remarks from College President Alan McGaha, panel discussions on student success programs, and a presentation on the “data mindset.”

We wrapped up with a northeastern region meeting at the Community College of Philadelphia with partner hosts NCAN members Graduate Philadelphia and Philadelphia Education Fund. Attendees learned about Philadelphia’s focus on education and college from Lori Schorr, Chief Education Officer for the city of Philadelphia, who spoke about the mayor’s commitment to education and data systems the city has implemented.    The following sessions detailed higher education commitments to student success, using data to inform programs and an example of a community-based college success program.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Member Profile]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Member_Profile.aspxNCAN Members Bottom Line and NACRC Reach New Students

NCAN members Northern Arizona College Resource Center (NACRC) and Bottom Line, of Massachusetts, are both reaching new student populations through expansion. NACRC will opened its doors for the first time in April 2010 and is targeting rural populations. Bottom Line is doubling the number of students served in Massachusetts and expanding to a New York City office in 2011.

The Northern Arizona College Resource Center – located inside the new Flagstaff Family YMCA – will open its doors in April. As part of a major partnership with Northern Arizona University, the Center has received community and statewide support including start-up funding from Arizona GEAR UP. The Center’s program coordinator Coral Zayas will oversee traditional college access facility programs as well as some creative community developed workshops. Such workshops include study skills offered by the NAU Learning Assistance Centers, soft skills offered by Coconino Community College and Best Buy’s @15 Program, as well as a career spotlight series that has already created a buzz around the community. A volunteer network of community professionals will assist with career mentor and parent mentor activities. NACRC’s goal is to become a leader in college access facilities, especially those targeting rural populations.

Over the next five years, nonprofit Bottom Line intends to double the number of college students they support in Massachusetts, and expand their College Access and College Success programs nationally by launching a New York City office in 2011. These plans are an exciting result of the six-month strategic planning process their staff and Board of Directors recently completed. Bringing the message that “Getting in is Not Good Enough,” Bottom Line’s national expansion offers an opportunity to extend the public dialogue from college access to college success, in addition to supporting hundreds of additional disadvantaged students who seek to earn a college degree.

This ambitious growth plan was announced by Executive Director Greg Johnson on March 25th at Bottom Line’s 5th Annual Get In, Graduate and Go Far Dinner, which raised over $460,000. Bottom Line is now planning to begin a capital campaign in preparation for launching their national and New York City offices in 15 months. At the same time, they have begun to transition graduating high school seniors from their College Access program to receive support for another four to six years as they attend college, growing their College Success program to nearly 950 college students for 2011.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[April 2010 Access Update - Kresge Grant]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/April_2010_Access_Update_-_Kresge_Grant.aspxSupport from The Kresge Foundation will implement new strategic plan

The National College Access Network (NCAN) announces a grant from The Kresge Foundation for $980,000 over three years for program support and growth capital. Through this grant opportunity, NCAN will pursue its strategic plan goals to build the capacity of its local program members so that all students, especially those that are underrepresented in higher education, have the opportunity and support to succeed in college.

“The NCAN Board of Directors is grateful to the Kresge Foundation for this tremendous opportunity to implement our new strategic plan,” says Kim Mazzuca, Chair of the NCAN Board of Directors and President of the Marin Education Fund. She continues, “At a time when our President has summoned our nation to regain the lead in creating college graduates, we are committed to helping our member organizations roll-out successful strategies and collaborations across the country and to achieve breakthrough results.”

This grant will support NCAN in achieving the goals laid out in its ambitious new strategic plan launched earlier this year. Specifically, the funding will provide resources to develop a process to manage school-based outreach and intervention programs and to provide growth capital for operations and member services such as diversity and equity seminars, dissemination of a “Research to Practice” newsletter and support of student success and college completion.

“The Kresge Foundation believes that significantly increasing the U.S. college attainment rate is a national imperative, and that's why the programmatic focus of our education grantmaking is improving college access and success for underserved students,” says Caroline Altman Smith of The Kresge Foundation. She continues, “NCAN is well-positioned to continue playing a critical role in efforts to increase educational opportunity throughout the country, and we are delighted to support the organization as a funder and a member.”

The Kresge Foundation seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Fostering greater access to and success in post-secondary education for low-income, minority and first-generation college students is the focus of Kresge’s Education grantmaking. In 2009, Kresge awarded more than $26 million in grants to support higher education in the United States and South Africa.

]]>4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces New Partnership with ConnectEDU]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_New_Partnership_with_ConnectEDU.aspxConnectEDU to provide technology to NCAN members to help students successfully transition to college

The National College Access Network (NCAN) announced a new partnership with ConnectEDU, the Web-based leader in empowering students to manage their education and launch their career. NCAN is encouraging its members to take advantage of this exciting new service.

"NCAN’s partnership with ConnectEDU reinforces our commitment to providing the most comprehensive and reliable services for our members to build capacity for making data-driven decisions and to increase the number of students who have access to and success in postsecondary education, ” said Kim Cook, Executive Director, National College Access Network.

ConnectEDU is devoted to developing innovative technology to enable students to successfully manage their education and career. Their data-driven solution helps to bridge the transitions between high school, college, and career, by making certain that students take the necessary steps at the right time to reach their goals.   By using real data, ConnectEDU enables students to make informed decisions about the best choices for them.   In addition to guiding students, the technology supports all of the adults who work with them, including their parents, counselors, school administrators, and mentors.

Some key features that will be available to NCAN members include: Tracking of Program Services, Curriculum Planning, Career Assessments, Test Preparation, Application Processing, Financial Aid Planning, Employer Mentoring, Tutoring w/Essay writing, Resume Assistance, Scholarship Search, and Custom Tracking and Reporting.

In addition, ConnectEDU solutions leverage social media tools in a Purpose NetworkTM. Important messages from colleges, counselors and advisors are delivered to the student through their preferred communication media (email, text, Facebook, etc.) with the student in control of with whom they are sharing information.

“Our partnership with NCAN is an exciting opportunity for us, given how closely aligned our visions are,” said Craig Powell, CEO, ConnectEDU. “We applaud them for their work in ensuring that more students have access to higher education, and we look forward to working with them to help meet that vision.”

ConnectEDU will host monthly webinars to demo the product to interested organizations and answer any questions. The first webinar is scheduled on April 27th at 3:00 pm (EST).   For more information about this opportunity and/or to register for the webinar, please contact Rick Landau at rlandau@connectedu.net or 401-447-5900.

About National College Access Network
Incorporated in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the mission of the National College Access Network (NCAN) is to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams. NCAN has over 250 members in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Canada.

About ConnectEDU, Inc.
ConnectEDU is devoted to helping students find and enroll in the right college, get a degree, and launch their career. Created, developed and run by people who have worked in every area of college counseling, admissions, and career development, ConnectEDU uses information technology to connect real students and real data with real colleges, and real career opportunities. We make the college admissions process simpler, more efficient, more reliable and more effective. ConnectEDU’s approach gives every student, from every neighborhood across the country, the best opportunity to achieve their dream of a college education and promising career.

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]]>4/19/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 5 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_5_New_Member_Organizations.aspx

Communites in Schools Atlanta, GA, www.cisatlanta.org
The Kresge Foundation, MI, www.kresge.org
Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation, NC, www.mcnairedfoundation.org
University of Wisconsin Green Bay Phuture Phoenix, WI, www.uwgb.edu/phuturephoenix
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Sponsor a Scholar, WI, www.ymcamke.org/mentoring

Communities in Schools Atlanta, GA – The mission of Communities In Schools is to connect community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. Over the last three decades, CIS Atlanta has helped thousands of young people earn high school diplomas and go on to become productive members of their communities.

The Kresge Foundation, MI – The Kresge Foundation seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Fostering greater access to and success in post-secondary education for low-income, minority and first-generation college students is the focus of Kresge’s Education grantmaking.

The Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation, NC – The Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation seeks to improve education in Rutherford County, NC and thereby increase the number of students in the county who pursue education beyond high school. Robert C. McNair and his wife Janice Suber McNair started their foundation to give back to the community.

University of Wisconsin Green Bay Phuture Phoenix, WI – The Phuture Phoenix goal is to encourage at-risk students, starting at the fifth-grade level, to complete high school and attend college, thus boosting the percentage of NE Wisconsin graduates who continue onto college.

YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Sponsor a Scholar, WI – Sponsor-A-Scholar links academically promising, motivated students from low-income families with caring adult mentors. Along with other community collaborators, financial sponsors, and the program's supportive staff, the mentors make dreams of a college education come true.

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About The Kresge Foundation

The Kresge Foundation seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Fostering greater access to and success in post-secondary education for low-income, minority and first-generation college students is the focus of Kresge’s Education grantmaking. In 2009, Kresge awarded more than $26 million in grants to support higher education in the United States and South Africa. To learn more, visit www.kresge.org.

About National College Access Network
Incorporated in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the mission of the National College Access Network (NCAN) is to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams.

]]>3/23/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[March 2010 Access Update - Member Spotlight MCAN]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/March_2010_Access_Update_-_Member_Spotlight_MCAN.aspxNCAN Member Spot Light:
Michigan College Access Network Announces $250,000 in Awards
for Local College Access Planning and Startup Grants

The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) announced that 17 communities will collectively receive more than $250,000 to support student access and success in college. These grant opportunities are designed to help Michigan communities establish local college access networks. These networks will coordinate programs, services, and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and first-generation students, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.

Of the 17 recipients, three are NCAN members: Battle Creek Community Foundation, Muskegon Opportunity, and Kent County CAN – a program of Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The other recipients include: Baldwin Community Schools, Bay Area Community Foundation, Career Transitions, Inc., Communities in Schools of Mancelona, Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, Consortium for Community Development, Delta College, Early College Alliance – Washtenaw ISD, The Fremont Area Community Foundation, Mott Community College, Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development, POH Riley Foundation, St. Clair County RESA, and Sturgis Public Schools.

Fourteen of the grant recipients were awarded $8,000 planning grants. These organizations will spend the next 6-12 months determining each community’s college access needs. They will then design a plan to deliver college access services. Three of the grant recipients, serving Bay, Muskegon, and St. Clair counties, will receive $50,000 start-up grants to begin implementing their local networks. The first round of MCAN Grants was made possible by generous funding from The Kresge Foundation. A second round of grants will be awarded in September.

All grant recipients must also design strategies to integrate two statewide initiatives – The Michigan College Access Portal (MiCAP) and KnowHow2GOMichigan. MCAN partners with the state of Michigan on MiCAP (September 2010 launch) – a Web-based one-stop-shop to allow students and their families to plan, apply, and pay for college. KnowHow2GOMichigan is a public-awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college through a multimedia public service campaign and interactive web site www.KnowHow2GO.org.

]]>3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[March 2010 Access Update - Regional Meetings]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/March_2010_Access_Update_-_Regional_Meetings.aspxNCAN Announces 2010 Regional Meetings

The National College Access Network announces its 2010 roster of Regional Meetings, to take place in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Seattle. Each regional meeting will address postsecondary success, federal policy and student tracking and data as well as roundtables and an opportunity to network with colleagues in the field of college access and success.

The Seattle Regional Meeting will take place on March 9 at the University of Washington. The member host will be the College Success Foundation, and speakers will include Deborah Wilds of the College Success Foundation and Dr. Sheila Edwards-Lang of the University of Washington.

The Chicago Regional Meeting will take place March 17 at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission will serve as the member host, and Edward Pacchetti of the U.S. Department of Education will be the luncheon speaker.

The Atlanta Regional Meeting will take place on March 24 at Atlanta Community College. Project Grad Atlanta will serve as the Member Host and speakers include Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper of the Institute of Higher Education Policy, and panel moderators include Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva and Alvin Glymph of Project GRAD.

The Philadelphia Regional Meeting will take place on April 8 at the Community College of Philadephia. The member hosts are Graduate! Philadelphia and Philadelphia Education Fund and speakers will include Barry Ward of Pine Manor College and Victoria Dougherty of the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning.

Registration is complimentary for members and $50.00 for non-members. To learn more, or to register for a regional meeting, please click here.

]]>3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[March 2010 Access Update - Research2Practice]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/March_2010_Access_Update_-_Research2Practice.aspxNCAN and Pathways to College Network Set to Launch Research to Practice Brief

Do you ever feel that you don’t have enough time to keep up with the current research on college access and success? Do want to figure out how to translate that research into practice to better serve your students? NCAN and its partner Pathways to College Network have a solution…

The National College Access Network (NCAN) and Pathways to College Network (PCN) are launching a project to help bridge the gap between research and practice for college access practitioners. This project, Research to Practice (R2P), features an ongoing series of newsletters that present concise, practitioner-focused summaries of important and empirically rigorous research on college access and success issues.

This thematic, web-based newsletter will be distributed quarterly to over 10,000 individuals, the bulk of whom are professionals working in the arena of college access and success. This newsletter will be different from other journals/projects in that this version will present research in an easily comprehensible and usable format, include practitioner interviews, and provide reality-based action steps that will guide implementation of best practices. The main goal of this project is to influence behavior based on reliable research to improve college access and success. The first issue, set to be released in March 2010, will be on the topic of “Understanding College Costs.”

NCAN and PCN have established an advisory committee of leading researchers and experienced practitioners to assist in the selection of relevant research studies, to review and provide feedback on the publication prior to release, and to assess the effectiveness of the project. NCAN and PCN are fortunate to have their input in the development of this much needed resource. Advisory Committee Members:

Dr. Alberto Cabrera, NCAN Board of Directors
Professor, Higher Education, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD

Dr. Laura Perna, IHEP Board of Directors
Associate Professor, Higher Education Management, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Ms. Lisa Fielder
Executive Director, College Forward, Austin, Texas

Dr. R. Stephen Green
President and CEO, Kauffman Scholars, Inc., Kansas City, MO

Dr. Danielle Moss Lee
President, Harlem Educational Activities Fund, New York, New York

Dr. Pat McDonough
Professor, Higher Education and Organizational Change, UCLA, Los Angeles, California]]>3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[March 2010 Access Update - Conference Call for Proposals]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/March_2010_Access_Update_-_Conference_Call_for_Proposals.aspxNCAN Launches Call for Proposals for 15th Anniversary Conference

The National College Access Network (NCAN) invites proposal submissions for breakout sessions at its 15th Anniversary Conference, October 11-13, 2010. The Annual Conference will take place in downtown Washington, DC as higher education comes to the forefront of policy discussions and public attention.

As NCAN pursues its new 2010-2013 strategic plan, this conference will address the goals of NCAN’s mission to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams.

For the first time this year, NCAN asks that the proposals fit into one of eight categories. These categories are college access, student success, financial aid, data/evaluation, policy/advocacy, collaborations, development, and non-profit management. Presenters are also highly encouraged to focus at least one part of their session on a practical application of the information presented.

The 15th Anniversary Conference will also highlight welcome speaker Dr. James Applegate, Senior Vice President of Program Development, Lumina Foundation of Education, and a reception on Capitol Hill.

Click here to learn more about the Call for Proposals and Conference
]]>3/3/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 5 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_5_New_Member_Organizations.aspx

Arizona State University, AZ, www.asu.edu
BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), MA, www.bellnational.org
Institute of American Indian Arts Expanding the Circle, NM, www.iaiaetc.org
Kent County CAN, MI, www.grfoundation.org
Northern Arizona College Resource Center, AZ, web site under development

Arizona State University, AZ – Arizona State University is a creating a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application, blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 64,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), MA – "BELL exists to dramatically increase the academic achievements, self-esteem and life opportunities of children living in low-income, urban communities." We pursue our mission because we believe in the tremendous potential within all children, whom we call scholars. BELL currently educates nearly 12,000 scholars in 75 public and charter school sites throughout Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Detroit, and Springfield, MA.

Institute of American Indian Arts Expanding the Circle, NM – Expanding the Circle (ETC) at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is an academic outreach program that provides culturally-relevant services and support to Native American high school students from the 22 Tribes in New Mexico. IAIA-ETC has been established to promote preparation of Native American high school students for a college environment through: IAIA on campus programs and; Assisting NM tribal educators in developing community based college preparation programs that promote similar support services offered to IAIA students.

Kent County CAN, MI – The mission of Kent County CAN (College Access Network) is to support and enhance collaboration and efficiency among programs that effectively inspire and motivate low income and/or first generation Kent County students and their families to access, enroll and succeed in college. In March 2009, a group of civic, business, philanthropic and education leaders from across the region convened to discuss how best to develop an integrated college access strategy for the city and the region. As a result of that meeting and others, the Kent County College Access Network was formed.

Northern Arizona College Resource Center, AZ – The mission of the Northern Arizona College Resource Center is to increase the number of students who apply, are admitted, and attend college by providing appropriate information, technical assistance, advice, and referrals to students and their families regarding applying to and financing college or university studies.

]]>3/2/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 4 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_4_New_Member_Organizations.aspx

Florida Gulf Coast University Student Support Services, FL - http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/SSS/
Nativity Miguel Network of Schools Graduate Support Program, DC - www.nativitymiguelschools.org
Simmons Memorial Foundation, Inc., NC - www.smfnonprofit.org
Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, NY -
http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/05/M670/default.htm

Florida Gulf Coast University Student Support Services, FL
Student Support Services, a Federal TRIO Program, is an educational opportunity outreach program designed to motivate and support college students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education. Student Support Services at Florida Gulf Coast University is housed in the Department of Student Support Services and Outreach Programs under Student Affairs.

Nativity Miguel Network of Schools Graduate Support Program, DC
The NativityMiguel Network of Schools was established in July, 2006, to guide and strengthen the development of a growing network of schools across the country that are designed to provide families struggling in impoverished neighborhoods with a high-quality school choice for their children. Commitment beyond graduation is a standard of all Network schools and Graduate Support is a unique and critical component to our schools. The Network supports programs strengthen the middle school to high school transition and increases access to and success in post-secondary opportunities for its graduates.

Simmons Memorial Foundation, Inc., NC
The Simmons Memorial Foundation (SMF) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides high quality educational support programs for students who are members of vulnerable or at-risk groups. Founded in 1996 to honor the lives of Cynthia Simmons and her son Nathanial Simmons, SMF seeks to instill the same values of education and perseverance that each of them displayed in their daily lives.

Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, NY
The mission of Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA) is to provide students and their families with the experiences they need to meet the challenges of the colleges, universities and the work force in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, TMA prepare them to meet the challenges of participating in a culturally diverse society.

]]>2/2/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[FAFSA 10-11 Member Call]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/FAFSA_10-11_Member_Call.aspxwarickc@collegeaccess.org. RSVP confirmation will include information for participation in the call. Call will take place January 28, 2010, at 3:00pm EST.
]]>1/20/2010 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces New Strategic Plan for 2010-2013]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_New_Strategic_Plan_for_2010-2013.aspxFocus On: Student Access and Success, Diversity, and Collaborations

The National College Access Network announces the beginning of its 2010-2013 strategic plan to increase college access and success among the nation’s underrepresented youth. This strategic plan expands on the organization’s original mission, bringing together its goals to serve youth, manifest diversity and equity, and act as a coordinating body for college access and success nationwide.

“This plan defines the National College Access Network at a time when access to and success in higher education is an imperative for not only our nation’s economic recovery but for the health and preservation of our democracy,” says NCAN Board President Kim Mazzuca. She continues, “This new strategic plan calls for NCAN’s leadership to ensure that college access and success remains front-and -center on our nation’s agenda, and that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomics are given equal opportunity to achieve their educational dreams. This plan is also a call-to-action for our member organizations and educational partners to infuse social equity in all that they do and who they are.”

The strategic plan clarified NCAN’s mission: to build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those under-represented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams. This mission is the foundation for the core values, guiding principles and long-term goals established in the plan.

The strategic plan includes stating the core values and guiding principles of the NCAN organization for the first time. The core values center on education as the foundation of an equitable society and the power of communities. The guiding principles highlight the operational nature of the organization including diversity, inclusivity, entrepreneurship, customer service, and work-life balance for staff. A complete list of the core values and guiding principles is included online.

The 2010-2013 strategic plan sets five year goals for the organization. These goals include: (1) build the capacity of NCAN members to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education; (2) develop three or more large scale projects that (a) help to build the capacity of NCAN members in order to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education, and (b) generate best practices that inform our work; (3) diversity and equity are manifested in everything we do – in NCAN’s organization (including Board and staff), services, and advocacy; (4) there is a coordinated federal strategy for programs supporting college attainment and support services for under-represented students; and (5) we have created a sound foundation of financial sustainability that allows us to fund our goals and remain flexible and adaptable to the changing environments

The Board of Directors of the National College Access Network approved this plan at their September 2009 meeting after presenting the plan to the membership for feedback at the 2009 Annual Member Meeting. A capacity building grant from Lumina Foundation for Education provided the funding to work with Management Assistance Group to develop this strategic plan.

To review a full version of the strategic plan, please visit: http://www.collegeaccess.org/strategic_plan.aspx

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The WEST System is an online database that enables college access and success programs to collect and report information about the progress of their students that is most important to their organizations. The WEST System is built on a secure and reliable infrastructure, and the user requirements are minimal. The WEST System can be accessed from any computer that has a web browser and is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. NCAN has committed to building the capacity of college access programs by providing full access to the WEST System at a reasonable cost.

November 18 from 1pm - 2pm EST RSVP to Dr. Tia Brown McNair at mcnairt@collegeaccess.org to register for this workshop. This session is a joint conference call and computer demonstration. Call will be held at 1:00pm EST and last approximately one hour.

Learn more http://www.collegeaccess.org/WEST.aspx

]]>10/22/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[Member Call - Price of Persistence Report]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/Member_Call_-_Price_of_Persistence_Report.aspxNCAN Member Monthly Call - October 22, 2009 at 3:00PM EST

The Price of Persistence: Barriers to Postsecondary Success for Low-Income and First Generation Students

Presenters:
Lisa Fielder, Executive Director & Founder, College Forward
Miguel Ramos, Ph.D, Principal Investigator, University of Houston

PDF of Report

To RSVP: Email Carrie Warick at warickc@collegeaccess.org]]>10/13/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 4 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_4_New_Member_Organizations.aspx
Arizona College Access Coalition of Phoenix, AZ - www.azcollegeaccess.org
Arizona College Scholarship Foundation of Pheonix, AZ - www.azcsf.org
Baltimore City Public Schools of Baltimore, MD - www.bcps.k12.md.us
College & Career Connections of Washington, DC - www.learningcommunitiesdc.org

Please click here for more information about these members.
]]>10/2/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 2009 College Access Awards of Excellence]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_2009_College_Access_Awards_of_Excellence.aspxCONTACT: Kim Kiely, (202) 347-4848

NCAN Holds Annual Awards of Excellence
Citi Foundation, Admission Possible
Receive College Access Awards of Excellence

WASHINGTON, DC – The National College Access Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce the recipients of its third annual Awards of Excellence. The awards were presented at the Annual Conference’s Awards of Excellence Brunch held on September 17, 2009 in San Francisco, CA.

Champion of College Access
Citi Foundation of New York, NY

College Access Organization Award of Excellence
Admission Possible of St. Paul, Minnesota

College Access Organization Award of Excellence Runner-Up
Associated Colleges of Illinois – College Readiness Program of Chicago, IL

Executive Leadership Award of Excellence
Monica Montenegro, Executive Director
East Bay Consortium / California Student Opportunity Assistance Program, Oakland, CA

Dr. David B. Swedlow Memorial College Access Staff Award of Excellence
Linda Shiller, Director Career and Education Outreach
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Winooski, VT

The NCAN Board of Directors developed the NCAN Awards of Excellence to recognize excellence in college access organizations, staff, and executive or board leadership, and to recognize a Champion of College Access. All nominators and nominees, with the exception of the Champion of College Access recipient, must be NCAN members or board members in good standing. The nominees were reviewed by a committee of the NCAN member organizations. For more information on the Awards of Excellence, please visit http://www.collegeaccess.org/Awards.aspx.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WINNERS!
(See below for detailed descriptions)

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Incorporated in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the mission of the National College Access Network (NCAN) is to improve access to and success in postsecondary education for disadvantaged, underrepresented, and first-generation students. NCAN does this by supporting a network of state and local college access programs that provide counseling, advice, and financial assistance; sharing best practices among the network; providing leadership and technical assistance; and helping establish new college access programs.

Champion of College Access
Citi Foundation of New York, NY
www.citigroupfoundation.com/citi/foundation

Citi Foundation is committed to the economic empowerment of individuals and families, particularly those in need. In 2007, it engaged in a strategic evaluation of its education giving with the goal of concentrating resources on one issue where it could have a substantial impact on a problem of national significance. This issue is access to and success in higher education for low-income and first-generation students. Since 2008, this organization has invested more than $17.4 million to establish and launch a new strategic focus within education. Citi Foundation funds several innovative programs and organizations that directly help address the barriers to college access and success for low-income and first generation students. The Foundation accomplishes these goals by building awareness of postsecondary education and career options; increasing academic readiness for college level work; assisting students through the college search, application and financial aid process; and providing financial education to families about saving for college and options for financing a college education.

The Champion for College Access Award recognizes an individual, organization, or corporation who has made remarkable contributions to “Changing the Face of Education.”

College Access Organization Award of Excellence
Admission Possible of St. Paul, Minnesota
www.admissionpossible.org

Admission Possible has a mission to make college admission possible for promising low-income students by providing ACT and SAT test preparation services and admissions and financial aid counseling. This program currently serves over 3600 current students and college-going alumni and has a success rate of getting 98% of program graduates into college. More than 80% of Admission Possible’s students are either pursuing college degrees or have graduated from college. Two programs out of state have replicated the model to build their curricula. Admission Possible has increased its students ACT scores by 22%.

The College Access Organization Award of Excellence recognizes the work of a college access program to fulfill NCAN’s mission to improve access to and success in postsecondary education for first-generation, underrepresented and low-income students. Admission Possible received $7500 in scholarship money as well as one-thousand dollars toward general operating support, scholarships, and/or professional development. These funds came from an NCAN-administered scholarship fund set up by Nelnet and through a memorial fund that Board Member John Dean set up in honor of his father.

College Access Organization Award of Excellence Runner-Up
Associated Colleges of Illinois – College Readiness Program
www.acifund.org

The College Readiness Program, coordinated by the Associated Colleges of Illinois, is a four-year, year-round program for high school students. 99% of their students graduate from high school and 92% continue their education after high school. Of those students attending college, 64% graduate within six years, which is above the national average. The program provides academic enrichment, college preparation, and leadership development to low-income, minority, and first-generation students. Two peer affiliates, the Foundation for Independent Higher Education and the Iowa College Foundation have both modeled programs after this year’s recipient. ACI received $2500 in scholarship funds for their students in honor of this award and contributed to NCAN through Nelnet and the memorial fund for Board Member John Dean’s father. These funds came from an NCAN-administered scholarship fund set up by Nelnet and through a memorial fund that Board Member John Dean set up in honor of his father.

College Access Executive Leadership Award of Excellence
Monica Montenegro, Executive Director
East Bay Consortium / California Student Opportunity Assistance Program, Oakland, CA
www.eastbayconsortium.org

Ms. Montenegro, Executive Director of the East Bay Consortium / California Student Opportunity Assistance Program, has dedicated her career to education and became the Executive Director of the East Bay Consortium in 2000. During her tenure as Executive Director, her program has doubled its full time staff and quadrupled its college student interns, fought to secure cash matching contributions to continue programs during the economic downturn, obtained additional funding to maintain the Pre-Collegiate Academy program, established two college and career information centers in the Oakland Unified School District, served as regional coordinator for the California Cash for College Program, and established a program based scholarship.

The Executive Leadership Award of Excellence recognizes the dedication and hard work of an individual serving as a college access program’s Executive Director, President or as a member of its Board of Trustees or Directors. The East Bay Consortium received a $1,000 award in support of a new, one-time scholarship made in honor of the recipient.

Dr. David B. Swedlow Memorial College Access Staff Award of Excellence
Linda Shiller, Director Career and Education Outreach
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Winooski, VT
www.vsac.org

Linda Shiller is the Director of Career and Education Outreach for the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC). Ms. Shiller has worked in college access for over 25 years. She has worked with students from middle school through college age and has continued to be a strong advocate for college access, representing the needs of low-income, first generation students in her work as a counselor, program coordinator, and new director of three separate federal grant programs: Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Program, and GEAR UP. Always looking for new ways to help students, Ms. Shiller has recently started a network and programs to increase the opportunities for Vermont’s foster youth in Vermont.

The Dr. David B. Swedlow Memorial College Access Staff Member Award of Excellence recognizes the dedication, hard work and innovation of an individual working at a college access program. VSAC received one thousand dollars toward professional development in honor of Ms. Shiller’s award. The College Access Staff Award of Excellence is named for Dr. Swedlow, former NCAN Director of Programs, after his passing and in honor of his commitment to the cause of college access.

]]>9/30/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Annual Conference Media Advisory]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Annual_Conference_Media_Advisory.aspxClick for Full Media Advisory - Press are welcome at all public events at the National College Access Network Annual Conference in San Francisco, this September 15 - 17, 2009. Featured speakers include Greg Darnieder, U.S. Department of Education; Dr, Michelle Gilliard, The Wal-Mart Foundation; and Julia I. Lopez, The College Access Foundation of California. The Annual Conference will be held at the San Francisco Hilton.
]]>9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Reduces Conference Hotel Rate]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Reduces_Conference_Hotel_Rate.aspxCONFERENCE HOTEL RATE REDUCED from $235 a night to $189

NCAN has negotiated the hotel rate for the San Francisco Hilton to $46 a night less than before!

The $189 rate is also available into the weekend for those who would like to extend their stay in San Francisco. To learn more about the hotel and reserve your room, visit our Conference Hotel web page.

Please note that the new price will not take affect on the web site until Aug 15, but all registrations made before that date will be charged the $189 rate. This rate will also be retroactive to all those who have already made their hotel reservations prior to this announcement. If you have already made your hotel reservation, the Hilton will contact you regarding the reimbursement.
]]>8/11/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[Web-Enabled Student Tracking (WEST) System Demonstration]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/Web-Enabled_Student_Tracking_(WEST)_System_Demonstration.aspx
WEST Demonstration (Virtual) - Thurs Aug 27 - 1:00pm EST

Join this demonstration to learn more about The Web-Enabled Student Tracking (WEST) System. It is an online database that enables college access programs to collect and report the information about the progress of their students that is most important to their organizations.

RSVP to Dr. Tia Brown McNair, mcnairt@collegeaccess.org, to join this call. Read more about WEST on the NCAN WEST Page.]]>7/15/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[NCAN Announces 11 New Member Organizations]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/NCAN_Announces_11_New_Member_Organizations.aspxThe National College Access Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce the addition of eleven new members to the organization.

NCAN’s roster now extends to 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Micronesia, and Canada, all dedicated to the belief that every young person should be able to attain a college education. The Board of Directors of NCAN, a national network of state and local college access programs working to improve access to and success in postsecondary education for disadvantaged, underrepresented and first-generation students, voted to admit these programs during its May and June meetings. The new members are:

Center for Economic Progress
The Center for Economic Progress envisions an America of shared prosperity, where all working families can access the financial opportunities they need to succeed. The Center for Economic Progress helps hard-working, low-income families move from financial uncertainty to financial security. The Center for Economic Progress was founded in 1990 by Michael O’Connor, a veteran public benefits lawyer. Formerly the Center for Law and Human Services, the agency first focused on helping homeless families and individuals access services.

College Access Center of Delaware County
The new College Access Center of Delaware County, a nonprofit organization formed by the presidents of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Delaware County Community College, Neumann College, Penn State Brandywine, Swarthmore College and Widener University, provides free services to residents of Delaware County in search of help with post-secondary education goals.

College of Micronesia - Chuuk - Upward Bound
This program is aimed at generating the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school among low-income and potential first-generation college students and veterans. Its goal is to increase the academic performance and initiative levels of eligible enrollees, so that such persons may complete secondary school and successfully pursue postsecondary educational programs.

College Summit St. Louis
College Summit St. Louis is located in St. Louis Public Schools, Wellston Public Schools and Normandy School district, and transformed the lives of 2,300+ St. Louis metropolitan area students. College Summit builds the capacity of schools to dramatically increase college-going school- and district- wide.

College Visions
College Visions empowers low income and first-generation college-bound students to realize the promise of higher education by providing individualized advising and resources through college admissions, selection, and enrollment. College Visions promotes equal access to educational opportunities in historically under-served communities.

Guam Community College
Guam Community College is a unique institution providing career technical education programs at Guam’s four public high schools as well as postsecondary programs at its Mangilao campus, serving close to 2,000 students at both the secondary and postsecondary levels.

Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education
The OACHE is an uncommon partnership of public higher-education institutions and K–12 schools in the 32 counties of Appalachian that was established and funded by the State of Ohio in 1993 to increase the low educational attainment of the region’s citizens.

North Coast Center of Excellence
Newly formed in 2009 with a grant to Terra Community College and its education partners. The Ohio College Access Network and the Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation provided the grant. This new center will serve Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca counties in Ohio.

Partnership for the Future
Partnership for the Future (PFF) is a college preparation and youth employment program that educates and inspires students of limited resources to pursue access to private sector networks and college opportunities so that they may become leaders and providers in our communities.

Philadelphia Youth Network
The Philadelphia Youth Network’s (PYN) vision is that all of the city’s young people take their rightful places as full and contributing members of a world-class workforce for the region. PYN is pursuing this vision by making connections between individuals, organizations and systems to provide the preparation needed for the city’s youth to thrive in a regional and global economy. University of Michigan Center for Eduational Outreach - The CEO seeks to ensure academic excellence for all K-12 schoolchildren in the state of Michigan by focusing on continuing U-M��s commitment to educational outreach and to promoting collaboration between schools, organizations, and the community. ]]>7/2/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[Obama Administration Announces Streamlined College Aid Application]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/Obama_Administration_Announces_Streamlined_College_Aid_Application.aspxJune 24, 2009

Contact: Justin Hamilton,
justin.hamilton@ed.gov

The Obama Administration today announced a shorter, simpler, and more user friendly Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will make it easier to apply for college financial aid. The changes—some of which are already in place while others will be phased in over the next few months—are designed to increase postsecondary enrollment, particularly among low- and middle-income students.

"President Obama has challenged the nation to once again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world," said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education. "To do that, we need to make the college-going process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach. Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal."

At his first White House press corps briefing, Secretary Duncan outlined the Administration's plan for streamlining the FAFSA.

    * Since May 2009, the Education Department has provided instant estimates of Pell Grant and student loan eligibility, rather than forcing applicants to wait weeks. Links to graduation rates and other college information are also provided;
    * Available summer 2009, enhanced skip-logic used in the new web-based FAFSA will reduce user navigation for many applicants by more than half;
    * Starting in January 2010, students applying for financial aid for the spring semester will be able to seamlessly retrieve their relevant tax information from the IRS for easy completion of the online FAFSA. The Department of Education and the IRS will be working together to examine the possibility of expanding this option to all students in the future.
    * The Administration will also introduce legislation seeking statutory authority from Congress to eliminate financial information from the aid calculation formula that is not available from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This will remove 26 financial questions from the FAFSA form that have little impact on aid awards and can be difficult to complete. Only questions that rely upon information that applicants must already provide to the IRS would remain.

The simplified FAFSA is one of several recent steps taken by the Obama Administration to improve access to higher education and make it more affordable.

"Simplifying the FAFSA is another significant action in our quest to keep a college degree within the reach of every person who aspires to higher education," Duncan said.

More information on federal financial aid for college is available at http://studentaid.ed.gov.

Click here to view Department of Education Press Release Online
]]>6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM <![CDATA[WEST Demonstration]]> http://www.CollegeAccess.org/WEST_Demonstration.aspx
WEST Demonstration (Virtual) - Wed July 29 - 1:30pm EST

Join this demonstration to learn more about The Web-Enabled Student Tracking (WEST) System. It is an online database that enables college access programs to collect and report the information about the progress of their students that is most important to their organizations.

RSVP to Dr. Tia Brown McNair, mcnairt@collegeaccess.org, to join this call. Read more about WEST on the NCAN WEST Page.
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