St. Petersburg College Joins Success and Equity Network

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Mar 31, 2023, 15:15 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aspen Institute, in partnership with the Community College Research Center at Teacher College, Columbia University named St. Petersburg College (SPC) one of 10 community colleges selected for Unlocking Opportunity: The Post-Graduation Success and Equity Network. The Network is comprised of 10 community colleges committed to improving students' post-completion outcomes and proving that — by focusing on delivering credentials of value — colleges can strengthen the programs they offer and advising they provide.

"For years St. Petersburg College has designed the curriculum in our degree and non-degree programs to align with the good-paying jobs and careers in our community," said Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth, SPC's Vice President of Academic Affairs. "In recent years we have reorganized our preparation of all students for job placement and career transition and extended additional outreach in working with employers to ensure that we have a smooth transition connecting students with the jobs that are in demand in our region."

This national network will lead the field in shifting from the important but incomplete goal of graduating students with any credential to advancing access and completion with the end in mind: credentials of value. That means making sure that every student is set up to earn a bachelor's degree or a high-quality workforce credential — including students of color and low-income students who are least likely to enroll in and complete the programs that most often result in strong outcomes.

"For many years, community colleges have been focused on improving graduation rates, and progress has been steady and impressive," said Josh Wyner, founder and executive director of the Aspen College Excellence Program. "But with enrollments dropping for a decade, it is time for community colleges to turn their attention to increasing the value of the credentials they deliver, especially for the large numbers of Black, Hispanic, and low-income students who rely so heavily on community colleges to provide a path to a better life. The colleges selected for this network have shown that they can make scaled and systemic change and are ready to work together on this critical goal."

The network will run from 2023 through 2028.

SOURCE St. Petersburg College