An April 28, in-person convening in Pennsylvania and a May 6 webinar, the next installments in ACE’s Building Pathways Initiative, are open for registration.
The half-day convening April 28 hosted by Northampton Community College will focus on “Higher Ed Partnerships for Access, Childcare, and Workforce.” It will bring together Pennsylvania’s higher education leaders alongside employers, students, and state partners to explore how innovative cross-sector partnership can simultaneously expand student access, address childcare barriers, and develop workforce solutions that meet Pennsylvania’s economic growth needs.
Heidi Tseu, ACE assistant vice president for National Engagement, will be joined by several Pennsylvania leaders as featured speakers, including David A. Ruth, president of Northampton Community College, and Kate Shaw, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education.
Click here for more information and to register.
The 12 pm ET May 6 webinar, “Building Pathways: State Strategies to Promote Student Success,” will focus on state systems, the strategies and programs that advance student success despite the current climate of uncertainty around federal grants and programs. Featured speakers will include two state system leaders: Jim Purcell, Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education; and Bradley Wrenn, Program Manager for Military and Veteran Student Success, University of North Carolina System.
Click here for more information and to register.
The Building Pathways Initiative, a project of
ACE’s National Engagement Office, is a limited series of state convenings designed to advance student success by elevating state-led priorities and connecting them with national insights and resources. The inaugural Building Pathways convening took place last year in Virginia and will culminate later this spring at an in-person summit. Stay tuned for more information about the summit.
Building Pathways, Michigan Convening
The most recent Building Pathways convening was generously hosted April 2 by Kalamazoo College, with funding from Imaginable Future. It featured participation by Michigan higher education leaders, employers, students, and state partners to explore how targeted support for student parents creates models that benefit all student populations, particularly students who face barriers to access and completion.
The event opened with remarks from Kalamazoo College President Jorge Gonzalez, Kalamazoo Valley Community College President L. Marshall Washington, and Michigan State Rep. Matt Longjohn (D-40). Their remarks focused on collaboration and a mutual desire to advance higher education in Michigan as a larger community.
From left to right: L. Marshall Washington, president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College; Michigan state Rep. Matt Longjohn; Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director of the Office of Higher Education at the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential; Kalamazoo College President Jorge Gonzalez.
"What we all know is that some kind of postsecondary education is critical for success," said Longjohn, who noted there is a need to either better fund higher education or prioritize higher ed funding during budget shortages.
ACE was pleased to partner with association representation from the Michigan Community College Association, Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Michigan College Access Network. Other Michigan institutions represented at the convening included Western Michigan University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Ferris State University, and North Central Michigan College.