As described in a news release this week, the national pilot program will use a student support model from the Chicago-based nonprofit One Million Degrees (OMD), which consists of academic coaching, financial aid and career advising, to help colleges and universities eliminate systemic barriers to student success.
“Fulfilling the promise of college completion and career readiness requires us to break down barriers that students face on their path to graduation,” CCA President Yolanda Watson Spiva said in a public statement. “Through this new partnership, we’re providing institutions with the tools, support and guidance needed to help meet students' needs in a more holistic way and empower their success from enrollment to career success.”
The initiative comes amid increasing national demand for postsecondary credentials. According to a 2023 study by Georgetown University, more than 72 percent of jobs projected to be created by 2031 will require at least an associate degree or training. Yet over 40 million Americans have some college experience but no degree — many of them community college students.
The pilot will begin in fall 2025 at Delgado Community College in Louisiana and through the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, with Northwest State and Clark State colleges participating in the initial rollout. The program will be embedded into each college’s first-year student experience, and institutions will receive implementation support through coaching from CCA and training from OMD.
Developed during a long-running research collaboration with the University of Chicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab, OMD’s student support model has been linked to higher rates of persistence, retention and employment outcomes, according to the news release.
“At a time when the majority of students are balancing work, family commitments and financial responsibilities with education, we need to double down on what works to remove barriers to college access and success,” OMD Interim CEO Josh Hoen said in a public statement. “This is about ensuring that community college students not only complete their credentials, but launch into careers that deliver lasting economic mobility and opportunity.”
Beyond campus-level support, CCA will collaborate with state systems to push for funding and policy reforms needed to sustain and expand the model. Additional colleges will be selected to join the initiative in 2026 through a competitive RFP process.
The pilot is supported by funding from Ascendium Education Group and The Kresge Foundation.
More information is available at the respective websites of both nonprofits, www.completecollege.org and www.onemilliondegrees.org.
Editor's note: This story was developed in collaboration with GPT-4 and reviewed and edited by CDE Editorial staff.
