September 15, 2021
The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice is proud to announce its first #RealCollege Institutional Capacity-Building Cohort (ICBC), composed of 27 higher education institutions spanning the nation from Washington to New York.
The program is designed to assist colleges and universities in retaining students who need food and housing supports and who were made more vulnerable because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cohort will utilize data from The Hope Center’s evidence-based research studies to empower institutions in assisting #RealCollege students. The Cohort will create an ecosystem for developing solutions to complex problems, to empower leaders to impact organizational change, and to build connections with other colleges. Member institutions will build their capacity for assessment, analysis, and social support systems for students.
“The ICBC Cohort will provide new and lasting connections for all member institutions as we explore the best practices for assisting students with food, housing, and the hidden challenges of degree completion during the pandemic,” said Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, President and Founder of The Hope Center. “This national cohort will move our research into action, building a diverse exchange of ideas and cohesion in our efforts.”
The cohort begins this month and runs through May 2022, with learning modules focused on assessment, support, driving state and federal policy and advocacy, and supporting the basic needs ecosystem. Each member institution will be represented by leaders including administrators, staff, faculty, and students. Sessions will offer deep analysis of The Hope Center’s research and annual surveys, which are the nation’s largest and longest-standing rigorous assessment of students’ basic needs.
This project is made possible by its member institutions as well as grants from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ECMC Foundation.
Participating institutions are listed below:
- Central Lakes College, MN
- Roane State Community College, TN
- Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State), MN
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI
- Rowan College of South Jersey, NJ
- Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell, NJ
- Mott Community College, MI
- Grand Rapids Community College, MI
- National Louis University, IL
- William Paterson University, NJ
- Portland State University, OR
- Presentation College, SD
- Massasoit Community College, MA
- The Evergreen State College, WA
- Madison Area Technical College, WA
- Lane Community College, OR
- University of Michigan-Dearborn, MI
- Mt. Hood Community College, OR
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, WI
- Greenville Technical College, SC
- Pierce College, WA
- The University of Texas at Dallas, TX
- University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC
- Nassau Community College, NY
- Mercy College, NY