What We’re Learning
The National Rural Postsecondary Research Agenda Drives Toward More Equitable Outcomes in Rural America
Ascendium’s elevation of rural postsecondary education and workforce training issues fill a critical gap in the field of higher education reform. This important project is part of a larger effort led by Ascendium to ensure greater attention and resources are directed to improving the outcomes of low-income, rural learners in service of healthier communities and a stronger, more prosperous nation.
Sova Equity Impact Offering Expands to Include Two New Services
Key insights from our work have led us to develop two key services within the broader portfolio of Sova Equity Impact: DEI&B (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Belonging) Strategy Design and the Equity Audit.
Announcing Sova Equity Impact, Service Line Focused on Operationalizing and Activating Equity
Sova has launched Sova Equity Impact. This line of services will focus on operationalizing and activating equity—from ideation to strategy, from strategy to casemaking and implementation, and ultimately evaluation and assessment through monitoring.
Culture Change 101: The Most Important Lessons We’ve Learned
In this presentation, Sova summarizes some of the most important lessons it has learned about what culture-building entails in practice.
Ascendium Education Group Launches a National Postsecondary Rural Research Agenda
Ascendium’s elevation of rural postsecondary education and workforce training issues fill a critical gap in the field of higher education reform. This important project is part of a larger effort led by Ascendium to ensure greater attention and resources are directed to improving the outcomes of low-income, rural learners in service of healthier communities and a stronger, more prosperous nation.
In the News: The Key Ep. 27: The State of Student Transfer
Student transfer is down this fall, with new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center showing the anticipated influx of students transferring to community colleges from four-year institutions didn’t happen.
In the News: States Can Expand Equitable Higher Learning Opportunities by Fixing the Community College Transfer Pipeline
Millions of students in America’s community colleges want to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree, but just a fraction successfully transfer to and graduate from four-year institutions.
In the News: Creating Large-Scale Student Focused Change
“If institutional change does not make things better for students, something is missing.” In this episode of IngenioUs, Dr. Alison Kadlec offers helpful guidance for how to create the conditions for positive change on your campus.
In the News: It’s time to fix the broken higher education transfer pipeline
Just 13 percent of students who enter community college earn a degree within six years, even though 80 percent indicate that that’s their goal. This leaky transfer pipeline has many holes that can and must be addressed. Tackling Transfer Policy Advisory Board members recommend state and higher education leaders take the following steps to address systemic barriers that keep too many community college transfer students from completing degrees that lead to successful careers.
In the News: New Op-Ed Released as Part of Tackling Transfer Initiative
For colleges and universities to fully foster social mobility and develop America’s talent, successful transfer is critical, especially for the more than 8.7 million students enrolled nationally in community colleges. The Tackling Transfer Policy Advisory Board will challenge the status quo and make strong and clear recommendations for state transfer policy that will lead to equitable transfer student outcomes. This is the first in a series of forthcoming publications produced by Tackling Transfer board members that will examine the state policy conditions needed to drive scaled and measurable improvements for transfer students.
In the News: As Higher Education Faces a “Corona Swirl” of Transfer Students, Higher Education Must Create Clear Pathways to Degrees
Recent surveys show that a growing number of high school graduates and college students are opting to attend community colleges this fall because they are affordable and closer to home. Those who lost jobs in the post-COVID economy are also turning to community colleges to gain and sharpen skills that lead back to jobs. The combination is creating an unprecedented level of student movement between two- and four-year colleges. There’s even a name for it in higher education circles – the “corona swirl.”
Sova Stands in Support of Racial Justice
Sova raises its voice in solidarity with the Black community, non-Black people of color, and white allies who are peacefully protesting the direct actions and underlying systemic injustices that led to the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Oscar Grant, Akai Gurley, Philando Castile, and countless other unarmed black men, women, and youth.
Ascendium Education Group Awards NACUBO Planning Grant to Advance Student Success Efforts
May 28, 2020 - To develop an infrastructure for a multi-institution, multi-initiative process focused on student success at colleges and universities, NACUBO has been awarded a $1.1 million planning grant from Ascendium Education Group. NACUBO’s work will establish...
Sova Reflections During the Crisis
As our country manages the early days of the COVID-crisis, higher education institutions across the country are rallying to meet the needs of their students. In support of those working tirelessly on behalf of their students during this critical time and with the hope that sharing our learnings will help ease the inevitable anxieties that come in times of uncertainty, we offer the following reflections.
Updated Core Principles for Remediation Unveiled at Annual Strong Start to Finish Learning Network Convening
The joint statement from the field reflects input from Achieving the Dream, American Association of Community Colleges, Carnegie Math Pathways at WestEd, Charles A. Dana Center, Complete College America, Education Commission of the States, Jobs for the Future, and...
Strengthening Your Student-Focused Change Management Work in 2020
The dawn of a new decade calls for a centering moment of reflection. For the team at Sova, as we begin 2020, we pause here to center on and share our core beliefs about large-scale change – how it’s made and sustained in service of a positively transformed student...
Lessons from the Field: A Conversation with Tim Littell, Wright State University
Background: In September 2019, we interviewed Tim Littell, Associate Vice Provost of Student Success at Wright State University, as part of Sova’s contributions to the Strong Start to Finish “People in the Reform” series. Because the People in the Reform...
Learning With Colleges About How to Enact Whole-College Reforms
For those of us working to support the access-oriented colleges and universities that are on the front lines of the fight for the American middle class, the latest research from CCRC on how community colleges are implementing whole-college redesign through guided...
Building a Culture of Cross-Silo Collaboration: The Practical Art of Bridging & Gluing
When students are placed firmly at the center of the institution’s mission, vision, and strategy, the work of fostering cross-silo collaboration becomes critically important. It’s also hard to do well. For anyone intent on remaking colleges and universities to work...
George Mehaffy Joins Sova
A conversation between George Mehaffy and Alison Kadlec about the world and the work it needs.As Sova welcomes George Mehaffy to the team, we wanted to share more than a formal announcement – we wanted to find a way to give color and texture to the partnership. Over...