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Unlocking Opportunity: Eight Strategies for Community Colleges to Improve Post-Completion Outcomes

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Title: Unlocking Opportunity: Eight Strategies for Community Colleges to Improve Post-Completion Outcomes
Language: English
Authors: Konrad Mugglestone, Contributor, Millicent Bender, Contributor, Tess Henthorne, Contributor, Tania LaViolet, Contributor, Kathryn Masterson, Contributor, Kristin O’Keefe, Contributor, Kate Williamson, Contributor, Joshua Wyner, Contributor, Davis Jenkins, Contributor, Serena Klempin, Contributor, Hana Lahr, Contributor, Aurely Garcia Tulloch, Contributor, Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC), Aspen Institute, College Excellence Program
Source: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. 2025.
Availability: Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 34
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Arnold Ventures
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
Bank of America
ECMC Foundation
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Lumina Foundation
Strada Education Foundation
Intended Audience: Administrators
Document Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Outcomes of Education, Education Work Relationship, Educational Attainment, Bachelors Degrees, Educational Change, Educational Improvement, Program Implementation, Pilot Projects, Community College Students
Geographic Terms: Wyoming, Ohio, New York (Rochester), Texas, Texas (San Antonio), Wisconsin, Florida (Saint Petersburg), Oklahoma (Tulsa), Florida (Orlando)
Abstract: To help community colleges increase the value of credentials for students after graduation, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) partnered with the Community College Research Center (CCRC) in 2023 to launch a new program called Unlocking Opportunity. Starting with 10 colleges (and expanding to 65 colleges in 2025), Unlocking Opportunity offers support, coaching, and tools to help colleges analyze their programs and advising systems, and to help them strengthen them so that more students are on a path to benefit economically from attending community college. Based on the scaled reforms the first 10 colleges have implemented to achieve that goal, Aspen and CCRC have produced research insights and actionable tools--including this practice guide--that colleges can use to strengthen their programs and advising so that many more students graduate with credentials of value that lead to good jobs either directly after completing community college or after successfully transferring and earning a bachelor's degree. This guide is designed for college presidents, their senior teams, and others at community colleges who aim to enact reforms that improve graduates' wages and transfer/bachelor's attainment rates. It offers concrete guidance on eight strategies that the initial 10 Unlocking Opportunity colleges have used to improve these outcomes for thousands of students. In each section, it provides: (1) Case-making language and data that leaders can use to support the reform strategy; (2) Case studies showing the approaches pilot Unlocking Opportunity colleges took; (3) A "From-To" framework that shows the typical current state of practice and the envisioned ideal state after reform; and (4) Action steps to guide leaders and others through the reform process at a high level.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678729
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Unlocking Opportunity: Eight Strategies for Community Colleges to Improve Post-Completion Outcomes
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  Data: Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Arnold Ventures<br />Ascendium Education Group, Inc.<br />Bank of America<br />ECMC Foundation<br />JPMorgan Chase & Co.<br />Lumina Foundation<br />Strada Education Foundation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wyoming%22">Wyoming</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ohio%22">Ohio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York+%28Rochester%29%22">New York (Rochester)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas+%28San+Antonio%29%22">Texas (San Antonio)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wisconsin%22">Wisconsin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Florida+%28Saint+Petersburg%29%22">Florida (Saint Petersburg)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oklahoma+%28Tulsa%29%22">Oklahoma (Tulsa)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Florida+%28Orlando%29%22">Florida (Orlando)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: To help community colleges increase the value of credentials for students after graduation, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) partnered with the Community College Research Center (CCRC) in 2023 to launch a new program called Unlocking Opportunity. Starting with 10 colleges (and expanding to 65 colleges in 2025), Unlocking Opportunity offers support, coaching, and tools to help colleges analyze their programs and advising systems, and to help them strengthen them so that more students are on a path to benefit economically from attending community college. Based on the scaled reforms the first 10 colleges have implemented to achieve that goal, Aspen and CCRC have produced research insights and actionable tools--including this practice guide--that colleges can use to strengthen their programs and advising so that many more students graduate with credentials of value that lead to good jobs either directly after completing community college or after successfully transferring and earning a bachelor's degree. This guide is designed for college presidents, their senior teams, and others at community colleges who aim to enact reforms that improve graduates' wages and transfer/bachelor's attainment rates. It offers concrete guidance on eight strategies that the initial 10 Unlocking Opportunity colleges have used to improve these outcomes for thousands of students. In each section, it provides: (1) Case-making language and data that leaders can use to support the reform strategy; (2) Case studies showing the approaches pilot Unlocking Opportunity colleges took; (3) A "From-To" framework that shows the typical current state of practice and the envisioned ideal state after reform; and (4) Action steps to guide leaders and others through the reform process at a high level.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED678729
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 34
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
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      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement
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      – SubjectFull: Program Implementation
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      – SubjectFull: Pilot Projects
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      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
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