New Grant Motivates Transfer Students to Complete their Postsecondary Degrees
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New Grant Motivates Transfer Students to Complete their Postsecondary Degrees
Tallahassee, Fla., October 12, 2012 - Florida students will get help to complete their associate degree after transferring to a state university thanks to a new grant partnership between the State University System and the Florida College System. The $495,000 Credit When It's Due grant from Helios Education Foundation complements and expands current efforts to boost college completion rates, and provides students with a meaningful stepping stone toward completing their baccalaureate degree.
"Associate degrees have a proven track record in the labor market," said Florida College System Chancellor Randy Hanna. "The Credit When It's Due grant will help more students complete the degree and go on to earn their baccalaureate. This in turn makes the students more employable and benefits Florida's economy."
Credit When It's Due has the added benefit that shows students awarded an associate degree are more motivated to keep working on their baccalaureate degree and may secure better employment because of it. Florida's goal is to target students who transferred from a state college to a state university prior to completing their associate degree, and award the degree to those who meet the requirements. The grant is administered through the Florida College System Foundation.
"Expanding access to higher education has positive ripple effects on every part of our society," said State University System Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. "It's the reason the State University System of Florida is committed to providing a path to one of our dozen institutions from the Florida College System. We are grateful to the Credit When It's Due initiative for recognizing the importance of that mission."
Helios Education Foundation is one of several sponsors for this initiative that include the Lumina Foundation for Education, the Kresge Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Office of Community Colleges Research and Learning at the University of Illinois will collect data on the results to determine the impact on degree completion.
"Obtaining a postsecondary education is critical for today's students who are competing in a global economy," said Helios Education Foundation's President and CEO Paul Luna. "The Credit When It's Due initiative underscores the importance of advancing a college completion agenda, and it recognizes the academic achievement of students who have earned the credits needed for an associate degree."
For more information, visit Credit When It's Due.