Visit collegerestart.org!
SEI has launched College Restart, a grassroots outreach effort to help adults who attended college but did not finish return to school to complete a degree or career credential program. The program is being piloted in Cuyahoga Falls, and SEI is looking for community members to be College Restart Ambassadors.
Ambassadors are tasked with reaching out to their networks of friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to identify adults that would benefit from degree and/or credential attainment and to serve as the gateway that connects potential “Restarters” with the resources necessary to continue their academic career.
What is College Restart?
College Restart is a grassroots, community-driven program launched by Summit Education Initiative to help reach the community-wide goal of 48,000 new degrees and high-demand credentials for Summit County residents. The program recruits volunteer Ambassadors who connect members of their community, work, and social networks to the resources necessary for adult learners to return to school and successfully earn a degree or career credential.
Why does it Matter?
Now more than ever, college certificates and degrees lead to better paying jobs and careers. The median income for those who have attained at least a bachelor’s degree is nearly $12,000 higher than those with only a high school diploma*. This year’s forecast estimates 65% of all jobs will require postsecondary education and/or training beyond high school**. Increasing regional educational attainment helps to create thriving communities full of residents with greater access to healthcare, stable jobs, career advancement opportunities, and a higher quality of life.
Where does Summit County stand?
It is estimated that around 29,000 Summit County residents have attended some college or career training past high school but never completed a degree or career credential. In many cases, these individuals faced hardships beyond their control that prevented successful completion on the “traditional” timeline. As adults, they are often saddled with student debt while lacking the degree or certificate that would qualify them for greater career opportunities. With the increased responsibilities of adult life, barriers to return to school can be overwhelming.
Becoming a College Restart Community Ambassador is a great and easy way to make a big difference within your community. Ambassadors are asked to complete a brief, online training to learn about the resources available to adult learners and best practices in grassroots outreach. Ambassadors then reach out to their network within their community – friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers – that would benefit from returning to school to encourage them to return to school and connect them to available resources. This type of “high touch” personal outreach from peers within the community has been shown to greatly increase adult learners’ likelihood to return to school (and successfully finish a program). Visit our website (below) to learn more about how you can make a big impact in your community today!
To become a College Restart Ambassador, simply go to collegerestart.org and fill out the sign-up form on our home page. You can also reach out to College Restart’s Ambassador Coordinator Noah Spinner at jns110@zips.uakron.edu.
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