Member Matters August 2024

A Monthly Lookback at Some of the Good Work in the CAEL Membership Community

Proactive Partnerships
Rowan University and IBEW Local 98, in Philadelphia, are integrating the union's apprenticeship program with a series of Rowan credentials. Designed to support apprentices at various levels of postsecondary education attainment, the five-year apprenticeship is paired with three stackable undergraduate construction certificates, a bachelor of arts in construction management, two graduate certificates in engineering management, and a master of engineering management (Rowan University).

The National Fluid Power Association has made Houston Community College the anchor of its Texas Track Hub, one of five centers the association has set up to enable partnerships among regional technical colleges, industry members, and secondary educators to support workforce development (NFPA).

A partnership between Benedict College and Integer Technologies, along with support from the Office of Naval Research, is enabling the creation of the first "graduate engineering degree of its kind at an HBCU in South Carolina." The master's degree program in computer science will support recruitment, education, and workforce goals set forth in the Navy's IAS Science and Technology Strategy (Benedict College).

An education benefits partnership between Tiffin University and Wyandot Memorial Hospital is bringing tuition discounts to the health care provider’s employees (Tiffin University).

American Public University System has launched TuitionWise, an education benefits program that offers participating employer partners that offer tuition assistance a grant that can further reduce or even eliminate employee out-of-pocket tuition costs. The program waives application, book, and transfer credit evaluation fees (American Public University System).

College of DuPage has created the assistant provost of workforce and economic development position, which will help "deepen the connections between College of DuPage, its students, [and] industry and academic partners in our region" (College of DuPage).

Doing Good With Grants
Old Dominion University is using a grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to expand experiential and work-based learning that fosters career readiness (ODU).

The Tennessee Valley Authority will provide as much as $2 million in funding for workforce development and other strategies to support a transition to clean energy (TVA).

Entergy announced a 10-year, $20 million investment in continuation of its support of HBCUs, which focuses on improved retention, completion, and career outcomes (Entergy).

Accelerating Adult Learning
First responders and veterans have a new fast track to credential completion at Northwood University. The fully online bachelor of science in service and leadership and master's degree in organizational leadership accept up to 90 transfer credits, recognize diverse sources of prior learning, and can be completed in as little as one year (Northwood University).

Columbus State University, where more than one third of students are 23 or older, is focusing more resources, including technical and face-to-face support and an enhanced lineup of flexible academic offerings, on adult learners (Columbus State University). 

Seventeen student parents recently earned a total of 81 credits during Holistic Oasis for Parents' Education, or HOPE, a summer program in its third year at Hostos Community College. The program, funded by the National Science Foundation, pairs on-site child care, including experiential learning opportunities, with summer classes for student parents (Hostos Community College).

Fresno Pacific University has added an associate provost of adult learning to its staff (Fresno Pacific University).

Work-Ready Credentials
New welding classes at Heartland Community College offer students a stackable series of credentials that include a microcertificate, certificate, and associate of science (Heartland Community College).

Twenty-seven new stackable credentials at Penn State can help students complete master's degrees in engineering, data analytics, information science, artificial intelligence, human resources and psychology, signaling work-relevant competencies to employers along the way (Penn State).

Louisiana State University consulted with industry professionals to develop a new graduate certificate in agribusiness aimed at helping sector employees develop critical competencies in food supply logistics (LSU).

SUNY Orange has rolled out the first in a series of microcredential programs that will deliver transferrable college credits while supporting the professional development of employees in the direct support field (SUNY Orange).

Awards and Other Achievements
According to a recent report, as of fiscal year 2021-22, Piedmont Virginia Community College imparts an annual economic impact of $183.7 million to its region. The report also noted that more than 80 percent of Virginia community college graduates remain in the state after graduating, meeting critical workforce needs (PVCC).

The latest data on University of Wisconsin Oshkosh graduates show that nearly 80 percent of them had a Wisconsin-based career opportunity lined up when they graduated (UWO).

Mount St. Joseph University and Adelphi University were named to the 2024 "Transfer Honor Roll" by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (Mount St. Joseph University and Adelphi University).

The Art of Articulation
Howard Community College and the Power52 Foundation have created a pathway linking the foundation's energy professional training program and solar curriculum with a skilled building trades associate degree at the college (Howard Community College).

Rockland Community College and SUNY Empire State University have created a "2+2" nursing program that allows students who complete an associate degree in nursing to seamlessly continue into a bachelor of science, with online options allowing them to advance in their careers while remaining in their communities (RCC)