SPONSORED BY: J O H N M . B E L K E N D O W M E N T L U M I N A F O U N D A T I O N

THE FINISH LINE GRANTS SYMPOSIUM

S E P T E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 9

T H E C O N F E R E N C E C E N T E R A T G U I L F O R D T E C H N I C A L C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E C O L F A X , N C WELCOME TO THE FINISH LINE GRANTS SYMPOSIUM An opportunity to share and learn strategies for effective management and implementation of the Finish Line Grants Program

2 T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Welcome Letters...... 4 - 5

Land Acknowledgement...... 6

Symposium Agenda...... 7 - 8

Speaker Bios...... 9 - 11

Concurrent Sessions...... 12 - 16

Additional Resources...... 17 - 33

Symposium Partners & Sponsors...... 34 - 35

Conference Center Wifi...... 36

Conference Center Map...... 37

Notes...... 38- 40

3 4 5 L A N D A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T

We acknowledge that the land we are gathered on today has long served as the site of meeting and exchange amongst a number of , specifically the Keyauwee and Saura. Additionally, has been home to many Indigenous peoples at various points in time, including the tribes/nations of: Bear River/Bay River, Cape Fear, Catawba, , /Coranine, Creek, , Eno, Hatteras, Keyauwee, , Tuscarora, Tutelo-Saponi, Moratoc, Natchez, Neusiok, , Shakori, Sara/Cheraw, Sissipahaw, Sugeree, Wateree, Weapemeoc, Woccon, Yadkin and Yeopim.

Today, North Carolina recognizes 8 tribes: Tribe, Eastern Band of Tribe, Haliwa- Saponi Indian Tribe, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Indian Tribe, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, the Sappony, and Tribe.

We honor and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to the territory on which we gather.

6 S Y M P O S I U M A G E N D A

Registration 8:00am - 9:00am Check in and enjoy light refreshments.

Welcome 9:00am - 9:30am Auditorium

Beth Pitonzo, Guilford Technical Community College

Video Message from Governor Roy Cooper

Ray Covington, myFutureNC

Jeff Frederick, NC Association of Workforce Development Boards

Alicia James, Institute for Emerging Issues, NC State University

Jimmy Clarke, Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs

Keynote Speaker 9:30am - 10:25am Madeline Pumariega, Executive Vice President and Provost, Tallahassee Community College

Break 10:25am -10:40am

Concurrent Session I 10:40am - 11:30am

Concurrent Session II 11:40am - 12:30pm

7 S Y M P O S I U M A G E N D A ( C O N T . )

Lunch 12:30pm - 1:30pm Pre-Function Space, Oak Ridge A/B, and Oak Ridge C/D

Enjoy this time for a networking lunch. We encourage community college and workforce development partners from the same Finish Line Grants partnership to sit together.

Concurrent Session III 1:45pm - 2:35pm

Afternoon Break 2:35pm - 2:50pm Enjoy refreshments in the Pre-Function space.

Closing Session 2:50pm - 3:30pm Auditorium

Video message from Anthony M. Copeland, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce

Video message from Peter Hans, President of the North Carolina Community College System

Message from Misty Long, Gaston Community College Student and Awake58 Fellow

Video message from Finish Line Grant recipients

8 S P E A K E R B I O S Jimmy Clarke, Ph.D. Director of Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs

Jimmy received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California at Santa Barbara and later earned his master’s degree and a Ph.D. in education administration from Louisiana State University. Jimmy spent twenty years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he served in a variety of capacities including dean of student personnel and dean of enrollment management. At HCM, he serves as the director of Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs. Strategy Labs provide state leaders with technical assistance for policies that can increase higher education attainment. A people person at heart, Jimmy views his role as a builder of relationships and trust in an effort to foster collaboration among state policymakers with mutual student success goals. Ray Covington, Ph.D. myFutureNC

Ray is currently assisting in the establishment of myFutureNC, the statewide organization focused on North Carolina's post-secondary attainment goal. Over the past 30 years Ray has worked across higher education in North Carolina including most recently serving as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Hunt Institute. He previously served as the Assistant Vice Chancellor at UNC Greensboro and as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Greensboro College. He earned his doctorate in education leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

9 S P E A K E R B I O S Jeff Frederick President of the North Carolina Association of Workforce Development Boards

Jeff is the Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources Business Partnering at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International headquartered in RTP, NC. Prior to joining RTI International, Jeff led human resources for employees in the U.S., Canada, China, Belgium and Indonesia at Parker-Hannifin. Jeff developed a passion for workforce and economic development after seeing so many great people laid off during business downturns without a clear next path. He currently serves as a commissioner on the Governor’s NCWorks Commission. Jeff has been a member of the Guilford County Workforce Development Board for over ten years and currently serves on the Durham Workforce Development Board. His work as an advocate has increased awareness and action that continues to develop and expand a robust workforce system in North Carolina. Alicia James Policy and Program Manager of IEI at NC State University

Alicia is a Policy and Program Manager with the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at NC State University, where her work involves community engagement, program development and convening cross-sector partnerships. Prior to this role, she worked in state and local government (NC Office of State Budget and Management, NC Administrative Office of the Courts, and City of Alexandria, Virginia) with a focus on budget, policy and advocacy issues. Ms. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master's in Public Administration, both from UNC Chapel Hill.

10 S P E A K E R B I O S Madeline Pumariega, Ph.D. Executive VP and Provost of Tallahassee Community College

Madeline was the first woman and first Hispanic educator to lead the Florida College System, which includes 28 colleges serving nearly 800,000 students and is recognized as one of the top systems in the nation. Among her roles prior to that, she was with Miami Dade College for nearly two decades, serving in a number of leadership roles, including President of the Wolfson Campus. As executive vice president and provost of Tallahassee Community College, she is responsible for aligning and advancing high-impact practices within the College’s three core divisions of academic affairs, student affairs and workforce development. Malia Sieve Director of Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs

Malia Sieve is a policy and strategy expert who brings to HCM Strategists a deep commitment to improving lives and creating a world with greater equity. Primarily contributing to state policy work, she collaborates with individual states and state-level leaders such as state higher education officers, legislators, philanthropists and labor offices on process, goal and metric setting and monitoring progress. Malia joined the policy staff of the Connecticut Board of Regents of Higher Education, where she led the board’s efforts to align secondary and postsecondary education and workforce initiatives. A believer in the power of collaborative relationships to further good policy, Malia managed the Governor’s P-20 Council and facilitated educator partnerships to improve student outcomes and college readiness. She also put to work her policy implementation know-how, directing several large federal grants to improve students’ readiness for and access to higher education.

11 C O N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N I

1 0 : 4 0 A M - 1 1 : 3 0 A M Oak Ridge A/B Emergency Aid: One State Strategy to Reaching Attainment Goals Malia Sieve, Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs Jimmy Clarke, Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs

Postsecondary credential attainment goals have been set by the majority of states across the country. They serve as guideposts for aligning stakeholders, policies and practices, including emergency aid. This session will discuss the critical role attainment goals play in strategy discussions and how other states, institutions and philanthropy have approached emergency aid to support students when they need it the most.

Classroom 130/131 Finish Line Grants and Beyond Barb Meidl, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Allison Scott, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

What would happen if more colleges developed relationships with their students? Rowan-Cabarrus is creating a culture of relationships with our students. Not only are we wanting to help them through their academic roles with us but also keep them connected long term. The Finish Line Grants success has been an opportunity to connect and develop deeper relationships in helping students over barriers. This interactive workshop is designed to discuss the pros and cons of how we have worked to connect with students to be successful with the Finish Line Grants funds.

Oak Ridge C/D Insights to Partnering for Finish Line Grants Thom Brooks, Southwestern Community College Tammy Wall, Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board

In this session, representatives of Alamance Community College, Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board, Southwestern Community College, and Southwestern Workforce Development Board will share their insights on developing strong partnerships to facilitate the Finish Line Grants program.

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1 1 : 4 0 A M - 1 2 : 3 0 P M Classroom 130/131 How We’ve Helped Students Cross the Finish Line Brent Royal, Capital Area Workforce Development Board Chasity Donaldson, Wake Tech Community College Heather Cole, Wake Tech Community College Betty Woodall, Johnston Community College

Our presentation will consist of best practices for the Finish Line Grant (FLG), outreach methods to reach community college students, and our partnership between Capital Area Workforce Development (CAWD), Wake Tech (WTCC), and Johnston Community College. Some of the ways in which we provide outreach are by utilizing social media, palm cards, fliers, attending outreach events, and marketing to students on the community colleges campuses. Both WTCC and CAWD have posted a fillable FLG application on their websites to make application submission process more convenient for students.

Oak Ridge A/B Lessons Learned- How to Set Up an FLG Program That Works Kelvin Thompson, Central Piedmont Community College Tasha Williamson, Charlotte Works Anastasia Knight, Charlotte Works Andrea Core, Central Piedmont Community College Jennie Bowen, Region Q Workforce Development Board Lee Bray, Pitt Community College Kennetta Morning, Region Q Workforce Development Board Julie Crippen, Pitt Community College

Central Piedmont CC, Charlotte Works, Pitt CC, Region Q Workforce Development Board, ResCare and RossProv have implemented FLG programs from start to finish that have successfully assisted over 350 students. Want to find out how your team can do the same thing? Attend this session and listen to the forerunners of the program, find tips to run the program efficiently, and hear about lessons learned. There will be a Q&A session for you to ask your questions and find out the answers that will help you implement or revise your program to help students cross the Finish Line.

13 C O N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N I I ( C O N T . ) 1 1 : 4 0 A M - 1 2 : 3 0 P M

Oak Ridge C/D Tracking Student Outcomes Sara Bennett, Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board Thom Brooks, Southwestern Community College Ashley Eby, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Senika Rush, Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board Annette Staley, Region C Workforce Development Board

A panel from community colleges and workforce development boards in varying roles will share the ways in which their organization are tracking and collecting outcomes data on students who receive Finish Line Grants

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1 : 4 5 P M - 2 : 3 5 P M Classroom 130/131 A Regional Review of Finish Line Grants Programs: How Program Structure Impacts Implementation and Outcomes Nathan Arrington, Guilford County Workforce Development Board

This session will provide an overview of research conducted between February 2019 and May 2019 on the roll-out of the Finish Line Grants programs at the four Piedmont Triad Workforce Boards. This study revealed local best practices implemented for Finish Line Grant and the structural limitations for those programs. The presentation will review the strengths and weaknesses of the three different funding models developed by the four workforce development boards to show the importance of an integrated partnership model for Finish Line Grant programs’ success.

Oak Ridge A/B A Case Study in High-Performing Finish Line Grants Partnerships Leah Baldasare, Duke University Lee Foster, Duke University Brian Barringer, Alamance Community College Jennie Bowen, Region Q Workforce Development Board James Bain, NCWorks Commission at North Carolina Department of Commerce Tammy Wall, Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board

This study will provide an overview of the findings from a case study conducted by interns from Duke University and Meredith College in partnership between the Office of the Governor and the North Carolina Community College System Office. The case study focused on two “high-performing” FLG partnerships: Alamance Community College and Regional Partnership Workforce Development Board and Pitt Community College and Region Q Workforce Development Board. We conducted 15 interviews about practices used by these two partnerships to make the FLG program a success.

15 C O N C U R R E N T S E S S I O N I I I ( C O N T . ) 1 : 4 5 P M - 2 : 3 5 P M

Oak Ridge C/D Maximizing Aunt Bertha System to Increase FLG Access James Kelley, NC Community College System Office Chris Douglas, Aunt Bertha

This presentation will share a model and template of using the Aunt Bertha System to increase student access and potentially student tracking for Finish Line Grants. The Aunt Bertha System is currently available to community colleges and can be maximized to better serve potential FLG students.

16 A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S

Finish Line Grants FAQ...... 18 - 29 This document is also available online at https://www.nccommerce.com/jobs-training/workforce-professionals-tools-resources/finish-line-grants

Finish Line Grants Expenditures...... 30 - 31 This document is also available online at https://www.nccommerce.com/jobs-training/workforce-professionals-tools-resources/finish-line-grants

National Resources...... 32 - 33 This represents a selection of the available national resources on emergency aid programs. Descriptions are taken directly from source. Inclusion of these materials does not indicate an endorsement by the Finish Line Grants program.

17 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S F A Q as of July 23, 2019

18 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S F A Q as of July 23, 2019

19 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S F A Q as of July 23, 2019

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28 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S F A Q as of July 23, 2019

29 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S E X P E N D I T U R E S

as of July 23, 2019

30 F I N I S H L I N E G R A N T S E X P E N D I T U R E S

as of July 23, 2019

31 N A T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S

Ascendium Education Philanthropy For many low-income students, an unexpected car repair or a medical bill can mean the end of their college hopes. While typically not large expenses, they can be enough to put these students in a serious bind: stay in college or pay the bill. Our experience is that when colleges quickly deliver small grants to students encountering unexpected expenses, more of these students stay in school and on track for completion.

Reports linked on website: “A Broader View of Emergency Aid: Toward a More Holistic Approach to Helping Students Weather a Financial Crisis” “Training for Emergency Grant Decision Makers” https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org/community/strategy/validation/equal-measures

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Postsecondary Success There are a variety of different types of emergency aid programs, including campus vouchers, completion scholarships, emergency loans, food pantries, and restricted and unrestricted grants. Word of mouth is often the primary method of sharing information about emergency aid programs, which unfortunately does not reach many students in need. While aid programs vary across colleges and universities, programs with strong program administration, communication, and sustainability often serve students the best. Our work in emergency aid supports the creation and expansion of effective emergency aid programs so more students are able to continue with their education and stay on the path to graduation. https://postsecondary.gatesfoundation.org/areas-of-focus/innovation/emergency-aid/

Emergency Aid Lab - Reos Partners The Emergency Aid Lab (EAL) is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of their Postsecondary Success program. The foundation saw a clear opportunity to have a measurable impact on completion rates and approached Reos Partners to convene the EAL. The lab built on nationwide research and several strategic partnerships with higher education-focused organizations, such as NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators), and Single Stop. https://reospartners.com/projects/emergency-aid-lab/

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NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education - Landscape Analysis of Emergency Aid Programs This report provides a comprehensive look at colleges’ use of emergency aid to address a variety of student needs. The publication describes how emergency aid programs are operated, including details regarding primary departments responsible and number of students served. The report also presents 10 components of robust programs; challenges and opportunities for increasing the number of students served; and considerations for colleges that intend to more closely examine the influence of emergency aid on students’ persistence toward a degree. Woven throughout the report are exhibits that describe the delivery of emergency aid among multiple sectors and sizes of institutions. https://www.naspa.org/rpi/reports/landscape-analysis-of-emergency-aid-programs

Student ARC - Advancing Retention in College To successfully grow emergency aid at any institution — and to strengthen the community of practice around urgent support for students facing an unexpected financial crisis — institutions need a common language for key concepts. Consistent messaging and a shared understanding of key concepts about emergency aid will help grow and strengthen the field. This consistency and common language will also help inform policymakers, donors, institution and community stakeholders, and students about the benefits of emergency aid and the ways it can contribute to student success. https://studentarc.org/tools-and-resources

The Hope Center Too many students leave college without credentials because life, logistics, and a lack of money got in the way. These #RealCollege students are the new majority, but they are often ignored. The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice is home to an action research team using rigorous research to drive innovative practice, evidence-based policymaking, and effective communications to support #RealCollege students. https://hope4college.com

33 The Finish Line Grants Symposium is made possible by: Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research

Office of the Governor

North Carolina Community College System

North Carolina Department of Commerce

Sponsored by: John M. Belk Endowment Lumina Foundation

34 We want to thank the planning committee members for all of their work to make this symposium a reality:

Chreatha Alston, North Carolina Community College System Jimmy Clarke, HCM Strategists / Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs Andrea Core, Central Piedmont Community College Bettina Cox, Southeastern Community College Julia “Julie” Crippen, Pitt Community College Andrea DeSantis, Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research Keith Deveraux, High Country Workforce Development Board Jessica Englert, Office of the Governor John "JJ" Evans, North Carolina Community College System Audrey J. Jaeger, Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research James "JW" Kelley, North Carolina Community College System Rosemary Kelly, Fayetteville Technical Community College Brandi McCullough, Pitt Community College LaTonya Nixon, Beaufort County Community College Jenni Owen, Office of the Governor, State Budget and Management Brianna Pearson, Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research Zomar Peter, Craven Community College Nathan Ramsey, Mountain Area Workforce Development Board John Saparilas, Wake Technical Community College Brenda Savage, North Carolina Department of Commerce Malia Sieve, HCM Strategists / Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs Jay Sullivan, Beaufort County Community College

Thank you to all of the community colleges and workforce development boards and their staff, leadership, students, and faculty who have made the Fine Line Grants effort a success.

We appreciate all of the work you do each day to support community college students, promote student success, and develop North Carolina's workforce.

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