VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2 A Regional Imperative Introducing ProjectAttain! IN THIS ISSUE: NARROWING THE GAP Yuba City Mayor Preet Didbal envisions ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY greater communities through ProjectAttain! while graduates like Veunta Dailey close the LINKING EDUCATION TO OPPORTUNITY skills gap with their own road to success. “Dr. Murphy is well known for her passion and commitment to increasing MAGAZINE | VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 educational access. ” —Robert S. Nelsen President ACCESS Magazine is published by the College of Continuing Sacramento State Education at Sacramento State. Photo by Steve McKay Steve by Photo LEADERSHIP President Robert S. Nelsen Sacramento State Message from the President Provost and Vice President Ching-Hua Wang After a national search, Dr. Jenni Murphy was appointed Dean at the College for Academic Affairs of Continuing Education (CCE) and she has already hit the ground running, Dean Jenni Murphy developing a regional initiative titled ProjectAttain! focused on educational College of Continuing Education attainment. The goal for this initiative is to increase the number of Sacramento’s working age adults with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials ACCESS PUBLICATION TEAM to 60 percent by 2025. Editor in Chief Sarah Billingsley Dr. Murphy is well known for her passion and commitment to increasing Managing Editor Deborah Chen educational access. She joined CCE in 2001 and during the past 17 years has Writers Kirsten Asher served in various leadership roles including Associate Dean, Senior Director Sharon Ito Carol Nicknig of Strategic Communications and Emerging Markets, Special Assistant to the Dean and Director of Extension Programs. Dr. Murphy has garnered extensive Graphic Design Jessica Jarrety experience in the area of strategy and leadership, built strong relationships with Photography Jessica Jarrety community leaders and stakeholders and developed an understanding of local Photography Assistant Katie Riley workforce needs. Original Print Date Fall 2018 Since 2015, Dr. Murphy has served as faculty and on thesis and dissertation Printed on 30% recycled paper. committees for the Master’s in Public Policy and Administration and the Doctorate in Educational Leadership programs. She frequently is invited to serve on panels or present findings to stakeholders in higher education and workforce development. Cover photo by Jessica Jarrety PLEASE SEND COMMENTS TO: Please join me in welcoming and congratulating Dr. Jenni Murphy on her new Sarah Billingsley, College of Continuing Education role at Sac State and ProjectAttain!. Together, we will narrow the educational 3000 State University Drive Sacramento, CA 95819 attainment gap, support our region’s economic growth and serve as an Anchor 916.278.2680, [email protected] University for the Sacramento region and a model for the state of California. For current CCE news, programs and conference information Best wishes, visit CSUS.EDU/CCE President Robert S. Nelsen The College of Continuing Education (CCE) is one of eight colleges at Sacramento State. As a self-supporting college, CCE has offered certificates, degree completion programs, workshops and conferences since 1951. 2 Features and Updates 8 Summit on Educational Attainment for Working Age Adults Engaging the community to explore solutions to 4 A Regional Imperative narrowing the educational attainment gap Introducing ProjectAttain! Student Success Stories —a comprehensive regional 10 One size does not fit all strategy to develop our workforce 5 Near-Completers An Overlooked Opportunity 6 Educational Attainment Snapshots Research and data on the national, state and regional level ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ...a personal note on educational attainment. I am proud of the work that Sacramento State is doing alongside Align Capital Region to focus on supporting working age adults who wish to complete their education. Education is not a straightforward path for most of us. It can be a long and winding journey with many fits and starts. I dropped out of college to work, but was told to return by my wife who knew that I would need my college degree to achieve my dreams. Working age adults are an economic powerhouse who have earned valuable life and work experience. They deserve our support in earning their degree or credential. We have a responsibility to serve all students, including those who started college but had to stop out along the way. I am excited that the College of Continuing Education’s new dean, Dr. Jenni Murphy, is leading the effort to increase our region’s educational attainment for working age adults. Sacramento State is committed to helping all students succeed, including those who took a different pathway to get there. President Robert S. Nelsen Sacramento State, College of Continuing Education | csus.edu/cce 3 A Regional Imperative Millions of people in America are financially There is a clear mismatch between future workforce insecure. The single most important driver of needs and the number of skilled workers available to fill these positions that will become even more economic opportunity and social mobility is pronounced if we stay on the current path. educational attainment. By 2020, 65 percent of ProjectAttain! is a comprehensive regional strategy to jobs will require high-quality credentials beyond chart a new course by increasing educational high school. attainment to 60 percent by 2025. While the answer may seem simple—help working age adults finish Closing the Gap what they started—the solution is complex. Working age adults face particular challenges when returning Data show that there are nearly 4.5 million working to school, like finding accessible classes to fit their age adults in California between the ages of 25 and schedules, balancing coursework with the responsibili- 64 with some college but no degree, and more than ties of work and family and the overall cost. 345,000 of them are in the eight-county Sacramento region—a disproportionate share of which are people •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• of color and women. Cultivating the overlooked ProjectAttain! Strategic Outcomes talent pool will accelerate efforts to raise educational attainment, narrow the equity gap and meet our 1. Increased educational attainment region’s workforce needs. 2. Educational equity •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 3. Regional and individual prosperity Research Indicates the Following Obstacles for 4. Skills alignment with workforce needs Adults Returning to Formal Education: •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 36% Finances 27% Logistics (work schedule, transportation, childcare, etc.) Engaging the Community 20% Lack of guidance Stakeholder engagement from the business, 11% Life changes government, education and non-profit sectors is 6% Academic or learning issues critical to ensure that programs are aligned with Source: The Graduate! Network industry needs and that barriers are addressed. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4 ACCESS MAGAZINE | Special Edition: ProjectAttain! Near-Completers: An Overlooked Opportunity •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• There are multiple pathways to educational attainment Jenni Murphy including certificates, apprenticeships, associate’s and DEAN baccalaureate degrees. Educational providers must work together to deliver a variety of high-quality COLLEGE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION, SACRAMENTO STATE credentials that meet market demand and support postsecondary access and success. Data from the Lumina Foundation show that nearly 22 percent or 4.5 Impacting the Future million Californians have enrolled in college and left without receiving a degree or certificate. When working age adults complete in-demand Emerging data indicate that as many as 1.1 million credentials it improves individual lives and family of these students are within 15 units of completion. trajectories and positively impacts our regional This population, referred to as “near-completers,” prosperity and economic competitiveness. represents an overlooked opportunity to increase degree attainment in California. ProjectAttain! serves as a catalyst to improve the lives of individuals in our communities and the The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) divides the near-completer population into two economic vitality of our region. — Dean Jenni Murphy groups: potentials and eligibles. Educational Attainment A “potential” student is one requiring less than 15 units to complete their degree or one who has yet Improves Lives and Communities to complete a non-academic course requirement, such as a seminar—the situation of an estimated •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 405,000 Californians. Graduates With Postsecondary Credentials Are: An “eligible” student is one who has met 25% more likely to be employed their requirements but failed to complete an 47% more likely to have health insurance administrative process such as filing for graduation, Using $82,000 less in government spending returning an overdue library book or paying an outstanding parking fee. An estimated 726,400 72% more likely to have a retirement plan Californians are members of this group. Many 2x more likely to volunteer eligibles may not even be aware they have