Prairie View A&M University issued the following announcement.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Some College, No Degree report, millions of Americans attend college but never finish their degree. At Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), some 2,000 students are accepted and enrolled to attend each fall. However, more than half of students who begin their higher education journeys on “The Hill” do not receive a degree within six years, or they stop going altogether.
To reverse this trend, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has partnered with PVAMU as part of a new initiative called Grad TX 2.0. The program will recruit, re-engage, and re-enroll former students in the Houston area to help them re-start and complete their college careers.
“The overall goal of the Grad TX 2.0 program is designed to increase participation and success of returning adult students who have ‘stopped-out’ of higher education without obtaining a credential of value – that’s a certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or above,” said Kimberly Sanders, Ed.D., assistant vice president of Strategic Enrollment Initiatives. Sanders chairs PVAMU’s Grad TX 2.0 committee. “For the purposes of this program, stop-outs include, at a minimum, any student who has exited higher education without a credential, and any student who has attended an accredited higher education institution for at least one full-length academic semester. PVAMU partnering with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will work to implement and expand innovative approaches to help returning students maximize their earned college credits and support students to complete a credential.”
Grad TX 2.0 Plus 60x30TX
The Grad TX 2.0 program will assist THECB and PVAMU in meeting the goals and objectives of the state’s existing 60x30TX plan. 60x30TX was launched in 2015 to have at least 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 earn a certificate or degree by 2030. As reported by the THECB, college completions in Texas are improving, but not quickly enough. Only 20 percent of Texas 8th grade students in 2006 graduated from college by 2017; that’s how long it should have taken them to graduate from high school and finish college in six years.
“This is far below what the state needs,” said Sanders. “Experts say that in 12 years, 60 percent of Texans will need a certificate or degree for the state to stay competitive in the global economy. Right now, not nearly enough Texas students are completing the levels of education needed to fill the jobs that will be available.”
Research shows that someone with a bachelor’s degree can earn nearly double the lifetime wages of a high school graduate. And, as wages go up, so does the state’s revenue through tax increases. Higher education also helps the state meet its changing workforce needs and spurs new businesses. In other words, “when Texas students win, the state wins.”
“Grad TX 2.0 will increase the success and participation of Some College, No Credential (SCNC) students who have stopped out or withdrawn,” said Sanders. “Grad TX 2.0 will help them re-enroll at PVAMU and provide the academic and financial support needed in order for them to complete their degree and gain the skills necessary for career advancement and opportunities, thus, continuing to make Texas the economic driver of the country.”
Grad TX 2.0 Equals Support
The THECB has already boosted Grad TX 2.0 with a $30,000 grant. In collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), whose primary goal is to “champion” Houston’s economic growth, the two entities are a perfect match to support community colleges and universities across the state, including PVAMU, to amplify the local economy.
“They’re creating strategies to bring students back to educational programs and get a degree,” said Sanders. “That, in turn, should also lead to an increase in the state’s graduation rate, which stands at less than 50 percent.”
Students who re-enroll at PVAMU through the Grad TX 2.0 program will receive academic assistance in the form of flexible scheduling; increased online course offerings; academic advisors by major; and other cross-departmental agencies providing individualized support programs to meet their educational needs.
“Many times, students stop attending school because they have a balance at their previous institution, and that institution won’t release the student’s college transcript,” she said. “Without that college transcript, students have to start college all over again, retaking classes that they already completed if they were to attend another college. Other students stop attending because of increased family responsibilities.”
Sanders says Grad TX 2.0 may provide students with emergency and scholarship aid to fill in the gaps where needed so they can continue their education. The program should also offset financial holds at previous institutions to assist students with obtaining their transcripts.
“This initiative should aid in increasing our transfer enrollment numbers,” she said.
Sanders added the program’s numerical goal is to enroll at least 10 percent of the identified population by the fall semester of 2021.
Empowering Houston and Beyond
While a large part of Grad TX 2.0 revolves around reversing daunting statistics, the most significant portion aligns with PVAMU’s mission to invest in programs and services that address issues and challenges affecting the diverse, ethnic, and socioeconomic populations of Texas.
“PVAMU’s values of access and quality, relevance, and social responsibility within our curriculum combined with our location between Northwest Houston’s Metro region and rural Central Texas make us an excellent choice for students to complete a bachelor’s degree,” said Sanders. “We have a committee of staff across disciplines who are serving and working to move this initiative forward.”
Prospects have the opportunity to enroll now for the spring 2021 semester or the upcoming semesters in the summer and fall.
“PVAMU began working on this new initiative this fall,” said Sanders. “We are excited that THECB selected us to be one of the HBCUs in Texas to be included in the partnership. PVAMU is looking forward to connecting with students who would like to complete what they started.”
Original source can be found here.
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