Academics
Wake Tech Chosen for National Initiative to Improve College Graduation Rates
Gates Foundation-Funded Program Will Focus on Underserved Students
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 23, 2017) - Wake Technical Community College is one of “a select group of diverse, high-potential” institutions chosen for a national effort to increase student success. The group has been named the “Frontier Set,” and the effort is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It will focus on low-income and first-generation college students, students of color, and working adults – those who often face the greatest obstacles in pursuing higher education.
The multi-year effort will include improvements in student advising, the use of digital learning tools, redesigned remedial education, and more. It will also address operational aspects of the selected institutions, such as leadership, finance, and technology infrastructure. Finally, the effort will be a call to collective action, with institutions sharing what they learn and focusing on the “how” of change as well as the “what.”
“Completion drives all our efforts,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen Scott. “Students get here by taking a bold first step – in some cases a very difficult one – and we want them to know they’re supported. We know they need guidance and clear pathways to reach goals and realize dreams. This important initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to student success.”
Wake Tech will receive $580,000 over a period of four years. The funding will be used to create a comprehensive, one-stop enrollment and advising model that will include both for-credit and non-credit pathways. It will also help to enhance online learning and support.
The Frontier Set includes 31 institutions and five other schools in North Carolina are part of that group: Guilford Technical Community College, Davidson County Community College, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
For more information about the Frontier Set, visit http://postsecondary.gatesfoundation.org/frontier-set-fact-sheet/ or http://postsecondary.gatesfoundation.org/frontier-set-frequently-asked-questions/
