Reflecting on ASHE and Looking Ahead to DREAM 2025

In November, our team had the privilege of presenting at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) conference in Minneapolis, MN. The event offered a great opportunity to share our work, connect with fellow grantees from the Rural Learner Success (RLS) Initiative supported by Ascendium Education Group, and reflect on how to better communicate our research through storytelling.

Presenting Our Work and Connecting with Fellow Grantees

A key highlight of the conference was sharing the progress of our Mapping Effective Mentorship for Rural Community College Students project. We found that mentorship programs that incorporated at least one critical mentoring element in their website description varied in the degree to which their approaches reflected critical mentorship practices such as empowerment, cultural connection, and critical awareness of systemic barriers. Presenting our insights and receiving feedback from scholars helped refine our approach, leading to the development of our second RLS data note which focused on critical mentorship practices supporting student success in rural community colleges. The conference also provided a valuable opportunity for collaboration, where we learned from other grantees tackling similar challenges in different contexts. It was energizing to see the diverse approaches to disseminating research, which sparked new ideas for how we can share our own findings more effectively.

Incorporating Storytelling Insights into Our Work

The storytelling workshop, put together by Ascendium and the American Institutes for Research (AIR), equipped us with valuable strategic and pragmatic approaches for sharing our research. The workshop walked us through applying key techniques for effective storytelling that move research communications from simply presenting data to making them more actionable and meaningful for practitioners in the field. The following are key insights from the session and how we have incorporated them into our most recent data note:

Shifting our audience: We further shifted from an academic lens for the purpose of this data note by centering: “Why does this matter to practitioners?” This helped us more closely focus on how mentorship can directly address the challenges faced by those working with rural community college students using a critical lens.
Providing mentoring strategies for practice: We provided clear and actionable mentoring strategies that practitioners can implement right away.
Streamlining for impact: We streamlined our content, focusing on key takeaways for easier application by practitioners using bullet points.
Focusing on core themes: We narrowed our focus to two central themes, emphasizing the “so what” and “now what” of our research with the goal of driving change.
Creating space for reflection: We included reflective questions to encourage readers to connect our findings with their own experiences.

Looking Ahead to DREAM 2025

We are excited to continue applying these insights at DREAM 2025, where we’ll be presenting our session titled “Exploring Critical Mentorship in Rural Community Colleges: A National Overview” in Philadelphia, PA. Our session will explore the current landscape of critical mentorship in rural community colleges, systemic influences on its implementation, and ongoing insights shared by mentors and mentees through our interviews. Our goal is not only to share our findings but also to foster a collaborative space where participants can reflect on their own mentoring experiences and learn from one another.

As we continue to refine and expand our work, we remain committed to grappling with the following questions:

Who are the storytellers, and are there situations when we, as researchers, might not be the best ones to tell these stories?
How can we create meaningful space and opportunities for students and practitioners to share their own stories, positioning them as co-creators of the narrative?
In what ways are we making sure that the communities we serve are actively involved in shaping our research and its outcomes?

We look forward to continuing this work and deepening its impact on rural community college students.

Unlocking STEM Potential: How Partnerships are Bridging the Transfer Gap

Imagine a future where talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students from low-income backgrounds have a clear and supported pathway from their community college to a 4-year university to complete their bachelor’s degree in their chosen major. This vision is becoming a reality thanks to innovative partnerships between 2-year and 4-year institutions.

The STEM Transfer Partnership began with nine teams composed of 2-year and 4-year institutional partners. These teams have been working collaboratively to increase access to and bachelor’s degree completion for STEM transfer students from low-income backgrounds. These partnerships were formed towards the end of the COVID pandemic, as institutions were readjusting to a new normal and returning to campus with fewer students and, thus, fewer resources. During this challenging time, faculty, staff and administrators faced many demands on their time and attention. We are grateful these teams chose to focus on improving their transfer students’ experiences by growing their partnerships, building relationships, and creating solutions.

Data Note 5 from the STEM Transfer Partnerships (STP) initiative unveils the power of collaboration by sharing case studies of nine dedicated teams. The teams who collectively comprise the STP community of practice are composed of faculty, staff, and administrators working together to break down the barriers that often hinder the transfer and completion rates of STEM students from low-income backgrounds.

Discover how these partnerships are:

Improving advising: Streamlining guidance, fostering personalized support, and creating clear pathways to success.
Enhancing recruitment and enrollment: Inspiring student interest, increasing access to opportunities, and simplifying the transfer process.
Strengthening faculty and curriculum: Improving gateway course outcomes, promoting research experiences, and providing courses to be major ready to transfer.

This Data Note showcases examples from this community of practice’s partnerships. Some of the exciting things you will see in these case studies are the myriad ways teams changed practices and processes to improve transfer student experiences. All teams utilized student input in their change process.

Key takeaways from across these case studies highlight the importance to:

- Build relationships
- Center transfer student input in the process
- Use data to monitor and improve outcomes
- Tie efforts to other institutional resources with similar goals
- Get leadership involved

This publication, co-created with our team leads, provides valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to improve STEM transfer rates and empower the next generation of scientists and innovators.

Read the full brief to learn more about the strategies and successes of these impactful partnerships.

UW Community College Research Initiatives awarded $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue STEM Transfer Partnerships program

The University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to continue its STEM Transfer Partnerships (STP) program, which aims to increase equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state. This funding extension builds on an earlier $1.17 million grant, continuing the work to improve outcomes for underserved students in STEM fields.

CCRI conducts research to promote equity in higher education, with a focus on the experiences of underserved student populations. Ascendium supports initiatives aimed at helping students from low-income backgrounds achieve postsecondary degree completion. With aligned goals of enhancing access and success for low-income learners, Ascendium is a natural and valuable partner in advancing CCRI’s efforts.

Building on success and expanding opportunities

CCRI will build on the successes of the original initiative, adding key enhancements to further support low-income STEM transfer students in Washington state.

“We are deeply grateful to Ascendium Education Group for continuing to support the STEM Transfer Partnership project. This second grant provides an incredible opportunity to build on our successes and deepen our impact,” says Lia Wetzstein, director of CCRI and principal investigator on the grant.

“Thanks to our teams advancing their work to lower barriers to STEM transfer, together we are creating pathways for more low-income students to achieve living-wage careers and thrive in a rapidly changing economy. With this support, we will further cultivate a community of practice that strengthens transfer partnerships, drives innovation and creates equitable opportunities across institutions.”

The new grant will enable the STEM Transfer Partnerships (STP) project to build on the successes of the original initiative while introducing key enhancements to further support low-income STEM transfer students in Washington state. In the first phase, the project focused on establishing partnerships between 2-year and 4-year institutions, providing $25,000 to each institutional partner. STP 2.0 will continue this funding model, offering $25,000 to each partner, while formalizing critical drivers of success. The new phase will emphasize a more inclusive, student-centered approach, incorporating paid student team members and expanding teams to include additional STEM disciplines. Faculty and staff are also being leveraged as mentors for returning team members. Other key enhancements include the introduction of standardized data reporting to track student-level outcomes and a focus on ensuring leadership buy-in at participating institutions.

Like in the STP 1.0, a critical component of STP 2.0 is the provision of financial and human resources to ensure the sustainability of partnerships. By continuing to address systemic barriers and strengthen transfer pathways, STP 2.0 will expand opportunities for low-income STEM students to achieve their academic and career goals while fostering innovations to improve transfer success and equity for all students across the state.

“CCRI’s impact on the transfer experience begins with deep research and continues with implementation and dissemination of best practices. This latest investment will allow partner institutions to extend and deepen their student success work. At the same time, CCRI and their partners will continue to tackle system barriers, making the transfer pathway smoother for many more students, particularly those who have been historically underserved in higher education,” says Michaelann Jundt, senior associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and the UW’s representative to the state’s Joint Transfer Council.

“We are excited to continue leading this work, which holds immense potential to benefit students, institutions, and our state by fostering a culture of collaboration around transfer to elevate transfer student success—starting with STEM and expanding to all programs, “ says Wetzstein. “This work can also serve to empower students, staff and faculty to work together to lead transformative change across institutions while advancing our understanding of partnership strategies that drive measurable improvements in student outcomes.”

About the University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives

The University of Washington’s CCRI conducts research to generate actionable knowledge aimed at advancing equity in higher education. A program of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, CCRI focuses on studying the experiences of underserved student groups who enter higher education through community colleges and the role institutions play in supporting equitable educational and employment outcomes. By leveraging research findings, CCRI drives meaningful change in postsecondary education. To learn more, visit the CCRI website.

About Ascendium Education Group

Ascendium Education Group is a nonprofit organization committed to helping individuals achieve their education and career goals. Ascendium focuses on increasing the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certificates, and workforce training programs. With a focus on first-generation students, incarcerated adults, rural community members, students of color, and veterans, Ascendium works to identify and scale best practices that drive large-scale change in education systems and promote opportunity for all. For more information, visit the Ascendium website.

For more information or to get involved, contact Lia Wetzstein at ccri@uw.edu.

Preparation to Action, What We Can Do

Following the discussion CCRI’s ongoing commitment to racial equity and anti-racist practices within and beyond institutional frameworks, we want to empower you with actionable information derived from the learnings we’ve shared throughout this month. Below, you’ll find a curated selection of articles and resources designed to enrich your approach to anti-racism efforts.

Initiating discussions about race and understanding its historical implications is the foundational step toward constructing an anti-racist framework. The National Museum of African American History and Culture offers invaluable resources for facilitating discussions of race and offer pathways for teaching and learning. Transitioning from words to actions involve incorporating anti-racist principles into daily habits and patterns. To guide you in this transformative journey, we present several key principles to serve as a compass for sustained commitment. And in supporting these actions, the following resource page holds tons of methods of education, materials, and strategies to build your repertoire of antiracist tools.

As we bid farewell to this year’s Black History Month with a sense of celebration, we encourage you to take action in your community. Extend your support to students, friends, family, and all individuals within your sphere, encouraging them to join our collective endeavors to achieve equity and our ultimate goal of racial equality. Your commitment and actions are vital in fostering lasting change, and together, we can build a more inclusive and equitable society.

Coaching For Change: Equity Towards Equality

As we come to the end of this Black History Month, we want to express our unwavering dedication to fostering equity and taking proactive measures to uphold the diverse and inclusive standards we set for ourselves, while also encouraging similar commitments from others. In alignment with this mission, we invite you to explore our Coaching for Change strategy designed to cultivate and enhance coaching programs that actively engaged colleges in the implementation of guided pathways.

CCRI’s partnership with Jobs for the Future’s (JFF) Student Success Center Network (SSCN) positioned us as strategic consultants, supporting the development and operationalization of state-specific coaching plans for the widespread implementation of guided pathways and other postsecondary educational reform efforts. These coaching plans created a crucial roadmap to enhance student success through the strategic application of applied research, technical assistance, professional development, and collaborative knowledge-sharing strategies.

As a national partner of JFF for the SSCN, the Coaching for Change project collaborated with Student Success Center (SSC) executive and assistant directors nationwide to advance statewide coaching initiatives. Together, we propelled statewide coaching initiatives, bringing about systemic transformation for student success. We embedded practices in the program that focused on resource and access development, specifically tailored to support students of color and those affected by intersectionality-based oppression throughout their academic and vocational journeys.

We extend an open invitation to our readers to reflect on and explore ways in which they too can take meaningful action. We encourage a collective examination of mentorship and pathway implementation within educational spaces, urging a commitment to progressive change. By doing so, we collectively work towards restoring justice within educational realms and actively combating racist and oppressive systems within our communities.

For a more comprehensive understanding of our Coaching for Change strategies and their transformative impact, we invite you to delve into our briefs, tools and coaching models. Together, let us pave the way for positive change and contribute to a more just and inclusive educational landscape.

Resources for Our Greater UW Community

Building on previous discussions about access to resources, we want to share the educational resources accessed through the Northwest African American Museum, which is focused on racial justice and equity, as well as various centers and organizations dedicated to STEM, the arts, history, and other educational assets. Additionally, we’ve included an extensive list of recommended reading materials, the Anti-Racist Reading List, that encourage readers to explore anti-racist practices and learning methodologies, emphasizing diverse perspectives and approaches to combat oppression through an intersectional lens. While the resources listed below are comprehensive, they are not exhaustive, acknowledging the continuous growth of accessible learning materials within and beyond institutional boundaries. We invite you to engage in ongoing learning and develop strategies alongside us as we strive to promote education access through equitable frameworks and pathways.

Examining Gaps in Supporting Underserved Community College Students

Within CCRI’s research, we recognize the unique challenges faced by students from marginalized backgrounds, particularly those belonging to communities of color, who form a significant portion of our community college demographic. Our exploration of data and historical trends reveals that due to a persistent lack of clarity in transfer pathways in STEM majors, these students may not be prepared to apply for their preferred university or major.

Given the ever-expanding nature of STEM disciplines and the increasing competitiveness among students, it is imperative that we develop a strategic plan of action. Our focus is on establishing and enhancing partnerships specifically tailored to address the needs of disproportionately marginalized students. Throughout our research, we emphasize resource equity and access to fortify our support framework for these students. As we diversify the conversations of how to approach providing these resources and support systems, we encourage you to read our findings which may be accessed here.

National Report on Tracking Transfer

In following the inaugural National Transfer Summit, new reports have described a state-by-state analysis of whether community college students from all varieties of backgrounds transfer to four year institutions and successfully earn their bachelor’s degree. These studies have paved the way for transfer rates and outcome investigations by student demographic subgroup, demonstrating a lack of commitment and dedication to the improving of transfer pathways across higher education institutions.

As Tatiana Velasco, the lead author of these reports and Research Associate of Community College Research Center (CCRC) describes, “Too many students are failed by policies and practices that dictate whether and how effectively students transfer from community colleges to universities, particularly students from historically underserved groups”. The pathways currently presented do not have an effective enough strategy nor are adaptable enough for students to attain bachelors degrees.

Despite the progress that has been made in research and transfer efforts, the improvements over the past several years have been modest, with data indicating a slight raise from 14% to 16% in the transfer and graduation rates of community college students to four-year institutions, it is evident that there is room for improvement. Based on these findings and the accompanying analysis, it becomes apparent that significant changes are necessary. CCRI remains steadfast in its commitment to develop and implement these changes through our research initiatives and the formulation of effective policy measures.

Read the full reports, state-by-state data, findings, and recommendations.

Read the National Release Report

Read the National Release Report Highlights

University of Washington Student Resources for Racial Equity

In the realm of institutional processes, ample evidence indicates that students of color often encounter substantial isolation and challenges in adapting, as educational institutions have only recently evolved into more inclusive environments for Black students and other individuals of color. Institutional racism, microaggressive behaviors, and other forms of active oppression continue to take place within these spaces. We support and want to call attention to the efforts being made to establish dedicated spaces for communities of color on the UW campus, offering resources and educational support to counteract the ongoing adversities faced by our students.

Listed below, the UW has several offices and student facing organizations accessible both on campus and remotely, providing additional support for students of color as they navigate these injustices and challenges within and beyond the institutional framework at UW.

Programs Dedicated to Equity and Justice For All Peoples: https://hr.uw.edu/cfd/about/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/

Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity:

https://www.washington.edu/omad/

Samuel E. Kelly Cultural Center:

https://depts.washington.edu/ecc/

List of Available Scholarships for Students Each Year:

https://admit.washington.edu/costs/scholarships/

Full List of Accessible Resources Built to Support Students of Diverse and Marginalized Backgrounds:

https://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/resources/

Prioritizing Racial Equity in Research

CCRI’s work in transfer is guided by our commitment to center racial equity and anti-racist strategies to support and transform policies and systems that historically and presently oppress our student population into ones that equitably enhance their growth and development in our institutions. Our transfer research presents evidence that such problems continue to persist within higher institutions to this day, despite ongoing efforts and progress towards education reform.

Ongoing studies on transfer students consistently reveal a higher influence of demographic factors impacting their experience compared to other institutional aspects.In our research, we focus on examining the specific challenges faced by students of color, seeking to understand why they disproportionately encounter adversity in their postsecondary journey. Our goal is to develop solutions that extend beyond college, addressing the issue of limited access to higher education. The onus is on institutions to actively dismantle these barriers and delve deeper into understanding the various impacts on students throughout the transfer process. CCRI remains committed to generating actionable research that contributes to leveling the educational playing field for all students of color.

Learn more about our research in this area:

Read Transfer Data Note 2: Including Racial Equity as an Outcome Measure in Transfer Research

This brief finds that higher-performing transfer partnerships were almost exclusively institutional pairs with high percentages of White students, none of the institutional pairs revealed equitable outcomes for transfer students of color compared to White transfer students.

Read Transfer Data Note 10: Identifying Effective and Equitable Institutions for Transfer Students: Exploring the Contribution of the Pair in Multilevel Models

Using multilevel modeling, in this brief we examine how two- and four-year institutions working in relationship with each other reveal outcomes for African American and Latinx students within the transfer process.