Growing Inland Achievement

Author: Growing Inland Achievement

  • Education Insight: The Value of a College Degree

    Education Insight: The Value of a College Degree

    About This Episode

    Season 1. Episode 8.

    So many people are asking what the value of higher education is right now. Is it worth it? What can you expect to make as a result? How much will it cost? How long until it pays off?

    In this episode, we sit down with the Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside, Dr. Kim Wilcox, to hear his thoughts. Plus, we meet Dr. Yvonne Olivares, who recently completed a study of Inland Empire high school students to determine their perceived value of a college education today.

     

    Featured Guests

    Dr. Kim Wilcox

    Chancellor, University of California Riverside

    Kim A. Wilcox was appointed as UC Riverside’s ninth chancellor in August 2013.

    During his time at Riverside he has spurred a new era of growth, embarking on the expansion of the faculty and development of new facilities for research, teaching, and public service.

    Wilcox is a long-time national advocate for increased access to quality higher education and for the particular role public universities play in the U.S. Under his leadership, UC Riverside became a charter member of the University Innovation Alliance, a collaboration of major public research universities in America seeking to improve student graduation rates and outcomes across all socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

    Wilcox began his academic career on the faculty at the University of Missouri. He then spent 14 years on the faculty of the University of Kansas, including 10 as Chair of the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing. Immediately prior to coming to UCR, Wilcox served as provost at Michigan State University from 2005 to 2013.

    He has published extensively in the area of developmental speech acoustics and has directed teaching, research, and service projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education.

    A first-generation college-going student, Wilcox matriculated at Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in audiology and speech sciences. He also holds master’s and doctoral degrees in speech and hearing sciences from Purdue University.

    Dr. Yvonne Olivares

    Research Scientist & Methodologist, S4DDS

    Applied sociologist & methodologist with 15+ years’ experience in private, public (K-12, CC, 4-year colleges) and nonprofit sectors specializing in (a) designing research that goes beyond the symptoms to identifying root causes and solutions and (b) data storytelling.

    Interview Highlights

    1:40 – Yvonne describes the recent study she helped conduct, who commissioned it, the participants, and what it was all about.

    3:31 – Yvonne explains what types of value the teenagers in the study saw in education.

    7:50 – Yvonne shares what she learned about who or what influences their perceived value of college

    10:19 – Yvonne details commonalities between IE students’ college aspirations and what they imagined their futures to be like.

    15:13 – Yvonne reflects on her understanding of why the students were looking at colleges elsewhere as opposed to the Inland Empire.

    17:47 – Yvonne shares what surprised her the most about what she found over all of the information gathered in this research study

    22:23 – Kim shares his thoughts on whether or not the value of a post-secondary degree has changed over time.

    25:02 – Kim explains how earning a post-secondary degree promotes economic mobility for most people.

    29:26 – Kim gives insight into what can be done to assure that the return on education is equal for students across race and gender lines.

    31:43 – Kim talks about an appropriate time frame for evaluating the ultimate value received from one’s college degree.

    36:48 – Kim shares his opinions about corporate education programs and what impact they have on post-secondary value and attainment.

    38:19 – Kim tells us what he’s most excited to see in regards to the value of a college education this year and going forward in the IE.

    40:22 – Special Feature: A Thank You To Inspiring Teachers

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.

  • GIA Receives a $300,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation to support and strengthen community college promise programs in the Inland Empire.

    GIA Receives a $300,000 grant from The Kresge Foundation to support and strengthen community college promise programs in the Inland Empire.

    As part of the CoPro2.0 initiative, short for College Promise 2.0, the grant will support research, programming, and scaling equitable, financially sustainable community college promise program activities in the region. Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is one of 11 organizations in the U.S. selected to receive a share of 2.6 million in funding from The Kresge Foundation.

    “We are grateful to the Kresge Foundation for recognizing that students in our region need support beyond free tuition to make it through college successfully,” said Dr. Carlos Ayala, President & CEO at GIA. “GIA is partnering with the San Bernardino Community College District and Cal-SOAP to pilot a Completion Coaching Program to help our students navigate college and access basic needs support, eliminating barriers to college completion and closing equity gaps.”

    GIA will utilize the funds to improve college persistence and completion through a Completion Coaching Program. Funding will also support colleges to review successes and challenges, seek evidence of program efficacy, and align around best practices, especially those that support non-traditional students and students from historically marginalized communities.

    GIA will work closely with Kresge and College Promise to exchange actionable information to shape more equitable and financially sustainable Promise programs for students in the Inland Empire and other regions across the country.

    The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information, visit kresge.org.

    Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is a regional, collective impact organization that works to achieve educational and economic equity in the Inland Empire. GIA accomplishes this by serving as a collective impact (backbone) organization that supports a cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business institutions in the Inland Empire, all collectively working towards a shared vision of educational and economic success. GIA researches issues and opportunities, resources innovations and solutions, and connects diverse stakeholders across the two-county region of the Inland Empire. Learn more at inlandempiregia.org.

  • Social-Emotional Learning (Part 2): Strengthening Adult Capacity Through Teacher and Staff Voice

    Social-Emotional Learning (Part 2): Strengthening Adult Capacity Through Teacher and Staff Voice

    In the second workshop in the Building Better from Disruption Series, participants gathered to hear from school leaders that are implementing innovative strategies that capture and utilize the teacher and staff voice to create positive and equitable learning environments.

     

    When considering the concept of gathering authentic student voice and input realize that in the long run it is a net benefit.  Even if it is difficult to hear or guided by incomplete information, it will inform your decisions and point you to areas of need.  Remember, they are often having these conversations whether you hear it or not.

    About the Session
    Supporting the social emotional needs of the adults in schools is necessary for student success.  In this webinar, teachers, school leaders, and district leaders will share best practices and strategies that have been implemented to strengthen the capacity of adults and provide the support needed for staff and student success.

    Panelists
    – Dr. Charles Fischer, Executive Director, Alternative Education, Riverside County Office of Education
    – Adele Thomas, Director, Professional Development and Teacher Support, Fontana Unified School District
    – Robert Brough, Assistant Superintendent, Education Services, Perris Union High School District

    Watch the Session Video Recording or Listen to the Session Podcast Below

    Please share your feedback on this session here

    Building Better from Disruption is a virtual series designed to build upon lessons learned from districts’ responses to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on schools and school systems.  This series is designed to provide education partners, particularly administrators and teacher leaders working at the school site level, with best practices and resources that support students’ successful return to in-person instruction.  This five-part virtual series will focus on the essential areas of social-emotional learning, accelerated learning, and community partnerships.  During each session, participants will have the opportunity to learn, connect, and interact with expert practitioners and session participants. Support for Building Better from Disruption provided by the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.

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  • Teens and College: Inland Empire Student Perceptions, Plans, and Obstacles

    Teens and College: Inland Empire Student Perceptions, Plans, and Obstacles

    Teens and College: Inland Empire Student Perceptions, Plans, and Obstacles

    Is college still valuable in the eyes of Inland Empire teens? An innovative “multimodal cognitive method” study provides insights on teen student perceptions of the value of college today and their knowledge of colleges, majors, and information resources. The study includes surprising insights and opportunities for positive small and large-scale impacts. Featuring Dr. Yvonne Olivares.

  • Looking Ahead: Postsecondary Capacity and Demand

    Looking Ahead: Postsecondary Capacity and Demand

    Looking Ahead: Postsecondary Capacity and Demand

    As we navigate current enrollment challenges in the wake of the global pandemic, it’s important not to lose sight of what postsecondary enrollment might look like 10-15 years down the road, resulting from the substantial student success investments and reforms at each educational segment. If enrollment demand rebounds, what could that mean for postsecondary capacity in the region? The GIA research team built a simulation tool to help us understand and prepare for potential increases in demand over time. Featuring Dr. Sorrel Stielstra.

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