Growing Inland Achievement

Category: Initiatives

Updates for GIA’s 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Summit
We want to share two important updates for GIA’s 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Summit:
1. Save the Date:
- Dates: October 8-9, 2024
- Location: Riverside Convention Center
- Focus: Increasing Equitable Educational Attainment and Economic Success
- Details: Registration info coming soon!
  Video Highlights from the 2023 Summit
1. Nominate for the 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Awards
- Nominate Here: Nomination Form
- Awards Dinner: October 8, 5:30 PM
Award Categories:
- Transformation
- Innovation
- Student-centered
- Equity-focused
- Collaboration
Learn more about last year’s winners here.

Since 2015, GIA has been dedicated to improving education and economic success in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Learn more at InlandEmpireGIA.org.

We look forward to your participation and nominations!
Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) serves the Inland Empire region of Southern California—the 12th largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., including over 4.7 million residents and over one million students. GIA supports a regional cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business partners, collectively working to achieve a shared vision of educational and economic success. GIA’s shared vision is that by 2035, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be widely recognized for their educated workforce, thriving communities, and vibrant economy that creates prosperity for all.
July 24, 2024
GIA Launches IEsuccess.org: A New Resource for College Exploration and Success in the Inland Empire

GIA is excited to announce the launch of IEsuccess.org, a new website designed to support students, parents, and educators in the Inland Empire. This platform provides step-by-step guides for financial aid applications, a directory of Inland Empire colleges, and tips and tools for college success. While the current focus of content is primarily on high school students, additional information for other groups will be added over time.

The development of IEsuccess.org was made possible through collaboration with numerous regional partners. Jake Poore, Director of Communication at GIA, acknowledges their contributions: “We appreciate the support from institutions and partners across the Inland Empire who have helped make this resource available.”

Looking ahead, the website will expand to include live college counseling, job search resources, and information on apprenticeships and job training. Ann Marie Sakrekoff, COO at GIA, explains the motivation behind the project: “Our research indicates that online searches are a primary method for students and families to make college decisions. The Inland Empire has many high-quality colleges and universities but lacked a comprehensive directory and support resource to inform and guide these decisions.”

This initiative aligns with GIA’s goal of promoting educational equity and increasing the postsecondary educational attainment rate in the Inland Empire, a region currently among the lowest college attainment rate in the U.S. for areas with populations over one million. Ashish Vaidya, President and CEO of GIA, underscores the website’s potential impact: “This website will enable us to reach more students and families with information and resources, helping to close educational attainment gaps and support educational equity in our region.”

Community members are encouraged to share information about IEsuccess.org through their channels. For those interested in contributing content or promoting the site, please contact Jake Poore at jake@gia.echofactory.dev.

Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) serves the Inland Empire region of Southern California—the 12th largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., including over 4.7 million residents and over one million students. GIA supports a regional cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business partners, collectively working to achieve a shared vision of educational and economic success. GIA’s shared vision is that by 2035, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be widely recognized for their educated workforce, thriving communities, and vibrant economy that creates prosperity for all.

July 24, 2024
Growing Inland Achievement Accelerates Supports for Students and Families Amid Financial Aid Challenges

Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) supports local students and families in navigating college financial aid applications with online office hours, outreach campaigns, and a new resource website, IEsuccess.org.

Yajahira Young Tafolla pictured filling out online financial aid forms at her home in Pomona, CA.

Yajahira Young Tafolla, a 24-year-old from Pomona, CA, is the first in her family to attend college. Like many students, she relies on financial aid to fund her education. This year, however, she faced unique challenges in completing her financial aid application due to delays and complications with the online form. Yajahira received support and guidance by attending GIA’s online office hours and an in-person Cash for College workshop at California State University, San Bernardino, which helped her successfully navigate the financial aid process and submit her application.

This year has been particularly challenging for students like Yajahira. The FAFSA Simplification Act, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, aimed to make federal student aid more accessible by streamlining the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and expanding Pell Grant eligibility. However, the rollout of the new form has been fraught with delays and technical issues. As of July 5, 2024, the Inland Empire has seen 4,752 fewer FAFSA submissions compared to the same time last year, representing a 12.1% decrease, according to NCAN’s FAFSA Tracker.

In response to challenges and decreases in application numbers nationwide, the U.S. Department of Education launched a national effort to promote financial aid, encouraging students to apply for billions of available funds. Students interested in attending a California Community College have until September 3, 2024, to apply for funding to help cover their higher education costs for the 2024-2025 academic year.

“The completion of financial aid applications is a critical leading indicator of college enrollment,” said Ann Marie Sakrekoff, COO of GIA. “As more students complete financial aid applications, we also see more students enrolling in postsecondary education. This is particularly important for the Inland Empire, where the community has established a vision of increasing equitable educational attainment to fuel local prosperity and regional economic success.”

As the Cash4College (C4C) Regional Coordinating Organization for the Inland Empire, GIA supports hundreds of financial aid workshops annually, offers live support through free online office hours, and promotes awareness of financial assistance through communication outreach campaigns. A recent $234,840 award from the Educational Credit Management Corporation has enabled GIA to accelerate these efforts through August 31, 2024.

“We’re currently hosting live office hours for support, running several digital campaigns, and publishing website resources in multiple languages to help inform Inland Empire students and families of financial aid opportunities,” said Jake Poore, GIA Director of Communications. “GIA recently launched IEsuccess.org, a website offering resources for college education exploration. This platform includes step-by-step guides for financial aid applications, a directory of Inland Empire colleges, and tips and tools for choosing and succeeding in college.”

“When the community works together to provide the right resources and guidance for students, we can make a dramatic difference in their access to college,” Added Sakrekoff. “We are grateful for all our regional partners working collaboratively across sectors to support student success. Together, we can make a real difference for students like Yajahira in achieving their educational and career goals.”

For more information about GIA, visit inlandempiregia.org
For more information about Inland Empire college and financial aid resources, visit iesuccess.org

About Growing Inland Achievement (GIA)
Growing Inland Achievement is a regional K-16 collaborative organization focused on improving educational and economic outcomes in the Inland Empire. Through collaboration with various regional stakeholders, GIA aims to create a thriving community where all residents can access quality education and economic opportunities.

July 17, 2024
GIA Receives $234,840 Award to Enhance Financial Aid Awareness and Completion in the Inland Empire

Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) has received a grant of $234,840 to support financial aid awareness and completion efforts in the Inland Empire. Administered by Educational Credit Management Corporation, this funding is part of the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA Student Support Strategy, which includes $50M in funding distributed nationwide to address delays and challenges associated with the new 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) forms.

The U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA Student Support Strategy aims to increase the number of students completing the 2024-25 FAFSA and CADAA applications, particularly first-time college students and students from underserved communities. Since the FAFSA form became available on December 30, 2023, more than 8.95 million have been successfully submitted. However, the new application’s changes in eligibility criteria, terminology, and submission timeline have created significant barriers for many students and their families, resulting in much lower submission numbers than in previous years.

Like many other metro areas in the U.S., recent data shows financial aid application submissions in the Inland Empire have dropped considerably compared to previous years.

“As of the end of May, we have 13.2% fewer applications submitted by students in the Inland Empire compared to the same time last year,” said Dr. Sorrel Stielstra, Director of Research at GIA. “While the numbers have been improving in recent weeks, this funding is critical to help continue to close the completion gap and get financial aid dollars into the hands of as many students as possible.”

Supporting Students and Families in the Inland Empire

GIA has a proven track record in supporting financial aid completion. As the Cash4College (C4C) Regional Coordinating Organization for the Inland Empire, GIA supports hundreds of financial aid workshops annually for students and families, hosts office hours for live support, and promotes financial aid awareness through communication campaigns.

GIA staff distributing a scholarship check to a local student during a Cash for College event.

“This funding will enable GIA to accelerate critical financial aid support to students and families in the Inland Empire over the next three months,” said Julissa Loza Mendez, Assistant Director of Network Engagement and Cash for College Regional Coordinator at GIA. “We will continue to reach as many students and families in the Inland Empire as possible.”

Support provided by GIA will include extended live office hours for assistance with financial aid applications, submission clinics in partnership with local schools, districts, and community organizations, and enhanced communication outreach to parents and students through multiple channels.

GIA staff and community partners after a financial aid workshop with students at Montclair High School.

“Growing Inland Achievement is committed to ensuring that every student in the Inland Empire has the resources and support they need to access higher education,” said Ashish Vaidya, President and CEO of GIA. “This award will enable us to expand our efforts and reach even more students and families, helping to close the financial aid gap and promote educational equity in our region.”

For more information about GIA’s initiatives and the impact of this award, please contact Jake Poore, Director of Communication, at jake@gia.echofactory.dev.

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About Growing Inland Achievement (GIA)

Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is a regional K-16 collaborative dedicated to achieving educational and economic equity in the Inland Empire. GIA facilitates partnerships with schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations to improve educational outcomes and support students and families. For more information, visit InlandEmpireGIA.org.

June 12, 2024
Inland Empire #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program launches with over 450 students
Inland Empire College Corps Fellows walk across the SBVC campus during the launch event
Growing Inland Achievement and more than 450 students from eight regional colleges and universities gathered at San Bernardino Valley College on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, to kick off the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program in the Inland Empire.

The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps is a college service program led by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor, to create debt-free pathways for low-income students who commit to serving for an academic year. Student participants, called College Corps Fellows, receive up to $10,000 to help pay for college, including a stipend and a scholarship. Fellows will focus on three critical areas facing the state: climate action, K-12 education, and food insecurity.

Eight campuses from the Inland Empire are participating in the program this year, including:
The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program helps students pay for college, uniting students of different backgrounds across California with a common purpose.
GIA serves as the consortium facilitator for the Inland Empire region and will support recruitment, training, planning, evaluation, and events.

The launch event on Oct. 1 included comments by San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Rodriguez and California Volunteers Commissioner Jesse Melgar.

Fellows participated in a leadership workshop and various breakout sessions centered around K-12 education, climate change, and food insecurity to discuss current and future trends. Speakers included City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Director, Lydie Gutfeld, California State University, San Bernardino Dean of Education, Dr. Chinaka DomNwachukwu, FIND Food Bank Director of Community Impact, Lorena Marroquin, and CISCO Circular Economy and Sustainability Program Manager, Oppong Hemeng.

“To see over 450 students from various colleges across the Inland Empire come together, in person, for this was extraordinary,” said Frances Tapper, GIA Coordinator of Institutional Support. “These Fellows are the future of our region, state, and country. Their service will help transform our communities and address critical issues facing the state of California.”
Each of the eight Inland Empire colleges selected to participate will receive funding from the State of California to support the students. Fellows who reach 450 service hours with one of the program’s community partners will receive $10,000 toward their education.

“We are thrilled that Growing Inland Achievement has the opportunity to serve as the consortium facilitator for the Inland Empire program,” said Thomas Dickson, GIA’s Director of Institutional Support. “We are the only College Corps regional program with this integrated model of backbone support in the state of California.”
For more information on the program and participation, please contact Frances Tapper, GIA Coordinator of Institutional Support, at Frances@gia.echofactory.dev.
October 6, 2022