Student Achievement Takes All of Our Best Efforts: Cengage Learning Partners with the Achieving the Dream Network to Enhance Community College Student Success
Partnership will support ATD colleges' efforts to improve outcomes for more than four million community college students nationwide
BOSTON, March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Colleges provide education, skills and training for millions of people across the U.S., but have been increasingly challenged by low completion rates. To provide mentoring and resources that will increase students' probability of success, global education company, Cengage Learning, has partnered with the Achieving the Dream Network (ATD), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping community college students stay in school and earn a certificate or degree.
"Nearly half of all students seeking higher education choose a community college, but fewer than half of those students finish what they start. While access to community colleges is critical, it is only one part of the equation. At Cengage Learning, we believe that engagement is at the center of learning and we need to find ways to keep students engaged through to graduation and beyond," said Sandi Kirshner, Chief Marketing Officer, Cengage Learning. "As the end-users of our solutions, ensuring the success of students is more important than ever before. Our partnership with ATD will enable us to together make a greater impact in the lives of students who may be at-risk for dropping out, and we can provide technology and resources that will truly engage these students and prime them for success."
Conceived in 2004, ATD now leads the most comprehensive non-governmental reform movement for student success in the history of higher education. With a network of more than 100 coaches and advisors and 15 state policy teams, ATD is supporting nearly four million community college students with a better chance of realizing greater economic opportunity and achieving their dreams.
Through this partnership, Cengage Learning will support ATD's mission to lead and guide community college reform by contributing resources to ATD's Technology Solutions Resource Center and conducting webinars for its network of more than 175 community colleges. By placing the student at the core of its operations – in research and product development – Cengage Learning is continuing to innovate in areas such as Developmental Math, Developmental English and College Success, which are a building block to success for many community college students.
"Developmental studies courses can be learning lifelines for many students who don't have the foundational knowledge necessary to succeed at the college level, but getting through these programs can often be difficult," said Liz Covello, Vice President and General Manager of Developmental Studies, Cengage Learning. "Our research shows that these students must catch up to their classmates, while also navigating complicated financial, familial and employment issues. These issues can impede college success without proper mentoring and access to high-quality educational materials, which is why this partnership between Cengage Learning and ATD was a perfect fit."
The partnership formally launched with investment in the Achieving the Dream Network in the fall of 2014. Expanding upon the relationship, Cengage Learning participated in the DREAM 2015 conference, held February 17-20 in Baltimore, MD. At ATD's annual Institute on Student Success, Cengage Learning hosted a series of focus groups and sponsored an enriching game-based learning event.
For more information about Cengage Learning's developmental studies programs, visit www.cengage.com/devenglish, www.cengage.com/success or www.cengage.com/devmath. For more information about Achieving the Dream, please visit achievingthedream.org.
About Cengage Learning
Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education and K-12, professional and library markets worldwide. The company provides superior content, personalized services and course-driven digital solutions that accelerate student engagement and transform the learning experience. Cengage Learning is headquartered in Boston, MA with an office hub located in San Francisco, CA. The company operates in more than 20 countries around the world. www.cengage.com.
About Achieve the Dream
Achieving the Dream, Inc. is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to helping more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree. Evidence-based, student-centered, and built on the values of equity and excellence, Achieving the Dream is closing achievement gaps and accelerating student success nationwide by: 1) guiding evidence-based institutional improvement, 2) leading policy change, 3) generating knowledge, and 4) engaging the public. Conceived as an initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, today, Achieving the Dream is leading the most comprehensive non-governmental reform network for student success in higher education history. With over 200 institutions, more than 100 coaches and advisors, and 15 state policy teams - working throughout 34 states and the District of Columbia – the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network helps nearly 4 million community college students have a better chance of realizing greater economic opportunity and achieving their dreams.
Media Contacts:
Lauren Medina
Cengage Learning
203-965-8609
[email protected]
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SOURCE Cengage Learning
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