CSCU Announces Partnership with Social Venture Partners CT to Support Guided Pathways
The grant will support three teams of CSCU faculty, staff, and administrators working throughout the summer on redesigning students’ first year experience, general education core, and academic and career planning.
Today, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities announced that it has formed a partnership with the philanthropic group Social Venture Partners (SVP) – a program and field of interest fund of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. SVP has donated $62,500 and pro bono consulting to continue Guided Pathways efforts at CSCU’s Student Success Center. The grant will support three teams of CSCU faculty, staff, and administrators working throughout the summer on redesigning students’ first year experience, general education core, and academic and career planning.
SVP and their co-investors expect this work to mark the beginning of a multi-year investment to strengthen Connecticut’s Community College system through the implementation of Guided Pathways, which enhances student success by providing clear roadmaps to transfer and workforce entry and its connection to employers.
SVP leverages the time, expertise, and financial resources of its members to support the growth and capacity building of the most effective nonprofit organizations, social ventures, and educational institutions focused on closing the opportunity gap in Connecticut.
“Faculty, staff and administrators are doing critical work to develop Guided Pathways plans to improve student experiences with enrollment, retention, transfer and college completion, and identify ways to better use technology to support students through advising, said CSCU President Mark Ojakian.” Guided Pathways, I believe will be key to our students’ overall success in our schools and in their future careers.”
"This investment in CSCU reflects a public-private partnership committed to creating a more equitable and economically competitive Connecticut," said Greg DeSantis, Interim Executive Director, CSCU Student Success and Academic Initiatives.
"SVP and its Partners consider this work essential to helping close educational and economic opportunity gaps in Connecticut,” said Richard Wenning, an SVP Partner and Executive Director of Be Foundation.
“Closing the opportunity gap is an ambitious and long-term, yet necessary proposition which will require persistent cross-sector, collaborative efforts from public, private, and nonprofit partners to achieve systemic change,” said Mendi Blue-Paca, Vice President of Community Impact at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation (FCCF). “FCCF is proud that SVP Connecticut is investing in the state’s community college system to improve academic outcomes for students across our state.”
ABOUT SVP and FCCF
Social Venture Partners Connecticut (SVP), is an engaged community of individuals, called Partners, leveraging time, expertise, and financial resources toward a goal of closing the opportunity gap in Connecticut, while becoming more strategic and effective in their personal giving. SVP supports the growth and capacity building of the most effective nonprofit organizations, social ventures, and educational institutions through multi-year grants and pro bono strategic consulting. SVP is a program and field of interest fund of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and an affiliate of the global SVP Network of engaged donors with more than 3500 Partners in 43 cities around the world. Learn more at socialventurepartners.org/connecticut
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds or contribute to existing funds. The Community Foundation is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards and has awarded over $220 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. As a trusted nonprofit partner and thought leader, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation brings together community organizers, business experts and philanthropists to close the opportunity gap. Our goal is to create a vital and inclusive community, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Learn more at fccfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN.