Press release from the University of Saint Francis:
Join the college success coalition
Member organizations sought for new countywide network
(INDIANAPOLIS, December 15, 2010) – Community organizations from Whitley County are invited to participate in a statewide effort  designed to help Hoosier students and adults enter and succeed in college. Made possible by Indiana’s Learn More Indiana partnership,  the initiative is part of a comprehensive effort to increase the percentage of Hoosiers who attend college and complete a college certificate or degree within four years.
“College completion has a significant impact on the quality of life and future earnings for Hoosiers,” said Indiana Higher Education Commissioner Teresa Lubbers. “We recognize that rallying community organizations around the common goal of college success is critical to meeting the education needs of our students and our state.”
A steering team from Whitley County will join teams from twenty other Indiana counties at workshops held in Indianapolis during the next  few months. Each workshop will focus on one aspect of coalition development. Steering team members from Whitley County include  Margaret Malcolm, Whitley County Community Foundation; Jennifer Reiff, Indian Springs Middle School; JP Spagnolo, University of Saint Francis; Jennifer Spurlock, Ivy Tech Community College; Kim Waugh, Columbia City High School; Jeff Wike, The Center for Whitley County  Youth; Greg Woll,; Cara Greulich, Whitley County YMCA; Paula Worden, Whitley County Community Corrections.
Following each workshop, steering team members will return to Whitley County to facilitate discussions with representatives of local  member organizations. Members will analyze data for Whitley County provided by Learn More Indiana and establish county goals for college access and success. Member organizations will also implement college access activities designed to help the county’s students and adults take steps that prepare them for college success and open the door to college enrollment.
Join the College Success Coalition.
Local organizations are encouraged to join the county’s College Success Coalition.
“We’re looking for all sorts of coalition members,” said JP Spagnolo, University of Saint Francis. “Schools, faith-based organizations, youth service organizations, service clubs, businesses, government agencies, libraries and all other organizations interested in helping our  community’s young people get to college are encouraged to join.”
Member organizations will learn about academic rigor, college opportunities, financial aid, and college access mentoring. They will also explore small and comprehensive activities that
www.learnmore.org
organizations can implement to help students and adults get to college. College access activities may be as simple as a store placing flyers  provided by Learn More Indiana in shopping bags or a scout troop driving through a college campus on the way to a camp outing.
College access activities may also be more comprehensive such as a service club developing a local scholarship foundation or a boys club establishing a college access mentoring program.
Local organizations can join the county College Success Coalition at www.learnmore.org/csc.
Learn More Indiana is a state-led communication and community outreach initiative working to help Hoosiers succeed in school, complete college and connect to careers. Learn More Indiana is made possible through a partnership of the Indiana Commission  for Higher Education, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana with additional support from Indiana’s colleges and universities, the Lumina Foundation for Education, USA Funds and the U.S. Department of Education. In print, in person, online and on the phone, Learn More Indiana provides students and families with resources to plan, prepare and pay for college and career success. Learn more at https://learnmoreindiana.org/ or 1-800-992-2076.
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