Lumina launches $8 million effort to help adults complete college degrees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 01, 2010

Lumina launches $8 million effort to help adults complete college degrees

Foundation to support large-scale efforts to increase degree completion among adults who have earned some college credits

Indianapolis—Lumina Foundation for Education announced today that it will provide up to $8 million in grants during the next four years to support large-scale efforts to increase degree completion among adults who have already earned some college credits.

Through the just-announced Adult Degree Completion program, Lumina will expand its efforts to achieve the Foundation's "Big Goal" of increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025.

"Given demographic trends and attainment rates among young adults, it is highly unlikely that the nation can meet its growing need for college-educated workers by focusing primarily on recent high school graduates," said Jamie P. Merisotis, Lumina's President and Chief Executive Officer. "All states need to increase the postsecondary participation and success of adults, many of whom have some college credits but lack a degree."

The current economic downturn is already funneling hundreds of thousands of over-25 Americans into postsecondary education—and that trend is sure to intensify as the global, knowledge-based economy demands workers with ever-higher levels of education and training. Overall, this adult-learning boom is a positive trend, and one that holds tremendous promise for individual Americans and the nation as a whole. It is a trend we must embrace if we hope to return the U.S. to a position of global leadership in college degree attainment. We must increase the number of degree-seeking adults, and we must do everything possible to ensure their success.

A Request for Proposal is available on the Lumina website. Pre-proposals are due May 14, 2010.

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation for Education is committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college—especially low-income students, students of color, first-generation students and adult learners. Our goal is to increase the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Lumina pursues this goal in three ways: by identifying and supporting effective practice, through public policy advocacy, and by using our communications and convening power to build public will for change.

For more information, contact Lumina Media Relations at 317.517.3675.



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