July 20, 2018
Christina Jimenez
T 916.322.4004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California College Pathways program, focused on helping current and former foster youth succeed in post-secondary education, received the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations 2018 Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships this month. The awards recognize model partnerships between foundations and government organizations that have been instrumental in transforming communities and improving lives.
For more than a decade, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has collaborated with philanthropic partners on the implementation and ongoing success of California College Pathways. Partners include the California Department of Education, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, John Burton Advocates for Youth and the California College Pathways Funders Alliance.
“The impactful, collective work on the California College Pathways program has been instrumental in helping provide foster youth, a population whose road to higher education may be more challenging than others, tools and support for college success and beyond,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley. “It is an honor to be a part of the team recognized, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate and pool resources for the benefit of these youth.”
The effectiveness of this partnership has led to great accomplishments of the California College Pathways program, including:
• Providing resources for staffing support to our Foster Youth Success Initiative.
• Establishing a data sharing system with other public higher education segments to better serve foster youth.
• Expanding the Chafee Employment and Training voucher program, the only publicly funded source of financial aid for foster youth.
• Establishing the NextUp program, the first and only California sponsored postsecondary foster youth support program.
“It’s this collaborative approach to service that will lead us to find solutions to help the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Secretary Ben Carson. “I’m pleased to recognize these award winners for the important work they do to serve the housing, health, safety and educational needs of their fellow Americans.”
Visit https://www.huduser.gov/secaward/cof to learn more about 2018 winners and their initiatives.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 115 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success , a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges web site or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
