CCBA Awarded a Coveted ECMC Foundation Grant to Promote Baccalaureate Pathways

Community College Baccalaureate Association Awarded a
Coveted ECMC Foundation Grant to Promote
Baccalaureate Pathways for a More Equitable Future for America

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 8, 2021) – The community college story is gaining national recognition as the Biden Administration makes accessible, affordable, family-sustaining career pathways a priority. And the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) is playing a critical role in advancing this important higher education platform. 

The only organization in the nation dedicated to promoting bachelor’s degrees conferred by community colleges as a means of closing racial, ethnic and income gaps, the CCBA is the nation’s leading network of professionals committed to building and sustaining high-value community college baccalaureate programs. 

And this year, with support from ECMC Foundation, the organization will address the growing economic inequalities laid bare by COVID-19, by setting the standard for community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree development and implementation. 

To achieve this overarching purpose, the CCBA and its team of researchers including Dr. Debra Bragg of Bragg and Associates aim to:

1.) Identify all CCB degree programs in the United States to create a national CCB program inventory.

2.) Collect promising practices that are linked to high-quality CCB degree programs, and

3.) Disseminate and promote current information on CCB degrees to help scale-up high-quality programs and practices.

These projects will help facilitate the development and expansion of high-quality and high-value community college baccalaureate degrees across the nation by sharing broadly established programs and best practices.  

“In the 21 years since the inception of the CCBA, 24 states have moved to legislatively authorize community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees,” says CCBA President Dr. Angela Kersenbrock. “Most recently, with the support of the CCBA, Arizona Representative Becky Nutt and Senator Paul Boyer worked with Governor Doug Ducey to obtain approval for Senate Bill 1453 which will allow workforce-driven community college baccalaureates to become available throughout the state. Likewise, California, and Illinois are debating legislation to expand access to affordable community college baccalaureates – and the CCBA’s network of higher education experts and nationally-renowned researchers are lending their support every step of the way.”

“We are excited about the opportunity CCB degrees hold for individuals pursuing career advancement after earning sub-baccalaureate career and technical education credentials and employers seeking a prepared and diverse workforce,” shared Jennifer Zeisler, senior program director of Career Readiness at ECMC Foundation. “The CCBA team is well-positioned to build awareness of CCB degrees and provide guidance to state leaders and college administrations during this time of fast growth.”

ABOUT CCBA

Since 1999, the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) has been the nation’s only organization dedicated to promoting baccalaureate degrees on community college campuses as a means of closing racial, ethnic, and economic gaps by providing its members access to research data and strategic guidance as they develop and implement their baccalaureate degree programs.

ABOUT ECMC FOUNDATION

ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to inspire and to facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org and ECMC Group by visiting www.ecmcgroup.org.