CUMU Conference 2017

The 30,000 Degrees initiative brings together a private, practical liberal arts college, the branch campus of a major metropolitan Catholic university, and the public university system of New York City, to increase the number of baccalaureate degree graduates by 30,000 between 2015-2025 within their shared geographic region in Staten Island, NY. Inspired by 55,000 Degrees, this collaboration between Wagner College, St. John’s University/Staten Island Campus, and the College of Staten Island/CUNY was shaped by the 2013 CUMU conference in Louisville. 30,000 Degrees uses a neighborhood model to fill the gaps within Pre-K–16 pipelines as a means of increasing student success and college completion. This initiative builds upon the existing assets and cross-sectoral community network of each Pre-K–16 anchor institution to: 1) better understand the needs of our target students, families, and schools, and 2) to align programs and resources within the pipeline for mutually beneficial, authentic collaborations. Following the 2015 CUMU Engagement Academy and Conference in Omaha, efforts to institutionalize 30,000 Degrees were enhanced with strategies to leverage the legacy of each campus in relation to the shared objectives with each pipeline. The outcome has helped to:
• Improve urban teacher preparation, practicum internship placements, and civic engagement programs
• Increase credit-bearing courses as well as opportunities for entrepreneurship and workforce development for high school students
• Create unique, evidence-based cohort models at the high school and middle school level, which align school and student needs with collaborative faculty research opportunities and the strategic vision of each campus community