With help from the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC) was born. In October 2021, this group began work on transforming the education system in the state. Studies have shown that Kentuckians with a bachelor’s degree earn about $1 million more than those with only a high school diploma. Those with a degree from a higher education institution also display increased workforce participation, improved financial security, and decreased participation in public benefit programs.
These findings drive the organization forward, tackling some of the main problems that still plague the state. Grants from the James Graham Brown Foundation have helped the KYSSC to gain momentum and better support student needs. Many of the current barriers to completing a degree for those in Kentucky are finances, ease of enrollment, and retention. It is for these reasons that the KYSSC has been focusing on improving transfer pathways and alleviating any need insecurity for students in the state.
The Vice President for Student Affairs at the Kentucky Institution calls the work that the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative has done “unmatched”, making a “huge impact to promote student success initiatives”. These efforts will no doubt continue into the future, changing the lives of today’s students and beyond.
