Community Conversation on College Success: Richmond

Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers has kicked off a series of regional events designed to engage local community leaders, students and families in increasing the number of Hoosiers with education and training beyond high school.

“It is not an overstatement to say that Indiana’s future depends on the education level of our citizens,” said Lubbers. “Increasing college completion is our passport to opportunity and prosperity, and we must embrace this challenge with a sense of urgency and shared responsibility.”

Indiana currently ranks 40th nationally in education attainment with only a third of adults having earned more than a high school diploma. Indiana has set a goal of increasing the proportion of Hoosiers with a college credential, including one-year workforce certificates, two-year associate degrees and four-year bachelor’s degrees, to 60 percent of the state’s population by 2025.

Creating a Community Conversation

Sponsored by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the “Community Conversation on College Success” events will take place in each of the eight outreach regions for the 21st Century Scholars program, the state’s premier college scholarship and preparation program for low-income students. Each regional event will be hosted by a county College Success Coalition, a growing statewide network of organizations working to increase college access and success.

To encourage more local students, families and community members to join in the conversation, each event will feature a free evening screening of the award-winning documentary film First Generation. The film tells the story of four high school students who set out to become the first members of their families to earn a college degree. Following the film screening, attendees will be given the opportunity to share their reactions to the film, discuss resources for students and families, and consider next steps the community can take to increase college completion and student success.

Upcoming Dates and Locations

• October 3: Clark County, Jeffersonville, Ind.
• October 17: St. Joseph County, South Bend, Ind.
• October 24: Wayne County, Richmond, Ind.
• October 30: Grant County, Marion, Ind.
• November 7: Putnam County, Greencastle, Ind.
• November 14: Howard County, Kokomo, Ind.
• November 28: Marion County, Indianapolis, Ind.
• December 6: Vanderburgh County, Evansville, Ind.

The “Community Conversations on College Success” are part of an ongoing public engagement effort designed to increase the education level of all Hoosiers. Learn more about the Commission for Higher Education’s “Reaching Higher, Achieving More” strategic plan for increasing college completion, affordability and academic quality in Indiana at www.che.in.gov.

For more information about event details, please contact Sara Hess at sara.hess@learnmore.org or 317.464.4400 ext. 139.