Northeast Wisconsin Technical College joined the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program’s Unlocking Opportunity network.
NWTC, alongside 54 other colleges, will join 10 pilot institutions to align their programs and student advising with the two most important goals of community college students: leaving college with a credential and a good job or transferring and completing a bachelor’s degree. Through three years of focused reforms, these colleges will work with Aspen to assess current programs, set goals, and implement research-based reforms to increase student success.
“Joining the Unlocking Opportunity network places NWTC at the table with leading institutions across the nation that are shaping the future of higher education. This initiative is about more than reforming our own programs—it’s about sharing what works, driving innovation, and learning alongside others to create the strongest possible pathways for students,” said Dr. Kristen Raney, president of NWTC.
Earlier this year, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program invited Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to become part of the Presidents & Trustees Collaborative.
The multi-year Unlocking Opportunity initiative will engage college leaders and teams through a series of virtual and in-person sessions focused on scaling reforms that align their community college programs with available good jobs and bachelor’s degree pathways in their regions. Guided by lessons from successful reforms implemented by the 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions, the new 55 colleges will set goals to increase student enrollment in and completion of high-value workforce and transfer programs, while reducing lower-opportunity pathways.
The 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions are on track to collectively move over 20,000 students into high-value programs of study that lead to good jobs.
With this expansion, Aspen will (for at least the next three years) track and support progress for 65 participating colleges, including those 55 just selected. Aspen will use insights from this work to inform the broader field through fellowship programs, publications, and state partnerships to provide professional development to college leaders and teams.
Unlocking Opportunity, developed in partnership with the Community College Research Center, is supported by Arnold Ventures, Ascendium Education Group, Bank of America, ECMC Foundation, and JPMorganChase. The expansion of the Unlocking Opportunity network is made possible by the support of JPMorganChase.
To learn more about the network, visit https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/programs/unlocking-opportunity.
