Postsecondary Equity Network

St. Louis Graduates subscribes to the idea posited in Forces for Good that changes in institutional policy lead to changes in public policy. The Postsecondary Equity Network (PEN) builds on the St. Louis Talent Hub which brought together five four-year institutions and community partners to implement strategies from the Degrees with Less Debt research to close equity gaps in degree completion. 

Launched in 2019 through a two-day equity summit including colleagues from other Talent Hubs, PEN institutions use the equity-mindedness framework developed by Dr. Estela Bensimon and colleagues at USC and detailed in the text From Equity Talk to Equity Walk. The framework calls for intentionality in language and clarity in goals, use of disaggregated data to inform strategy and ensure accountability, anti-bias analysis of policy and practice, and implementation of innovative equity plans. 

Through PEN, St. Louis Graduates partners with 16 institutions and supports their work through data collection and analysis, professional development, and group accountability. Each PEN partner commits to ensuring sufficient human and financial resources are dedicated to advancing innovative equity strategies at their institution; this includes an active PEN team of leaders, administrators, faculty and students. Their work is supported by professional development through Dr. Tia McNair, Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and co-author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk and colleagues at Complete College America.

PEN’s five-year goal is to eliminate the equity gap in degree completion for Pell students and reduce the equity gap for Black student completion by half. The PEN data dashboard measures progress on contributing factors including enrolling diverse students, supporting them to persistence, and hiring and retaining Black faculty and staff. St. Louis Graduates is also tracking the composition of each PEN team to ensure that students are engaged in designing and implementing equity plans.

Professional Development Institute

Postsecondary education is the surest path to prosperity for individuals and communities, but for those navigating the transition from high school to college, the path is often hard to find. St. Louis Graduates connects high school counselors and youth organization advisers to training, tools, and resources so students and families can find the postsecondary education path that meets their needs, academically, financially and culturally. Traditionally held in-person for St. Louis area counselors, the Professional Development Institute pivoted online in 2020; as a result, its reach and impact have never been greater. More than 600 college and career advisers from across Missouri and southern Illinois participate in the Institute, connecting to resources and the wisdom and experience of each other on topics including match and fit, financial aid, and career pathways.

My Scholarship Central

My Scholarship Central was born of the belief that students who want to go to college should not be prevented from doing so because of an inability to pay for it. Federal, state and institutional aid is not enough to cover the cost of attendance for most students. My Scholarship Central helps to fill that gap by serving as a single online portal connecting students to over 100 scholarships and interest-free loan programs. Over 8,000 students use the portal each year.