April 19, 2013 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network will bring more than 320 college access professionals together on Monday, April 29 to discuss increasing and improving college access in Michigan.

What: Third Annual Michigan College Access Network Conference
Communities United: Moving from ‘Me’ to ‘We’

The conference Communities United: Moving from ‘Me’ to ‘We’ will focus on how we can embrace a new kind of collaboration in our communities. A morning panel and luncheon keynote will both address how Local College Access Networks can be drivers of change to shake up the way we do business in our communities, and to in turn change postsecondary outcomes for students.

It will also provide college access professional, practitioners and community organizations throughout the state the opportunity to meet and explore resources meant to improve college access in Michigan.

When: Monday, April 29, 2013, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: Kellogg Center, Michigan State University Campus, East Lansing

Register: www.micollegeaccess.org/events/2013-conference

Press: The conference is open to the media. We ask that you please RSVP to Lisa King at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 517.316.1713. If you are unable to RSVP, please check in at event registration.

Event highlights are listed below. A full schedule is available at www.micollegeaccess.org/events/2013-conference

Opening Session: 9:00- 10:00 am
Municipal and business leaders will kick of the conference with a panel discussion about how to engage and involve business and municipal leadership within your community, illustrating the link between educational attainment and economic vitality. The presenters will discuss the connection they see between the education of their populations and the economic strength of their communities.

Panelist:

• Brian Cloyd - Vice President for Global Community Relations, Steelcase
• Greg Handel - Senior Director of Workforce Development, Detroit Regional Chamber
• Mayor George Heartwell - City of Grand Rapids
• Sam Singh - State Representative, 69th House District

Moderator:

• Haley Glover – Strategy Director, Lumina Foundation

Luncheon Keynote: 11:45 am – 1:30 pm
Conference keynote speaker Karen Pittman, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment, will address how communities are moving from 'me' to 'we' through collaborative efforts like Ready by 21. She will speak to how Michigan's Local College Access Networks can be drivers of change to shake up the way we do business in our communities, and to in turn change postsecondary outcomes for students.

Karen has made a career of starting organizations and initiatives that promote youth development - including the Forum for Youth Investment, which she co-founded with Merita Irby in 1998.

A sociologist and recognized leader in youth development, Karen started her career at the Urban Institute, conducting studies on social services for children and families. She later moved to the Children's Defense Fund, launching its adolescent pregnancy prevention initiatives and helping to create its adolescent policy agenda. In 1990 she became a vice president at the Academy for Educational Development, where she founded and directed the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research and its spin-off, the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work.

In 1995 Karen joined the Clinton administration as director of the President's Crime Prevention Council, where she worked with 13 cabinet secretaries to create a coordinated prevention agenda. From there she moved to the executive team of the International Youth Foundation (IFY), charged with helping the organization strengthen its program content and develop an evaluation strategy. In 1998 she and Rick Little, head of the foundation, took a leave of absence to work with ret. Gen. Colin Powell to create American's Promise. Upon her return, she and Irby launched the Forum, which later became an entity separate from IYF.

###

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to increase college readiness, participation, and completion in Michigan, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college-going students and students of color. For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

Media Advisory
Media Contact: Lisa King, Assistant Director
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
517-316-1713

Attachments:

2013 MCAN Conference - Media Advisory

[ ]

173 Kb

 Lansing, MI – Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA)

MASA announced today that it will award its 2013 Champion for Children Award to the Brandy Johnson, Executive Director of the Michigan College Access Network, for her advocacy and dedication in helping more Michigan youth gain access to and attend college.  Johnson will accept the award during the MASA Midwinter Conference on January 25, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center.

The MASA Champion for Children Award is presented annually to an individual who has shown tremendous effort and dedication to enriching the lives of children and enhancing their opportunities for success and achievement in schools. This year’s award goes to Johnson, whose leadership helped establish the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), a nonprofit committed to increasing college readiness, participation and completion in Michigan. MCAN focuses particular attention to expanding college access among low-income students, first-generation college going students, and students of color.

Johnson is committed to increasing the percentage of Michigan residents with a high-quality degree or credential to 60 percent by the year 2025. To reach this goal, Johnson guides MCAN to build and support initiatives such as the Michigan College Access Portal, the KnowHow2GoMichigan campaign, and the establishment of 51 Local College Access Networks.

“MASA salutes Brandy Johnson’s commitment to expanding opportunities for Michigan’s youth related to higher-education,” said William H. Mayes, Executive Director of MASA. “Research tells us that Michigan adults aspire for their children to attend college and understand the importance of receiving a college degree. Johnson’s work at MCAN puts tools in their hands to help their dreams come true.”

Since 2010, MCAN has provided 51 communities with more than $1.8 million to implement robust community based college access strategies. This grant funding is designed to help Michigan’s Local College Access Networks (LCANs) establish cross-sector collaborative leadership teams and action plans to dramatically increase the community’s college-going rate. LCANs set goals focused on student success, establish a system of data gathering and analysis, report results, and hold partners accountable for performance.

“MCAN leads the charge in changing Michigan’s culture to create an expectation that every student in Michigan continue learning after high school,” Mayes said. “MASA is honored to name the Brandy Johnson our 2013 Champion for Children.

***

About MASA
MASA is a statewide association which represents the superintendents and first-line administrators of Michigan’s local and intermediate school districts. The mission of MASA is to develop leadership and unity within its membership to achieve the continuous improvement of public education in Michigan. 

http://www.gomasa.org/press-page

About Michigan College Access Network
As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to increase Michigan’s college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college going students, and students of color.  Michigan has recently experienced a modest increase in our college attainment rate -- from 35.6% of 25-to-64-year-olds possessing at least an associate’s degree, to 36.4%. However, Michigan’s rate still lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025. For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

About Brandy Johnson
Before joining MCAN, Johnson most recently served in the Governor's Office as College Access Coordinator.  In this capacity, she coordinated the state's college access and success agenda and advised Governor Granholm on postsecondary education policy issues.  Brandy attained a B.S. in Political Science with a concentration in public policy advocacy from Arizona State University.  Upon graduation, she served as a Teach for America corps member and taught 3rd grade in a low-income neighborhood in Las Vegas, NV.  Brandy relocated to Michigan in 2007 and received a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.Follow @MCANBrandy on Twitter!

###

MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION of SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

http://www.gomasa.org/press-page

Lansing, Michigan 48917-9279                        Contact: Linda Wacyk,

517/281-5626 * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

December 13, 2012 – Lansing, MI – A new brief, State of the State Survey Fall 2012: A Look at the College-Going Culture of Michigan Adults, reveals that Michigan adults aspire for their children to go to college and believe a college education is education is somewhat or very important for a young person in Michigan to be successful in the labor market and their career.

The State of the State Survey (SOSS) Fall 2012 reveals a strong college-going culture among Michigan adults. The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) contracted with the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) at Michigan State University to measure the college-going culture of adults in the state of Michigan. This was the first time questions were asked to evaluate a college-going culture. It is intended that the three questions will be asked on an annual basis in the fall of each year. Regional data disaggregation is also available.

The survey shows more than 95 percent of adults feel a college education is “somewhat important” or “Very important” for a young person in Michigan to be successful in the labor market and their career. Also, aspirations are high among those with children under 18. Of those surveyed with children, 97 percent believe it is “somewhat likely” or “very likely” their child will get a college education.

“We are extremely pleased to learn Michigan adults aspire for their children to attend college and understand the importance of receiving a college degree,” said Brandy Johnson, executive director of the Michigan College Access Network. “It’s important our state has an understanding of Michigan’s college-going culture and that the desire for a college education is strong.”

Although aspirations are high, the survey shows that affordability is still perceived as a barrier for many.  More than 67 percent of Michigan residents “somewhat disagree” or “strongly disagree” that a college education is reasonably affordable for people in Michigan.

“This gap between college aspirations and affordability needs to be addressed in our state,” said Johnson. “We need to continue to educate today’s youth about the steps to get to college and how it can be affordable, but we also need to continue to work with the leaders of our state to understand the impact affordability is making on building a highly educated workforce in Michigan.”

The brief, State of the State Survey Fall 2012: A Look at the College-Going Culture of Michigan Adults, is available on the Michigan College Access Network website at www.micollegeaccess.org. The results can also be viewed by geographic regions.

About Michigan State University’s State of the State Survey

The State of the State Survey is a phone survey administered quarterly to measure citizen opinion on critical state issues. SOSS, administered through Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, allows for regular systematic monitoring of the public culture on a variety of topics. MSU’s State of the State Survey has been conducted since 1994, and is a project of IPPSR’s Office for Survey Research. IPPSR is a unit of MSU’s College of Social Science. For more information about the State of the State Survey, see www.ippsr.msu.edu/SOSS/.

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to increase Michigan’s college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college going students, and students of color.  Michigan has recently experienced a modest increase in our college attainment rate -- from 35.6% of 25-to-64-year-olds possessing at least an associate’s degree, to 36.4%. However, Michigan’s rate still lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025. For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

###

Attachments:

Survey Brief 2012 - College Going Culture	[ ]	1284 Kb
Press Release - SOSS College Going Culture	[ ]	173 Kb

November 1, 2012 – Lansing, MI – The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) announces 18 communities will collectively receive $474,000 to support college access and success initiatives. The planning, startup and collective impact grants are designed to help Michigan communities establish cross-sector collaborative leadership teams and action plans to dramatically increase their college-going rates.

The Local College Access Networks (LCANS) set goals focused on student success, establish a system of data gathering and analysis, report results, and hold partners accountable for performance. These LCANs coordinate programs, services and resources that lower the barriers preventing students, particularly low-income and first-generation college going students and students of color, from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities.

Three communities were awarded $8,000 planning grants to convene a leadership team to conduct a strategic planning process. They will determine college access needs of the community and establish metrics and performance targets aligned with the community’s goals, and develop a collaborative action plan for building a college-going culture within the community.

Planning grant recipients:

• Cody Rouge neighborhood of Detroit
• Shiawassee County
• Oceana County

Five communities were awarded startup grants of $50,000 to begin implementation of a college access strategy through the principles of collective impact. These communities will establish a shared agenda, common metrics and report annual progress on a local college access and success dashboard. The communities are committed to developing and executing data-driven collaborative action plans based on community priority areas.

Startup grant recipients:

• Career and College Access Network of Newaygo County
• Gratiot-Isabella College Access Network 
• Lenawee College Access Network
• Marquette-Alger College Access Network
• Success Alliance of Washtenaw

Six communities were awarded collective impact grants of $20,000 to support embedding the principles of collective impact within the LCAN, while four communities were awarded collective impact renewal grants of $20,000 to continue their efforts in strengthening the collective impact framework. Each community will continue to report annual progress on key metrics on their local college access and success dashboard. Each will also continue to develop and execute data-driven collaborative action plans based on community priority areas.

Collective Impact grant recipients:

• Capital Area College Access Network (serving Lansing)
• Destination Education (serving Holland-Zeeland)
• Greater Albion College Access Network
• Ironmen College Access Network (serving Mancelona)
• Kalamazoo Area College Access Network
• Tri-Cities College Access Network (serving Grand Haven, Ferrysburg & Spring Lake)

Collective Impact renewal grant recipients:

• Bay Commitment College Access Network
• Project ACE (serving Inkster, Wayne-Westland, Romulus)
• St. Clair County KnowHow2Go
• Sturgis SUCCESS

“This was our most competitive round of LCAN grants to date. The caliber of the proposals submitted made it extremely difficult to decide which communities to fund,” said Brandy Johnson, executive director of the Michigan College Access Network. “Each local college access network plays a critical role in sparking systematic change necessary to increase college readiness, participation and completion within their community.”

Michigan has recently experienced a modest increase in our college attainment rate -- from 35.6% of 25-to-64-year-olds possessing at least an associate’s degree, to 36.4%. However, Michigan’s rate still lags behind the national average of 37.9 percent. It is MCAN’s goal to increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60 percent by the year 2025. With the newest planning grant recipients, MCAN now supports 51 local college access networks across the state. Funding from the State of Michigan made this round of MCAN grants possible.

###

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to increase Michigan’s college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college going students, and students of color.  For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              
Media Contact:
Lisa King, Assistant Director
517-316-1713 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Attachments:

Planning, Startup, Collective Impact Grants Awarded.pdf

[ ]

440 Kb

June 27, 2012 - (Lansing, MI) –Yesterday Governor Snyder signed the FY13 budget, which includes a $2 million funding line item to support college access efforts to increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees or high-quality credentials.

This commitment to college access will help students and families understand how to navigate the college process and overcome the barriers preventing them from gaining the college degree or credentials they need to pursue a successful career.

“Michigan College Access Network thanks Governor Snyder and our legislators for making this critical investment in Michigan’s education and economic future as we work together to reach our goal of ensuring at least 60 percent of Michigan residents possess a high-quality degree or credential by the year 2025,” MCAN Executive Director Brandy Johnson said.

The funding will support a number of college access efforts through programming and services provided by the Michigan College Access Network and implemented by 48 local college access networks across the state. Local college access networks are community-based college access collaboratives committed to a coordinated strategy laser-focused on dramatically increasing their local college-going and college-completion rates.

Programs and services include the Michigan College Access Portal (www.michigancap.org), a free online resource for students and families to plan, apply and pay for college; public awareness and outreach campaigns such as www.KnowHow2GoMichigan.org to encourage students to take the necessary steps toward college and how to find financial aid; and subgrants to support the recruitment, hiring and training of college student mentors and college advisors to assist high school students in navigating the postsecondary planning and enrollment process.

“In order to meet job market demands where it is predicted 62% of jobs by 2018 will require at least a two-year degree, it’s critical we continue to develop an educated workforce in Michigan,” said Greg Handel, MCAN Board of Directors Chairperson. “These college access programs and services are helping remove the barriers to ensure all students and families understand how to navigate the path for postsecondary opportunities.”

###

About the Michigan College Access Network
Michigan College Access Network works to dramatically increase the college participation and completion rate in Michigan, particularly among low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color. The goal of the organization is to increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees and valuable credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. MCAN supports the work of 48 local college access networks as well as a number of statewide initiatives including the Michigan College Access Portal and the KnowHow2GOMichigan.org campaign. To learn more visit www.micollegeaccess.org.

Attachments:

State_Budget_MCAN.pdf

[ ]

215 Kb

Michigan College Access Network to Host Annual Conference on College Access

April 20, 2012 – Lansing, MI –The Michigan College Access Network will bring more than 300 college access professionals together on Monday, April 30 to discuss increasing and improving college access in Michigan.

What: Michigan College Access Network Conference Measuring What Matters

The conference Measuring What Matters will focus on the importance of using key metrics to understand college readiness and college-going rates in Michigan and explore how Local College Access Networks can utilize these metrics to advance community priorities. 

It will also provide college access professional, practitioners and community organizations throughout the state the opportunity to meet and explore resources meant to improve college access in Michigan.

When: Monday, April 30, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Where: Kellogg Center, Michigan State University Campus, East Lansing

Register: www.micollegeaccess.org/events/2012-conference

Press: All events are open to the media. We ask that you please RSVP to Lisa King at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 517.316.1713. If you are unable to RSVP, please check in at event registration.

Event highlights are listed below. A full schedule is available at www.micollegeaccess.orgevents/2012-conference

Conference keynote speaker Donald E. Heller, dean of the College of Education at Michigan State University and a professor of higher, adult, and lifelong education, will share his  experiences with teaching and research in the areas of educational economics, public policy, and finance, with a primary focus on issues of college access and choice for low-income and minority students.

Breakout workshops will cover a broad range of topics relating to college access, including best practices for collecting and utilizing data, engaging target populations including low-income students, first-generation students, students of color, veterans, students with disabilities, and adult learners, early intervention to build a college-going culture, financial aid, using data to state your case, and policy and advocacy efforts.

A special screening of the documentary FIRST GENERATION will cap off the conference on Monday night.  The award-winning feature-length documentary, narrated by Golden Globe nominee Blair Underwood, tells the story of four high school students who, over the course of three years, set out to break the cycle of poverty and bring hope to their families and communities by pursuing a college education. This documentary explores the problem of college access faced by first-generation and low-income students and how their success has major implications for the future of our nation. Visit http://firstgenerationfilm.com/ for more information on FIRST GENERATION.

About Michigan College Access Network

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN’s mission is to dramatically increase Michigan’s college participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation students and students of color.  MCAN also supports two statewide college access initiatives: MichiganCAP, a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply and pay for college at www.michigancap.org, and KnowHow2GOMichigan, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage and prepare low-income students and their families to take the necessary steps toward college. (www.knowhow2gomichigan.org).   For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org. You can also find MCAN on Facebook at www.facebook.com/micollegeaccess.

Attachments:

2012 conference press release.doc

[2012 Conference Media Advisory]

181 Kb

March, 22  2012-(Lansing, MI) - The U.S. Department of Education (US ED) has launched a new online resource to help high schools track the number of students completing federal financial aid forms.

Through the Federal Student Aid’s Data Center FAFSA Completion link, users are able to search by state and by high school to view how many students have submitted and successfully completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) estimates there are about 125,000 high school seniors in Michigan that should be filling out the FAFSA in 2012.

Federal Student Aid defines a senior as an applicant no older than 18 submitting an original application and expecting to receive their high school diploma and be considered a college freshman by the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

Based on the data provided by the US ED, as of March 8, 2012, only 38.6 percent of Michigan seniors submitted the FAFSA and 34.6 percent completed it. This means 4 percent of student submitted their FAFSA information incompletely or incorrectly.

“This is significant because the FAFSA is the key to unlocking the federal Pell Grant and other valuable financial aid,” MCAN Executive Director Brandy Johnson said. “That means approximately 65 percent of Michigan seniors are foreclosing the opportunity for federal financial aid that can drastically lower the barriers to college affordability.

Through the FAFSA, students can qualify for Pell grants, work study and federal loans.  Financial aid helps close the gap between the cost of college and expected family contribution, and studies show a strong correlation between FAFSA completion and college enrollment.  For the 2012-2013 academic year, our neediest students can expect to qualify for up to $5,550 in Pell Grant funding.

“To reach MCAN’s goal of 60 percent college attainment by 2025, we need to increase our FAFSA completion rates to expand college access for many of our students,” Johnson said.

Attachments:

PressReleaseFAFSA.doc

[Press Release FAFSA Completion Tool]

177 Kb

Recognized for the Most Effective Use of the Internet to Advance Charitable Goals

March 12- (LANSING) ServInt, a pioneering provider of managed cloud hosting for enterprises worldwide, named the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) as the first quarterly finalist for the inaugural ServInt Sextant Award. The Award recognizes ServInt customers who are making the most profound community impact with their Internet-based enterprises.

Each quarter, a finalist for the $5,000 Sextant Award will be chosen from among ServInt’s customers. These finalists will be given three free months of hosting services to recognize the positive difference their web-based enterprises make in their community. In December, all ServInt customers will be given the chance to vote to choose the organization that they believe best embodies the Award’s values.

“We are honored to have been chosen as the first finalist for the ServInt Sextant Award. We’re always striving to improve online resources for students and appreciate the recognition for these efforts,” said MCAN assistant director Lisa King.

The Sextant Award’s values mirror those found in ServInt’s core values:

Create possibility … for yourself, for the customer and for the Company. ServInt empowers its employees to create possibility every day.

Invite challenge. Never sit still. Embrace the new, the unknown. Look for challenges that can be overcome to create better products and a better customer experience.

Better yourself and the next guy. Always strive for improvement. Pursue new knowledge, advance relationships and embrace change.

Be open to most everything and everyone. From open doors to open minds, welcome the input of others.

ServInt Chief Operating Officer Christian Dawson explained the purpose behind the Sextant Award, saying, “There’s a reason why this award is named after a trusted technology that has helped humankind find its true course for nearly a thousand years. In a sense, we’re looking for the ServInt customers who show all of us the way toward a better tomorrow, through the use of the Internet and our hosting technology.”

Dawson added, “MCAN is one such customer. It uses its network of web sites to help ensure that no Michigan student is denied the opportunity to move on to postsecondary education – a vitally important service in a state still struggling to rebuild after the near-collapse of its manufacturing sector. We’re proud that MCAN chose ServInt to host its sites, and prouder still to recognize its good work by naming it a finalist for our 2012 Sextant Award.”

###

About the Michigan College Access Network

Michigan College Access Network works to dramatically increase the college participation and completion rate in Michigan, particularly among low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color. The goal of the organization is to increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees and valuable credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. For more information, visit www.micollegeaccess.org.

As part of its mission, MCAN has two innovative web-based solutions that help students learn about and apply for college. The Michigan College Access Portal (www.michigancap.org) is a one-stop web portal for students to plan, apply and pay for college. Also, “It’s MI Life” (www.itsmilife.com) is a social networking site that engages students directly in planning for life after high school.

About ServInt

ServInt is a pioneering provider of high-reliability, managed cloud hosting services for enterprises worldwide. Founded in Northern Virginia in 1995, ServInt provides a range of IaaS, PaaS, VPS and dedicated server packages to hosting service resellers, web designers, developers and online businesses in more than 130 countries. To learn more about ServInt's cloud solutions, please call 1-800-573-7846 or visit www.servint.net.

ServInt Media Contact:
Schneider Communications
Stan Schneider, +1-954-435-3310
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Michigan College Access Network Media Contact

Lisa Sommer King, Assistant Director

517-316-1713 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Attachments:

MCAN Receives ServInt's Inaugural Sextant Award Press Release

[ ]

182 Kb