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Achieving the Vision: Building an Inland Promise: Holistic Support for Student Success

About This Episode

Season 2. Episode 2.

In this episode, we’re honored to feature Dr. John Barnshaw, a Senior Leader of College Promise, as we explore the transformative power of Promise programs and their role in shaping the future of student success.

Dr. Barnshaw provides an in-depth look at how College Promise programs go beyond financial aid to deliver comprehensive support for students. By addressing not only the financial barriers but also the academic, emotional, and logistical challenges students face, these programs create pathways for equitable access to higher education and sustainable success.

During our conversation, Dr. Barnshaw discusses:

  • The mission and objectives of College Promise and its impact on students across the nation.
  • Strategies for scaling Promise programs to reach more students while ensuring sustainability.
  • The critical role of holistic support systems, from mental health resources to career guidance, in empowering students to thrive.
  • How educators, policymakers, and community leaders can work together to implement and enhance Promise programs tailored to their unique communities.

Watch the full episode now on our YouTube channel to learn more about the vision for student success and how College Promise programs are shaping the future of education.

Featured Guests

Dr. John Barnshaw
Senior Leader for Research and Policy, College Promise
John Barnshaw is a Senior Leader of College Promise, a national, non-partisan, non-profit initiative to increase post-secondary education access, affordability, quality, and completion. In this capacity, Dr. Barnshaw is responsible for managing the research and policy and serves as a leader in the promise movement on higher education and the workforce. Prior to joining College Promise, Dr. Barnshaw served as Vice President at Lightcast, a global leader in labor market insights, where he worked with more than 1,000 colleges and universities and 200 education partners. John also served as Vice President at Ad Astra, and immediately prior, served as Director of Research and Public Policy at the American Association of University Professors, where he directed the Faculty Compensation Survey, the oldest benchmarking study in higher education. Dr. Barnshaw also directed the National Study of Instructional Costs and Productivity (Delaware Cost Study), a longitudinal benchmarking that explores faculty teaching, separately budgeted research, and public service expenditures at the discipline level for four-year institutions. Barnshaw earned his degrees from the University of Delaware (Ph.D.) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (MA, BA) and serves as a Research Affiliate for Innovation at Davidson College.

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Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) created the Achieving the Vision video series to discuss important projects and initiatives that are driving regional educational transformation and student success in the Inland Empire region of Southern California–the 12th largest MSA in the U.S. with over 4.7 million residents and over one-million K-16 students. Learn more at https://gia.echofactory.dev.

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