January 27, 2025

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Strada Education Foundation announced today the eight recipients of a grant program that supports institutions in their efforts to scale innovative guidance and career services. APLU and AASCU will work with Strada to support projects and share insights from these leading efforts across their hundreds of member universities.

The institutions selected for the Innovation in Career Services grant program will receive up to $300,000 each to design, implement, and evaluate innovative approaches to career services that are aligned with the principles for education-to-career guidance, which were developed by an advisory group of education and workforce development leaders and practitioners in partnership with Strada. They describe the core components of quality education-to-career guidance, and reflect the importance of making education-to-career guidance available to all learners.

“These eight institutions are committed to rethinking and reinvigorating their approaches to career services,” said Ruth Watkins, Strada’s President of Postsecondary Education. “Using the education-to-career principles as their guide, they will demonstrate how career advising and guidance can make the difference in improving post-completion outcomes for students, particularly those who have traditionally faced the greatest challenges.”

The principles define quality education-to-career guidance as:

  • Centered on education-to-career outcomes
  • Driven by student agency
  • Foundational and universal
  • Rooted in relationships
  • Informed by data and evidence

“This grant program comes at an opportune time for institutions that want to provide their students with increased access to education-to-career coaching and guidance,” said Craig Robinson, Strada’s Senior Vice President, Quality Coaching. “Research shows that students who receive timely, supportive guidance are more likely to secure a good first job. Unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 bachelor’s degree graduates report receiving this guidance. The need is great!”

The eight institutions awarded grants are:

Athens State University (AL), an upper division transfer institution serving adult learners, will provide targeted mentoring, networking, embedded career course supports, micro credentials and badges, and industry-linked career advising through Athens Aspire.

Georgia State University (GA) will develop and launch an AI platform to provide personalized career guidance to all students that includes helping them to navigate the career resources and services available at the institution.

Morgan State University (MD) will provide career guidance to students through mentorship, leadership development, and connections to employers for first-year, first generation students.

Northern Arizona University (AZ) will integrate career-oriented learning outcomes into coursework and support all students in developing personalized career development roadmaps at every stage of the educational journey, from pre-matriculation to post-graduation.

Prairie View A & M University (TX) as part of their new PV Cares student success model in which every undergraduate is assigned a career coach, professional academic advisor, and financial counselor, will provide upper-level social science and humanities majors career developmental opportunities through micro-credentialing and professional development training.

San Diego State University (CA) will launch a career readiness platform that will engage students through cohort-based career coaching, work-based learning opportunities, and professional mentoring for high-demand industries.

University of Central Florida (FL) will train success coaches to enhance the career guidance they provide students, further integrate career competencies into curriculum, and expand online career development resources.

University of Iowa (IA) will expand its use of an integrated, online career guidance platform that was developed with input from low-income and first-generation students to provide personalized support including timely labor market information and engage students through reflection activities.

“These projects demonstrate how quality coaching can connect students to the many services and resources available to them at institutions and in their communities,” said Ernest Newborn, chair, Strada Board of Trustees. “Along with other essential practices such as work-based learning, quality coaching can ensure that students integrate career planning and career experiences at every stage of their postsecondary education.”