Target 2020

1. 1875 K Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
Office: 202.642.4320
Fax: 202.729.8100
www.Mobilize.org
Mobilize.org empowers and invests in Millennials to create and implement solutions to social problems
NEWS RELEASE CONTACT
June 8th, 2012 Lisa Palley, Palley Promotes
305-642-3132;; lpalley@bellsouth.net
Amber Cruz, Mobilize.org
360-931-3754;; amber@mobilize.org
Five Student Ideas for Improving College Completion Rates Win Funding at Miami Summit
Under Secretary of U.S. Department of Education Dr. Martha J. Kanter, Sen. Bob Graham, Knight Foundation and other local
leaders in attendance as community college students discuss solutions to low graduation and civic participation rates
Over 100 South Florida community college students gathered in Miami, Fla., this week to share challenges they face in
achieving their academic goals and suggest solutions to overcoming them.
The top five ideas, proposed and voted on by summit participants, won a share of $25,000 and a year of expert support to
implement the ideas on campus, in their community, or online. Ideas were judged on potential social impact, creativity and
innovation, sustainability, and the use of new and social media.
According to a report by Complete College America, only 12 out of every 100 Florida community college students will graduate
with a post-secondary credential within four years. In 2020, it is estimated that 63 percent of jobs will require a certification or
college degree.
The Mobilize.org Target 2020 Florida Summit, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, was held June 1 3 at
the Deauville Beach Resort and focused on boosting community college completion rates and increasing the participation of
illennial Generation in civic life.
are among the least civically engaged in the country, according to a new report released at the summit by
Senator Bob Graham, the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship, Congressman Lou Frey, and the National Conference on
Citizenship.
ed in
lize.org, the nonprofit organization
Students from Miami Dade College InterAmerican, Miami Dade College Wolfson, Miami Dade College Hialeah, Miami Dade
College North and Broward College South were selected to receive funding and a year of expert support from Mobilize.org.
The winning projects are:
High School Community Outreach: To address the problem of low graduation and completion rates of undocumented students,
a program will target and educate teens from 9-12th grades on their educational options, such as scholarships and institutions
that welcome students regardless of their legal status. By partnering with community groups already working on the issue,
creating a website and distributing informative podcasts and YouTube videos, the project aims to encourage young students of
all backgrounds to become more civically involved in their communities. (Miami Dade College InterAmerican)
To increase the number of students who are active in student organizations and activities, a student-run
editorial magazine will help increase knowledge of available activities. It will provide information about organizations on
campus, upcoming academic events, campus maps, student resources, scholarships and more. It will also provide community
service and service learning opportunities. (Broward College South)

2. 1875 K Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
Office: 202.642.4320
Fax: 202.729.8100
www.Mobilize.org
Mobilize.org empowers and invests in Millennials to create and implement solutions to social problems
To provide individual and specialized assistance to struggling students, a new
center will offer personal tutoring, advisement and other types of academic and moral support. (Miami Dade College Hialeah,
North and InterAmerican campuses)
Improving Graduation Rates with a Four-Course Success Sequence: To increase college completion rates, a series of four
workshops will better prepare students for their futures. The workshops, available for 100 students, will adopt and modify
Student Life Skills courses and focus on issues like study skills, transition preparation for four-year colleges, job placement
courses and more. If successful, the project aims to expand the workshops into a larger set of courses available for credit and
to the entire student population. (Miami Dade College InterAmerican)
Breaking Down the Barriers: To empower women to make informed decisions that positively affect their college completion
efforts, a new program will provide a support network to students. By tackling barriers that women face with respect to college
completion, like pregnancies and other unhealthy life choices, the program will help build confidence and self-esteem through
support groups, panel discussions and interactive workshops. (Miami Dade College Wolfson)
former community college president and chancellor in California and the first community college leader to serve in the under
secretary position.
-Dade County Public Schools, Dr. Lenore Rodicio, the executive director of
the Miami Dade College Student Success and Completion Initiatives, and Damian Thorman, National Program Director for the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which funded the Target 2020 Florida Summit.
Local partners of the Target 2020 Florida Summit included the Miami Chapter of AmeriCorps Alums, Catalyst Miami, College
Summit, HandsOn Broward, Miami Dade College Center for Community Involvement and Public Allies Miami. Other national
summit supporters included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation for Education.
change the future of educatio
Mobilize.org is currently organizing another summit in Charlotte, North Carolina, which will bring together Millennials from across
the country to discuss and propose solutions to the pressing challenges facing their generation for the 2012 election and
beyond.
Civically active Millennials are invited to submit their ideas to increase civic engagement and post them online. Those who
receive the most votes will be invited to participate in the Millennial Civic Engagement Summit in Charlotte at the end of August.
About Mobilize.org
Mobilize.org empowers and invests in Millennials to create and implement solutions to social problems. Utilizing technology and
social networking to connect Millennials on and offline, Mobilize.org convenes Millennials from around the country to discuss
issues impacting the Millennial Generation and to develop sustainable solutions to address them.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage
communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed
and engaged. For more, visit KnightFoundation.org.
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