[ORLANDO, FL – July 1, 2021] – Helios Education Foundation granted the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities $1,250,000 to accelerate transfer student success initiatives that lead to degree completion at Florida International University (FIU), the University of Central Florida (UCF), and the University of South Florida (USF).
Many Floridians start their post-secondary education at one of 28 state colleges in Florida and transfer to a university to complete their degree. Too often, those transfer students fall short of degree completion, as they encounter challenges with course alignment and a lack of student support structures that proved successful at the state college level. “The impact of starting but not completing a degree disproportionately impacts first-generation and minority students, precisely those students who benefit the most from a college degree,” said Dr. Michael Preston, Executive Director, Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities.
While Florida is a model in the nation for 2+2 articulation, the impact of “transfer shock” suppresses degree completion statewide. With grant funding from Helios Education Foundation, Consortium members FIU, UCF, and USF will invest in campus-centric initiatives aimed at ensuring transfer students are prepared academically and socially to flourish on a university campus. “Helios believes a high-quality education should be within reach of every student. Ensuring students experience a smooth transition between Florida’s state colleges and universities is essential to student success and degree completion,” said Paul J. Luna, President and CEO, Helios Education Foundation.
Informing this work are insights from the Central Florida Education Ecosystem Database (CFEED) that leverages data science and predictive analytics to identify interventions that amplify student success. Each university has identified hurdles unique to their metropolitan regions, from admissions to course sequencing to clearly outlining a pathway to completion.
The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities and Helios Education Foundation have partnered since 2016 to elevate the success and degree completion of first-generation, minority, and underserved students in the most populous metropolitan regions of South Florida, Central Florida, and Tampa Bay.
About the Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities
The Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities emerged from a similar commitment to transforming students’ lives and the metropolitan areas Florida International University in Miami, the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and the University of South Florida in Tampa Bay all serve. By integrating their efforts in a meaningful way, the three institutions accelerate the pace and extent of change. By producing more career-ready graduates with lower debt, better training, and adaptable skill sets, the Florida Consortium will drive the economic development of Florida.
About Helios Education Foundation
Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to succeed in postsecondary education. The Foundation’s work is driven by four fundamental beliefs in Community, Investment, Equity, and Partnership. Helios invests in programs and initiatives across the full education continuum – from early grade success through postsecondary education. In Arizona, where Latino students comprise a large proportion of the K-12 public school population, the Foundation is implementing its Arizona Latino Student Success initiative focused on preparing all students – especially students in high poverty, underserved Latino communities – for success. Through Helios’ Florida Regional Student Success Initiative, the Foundation is helping first-generation, minority, and underrepresented students from the state’s large population centers of South Florida, Central Florida, and Tampa Bay achieve a postsecondary education. Since 2006, the Foundation has invested more than $260 million in education programs and initiatives in both states. To learn more about Helios Education Foundation, visit www.helios.org.