INDIANAPOLIS, July 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumina Foundation has selected
the winners of its mini-grant opportunity through its first-ever
Instagram challenge, which aims to tell a better story about
community colleges. Seven community colleges have received
$50,000 each to enhance their digital
outreach and marketing efforts. Through their engaging Instagram
reels, these winners showcased the exceptional value and vibrant
experiences community colleges offer.
The Winners:
- Ohlone College, CA
- Ocean County College, NJ
- Community College of Beaver County,
PA
- State University of New York
(SUNY) Niagara, NY
- Owens Community College, OH
- Chaffey College, CA
- Jefferson State Community College,
AL
The Instagram challenge invited community colleges to showcase
their unique offerings in a 90-second video, highlighting why their
college is the best choice, not just for practicality and
convenience, but specifically showcasing #WhatsExcellent
about their community college. Lumina received more than 100
reels from large and small public, accredited two-year
institutions nationwide.
"For the past two years, Lumina has engaged in a national
conversation about understanding and strengthening community
college brands," said Mary Laphen
Pope, Lumina's strategy officer for participation. "While
discussions often focus on challenges such as enrollment declines,
success stories about community colleges and their students are
rarely highlighted. We aim to change that."
From excellent student services to beautiful campus facilities,
heartfelt community engagement, and dynamic classroom experiences,
community colleges embody the dreams and aspirations of their
communities. Too often, the narrative about who should attend
community college and why centers on deficit-based framing that
fails to paint a complete picture of the profound impact of a
community college education.
Nationally, community colleges have long embraced their
open-access mission. While that remains a defining feature, it is
just one aspect that makes these colleges special. Community
colleges are unique to the areas they serve, building inclusive
cultures to support many types of students and offering programs
that inspire, create, and set people up for success in their
careers and their lives.
"We were excited to offer this mini-grant opportunity and so
impressed by all the outstanding video reels we received. We hope
this initiative will help shift the narrative around community
colleges and all that they offer," added Laphen Pope.
Lumina invites community colleges to continue sharing their
stories and highlighting their excellent work. For more information
about the mini-grant challenge and to apply for future
opportunities, visit Lumina Foundation's Challenge Page.
About Lumina Foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in
Indianapolis committed to making
opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We
envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, addresses racial
injustice, and meets the nation's talent needs through a broad
range of credentials. We are working toward a system that prepares
people for informed citizenship and success in a global
economy.
For Media Inquiries:
Tracy Chen
Director, Media Strategy
Lumina Foundation
tchen@luminafoundation.org
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SOURCE Lumina Foundation