Jane Swift is New E@W Leader

Jane Swift the Former Massachusetts Governor is New E@W Leader The former Massachusetts Governor begins her first day as Education at Work’s President leading this unique nonprofit that connects companies with tomorrow’s talent and college students with valuable real-world work experience. After nearly two decades as an executive, advisor and company builder working at the intersection of learning and economic opportunity, Jane Swift takes on her new role. She most recently  served as an operating partner at the private investment firm Vistria Group, and as the president of LearnLaunch, a national nonprofit education accelerator focused on improving collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and the technology sector. Swift previously served as CEO of Middlebury Interactive Languages, an education startup launched in partnership with Middlebury College. Swift takes the helm of Education at Work, an organization that over the past decade has built a series of effective campus-based partnerships with multiple major public flagship universities—including Arizona State University, Northern Kentucky University, the University of Texas, El Paso and the University of Utah. “As a former Pell Grant recipient and work-study student, I know firsthand what it’s like to have to earn your way through college. But I also know that our educational system was never designed to make college and work compatible,” said Swift. “I’m on a mission to show business leaders that college students represent not just tomorrow’s talent, but skills and expertise that matter today. This is about creating real, meaningful work experiences that not only help to make college more affordable but offer a springboard to graduates as they launch their careers.” Nationally, an estimated 600,000 college students participate in the Federal Work Study program, often in on-campus jobs. By partnering with both colleges and Fortune 500 companies,  including Discover Financial Services and Fidelity, Education at Work enables college students to gain valuable, real-world experience while earning significant hourly wages and up to $5,250 in tuition assistance annually to offset the cost of college. Since its inception in 2012, Education at Work has awarded over $100 million in combined wages and tuition assistance to nearly 8,100 students nationwide. Participating students are 25% more likely to graduate from their institution and to do so with 40% less student debt in comparison to their institutional peers. 75% of the participating students identify as students of color and 50% are first generation college graduates. Education at Work graduates reported salaries that were, on average, more than 10 percent higher than the average annual salary for adults with only a high school diploma —and also significantly higher than similar college graduates that did not participate in the program. A longtime advocate for excellence in education, Swift was recently appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), otherwise known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” She has also lectured and held fellowships at a variety of universities, including Boston College School of Law and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and served as the co-chair of the selection committee for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. “From her time in public service to her dynamic corporate career, Jane has earned a well-deserved reputation for a common-sense—and effective—brand of leadership,” said Tom Dawson, president of Strada Collaborative, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is the corporate parent of Education at Work. “Jane is uniquely well-matched for the needs of this work—and will bring the leadership, vision and industry expertise needed to lead the organization through this critical phase of growth, ” Dawson says.

E@W and UTEP Celebrates Successful Partnership

E@W and UTEP Celebrates Successful Partnership Helping UTEP Students Earn Over $1 Million in Wages and Tuition Assistance We were very excited to celebrate the successful one-year partnership with the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) this past week at UTEP’s campus and the Plaza Pioneer Park in El Paso, Texas. Leadership and staff from Education at Work gathered together to not only celebrate how far we’ve come in the past year helping UTEP students, but how much more we can accomplish given the partnership between Education at Work, UTEP, and Discover will be expanding with the proven success of this collaboration. In the coming academic year, even more UTEP students will be able to gain valuable experience through part-time jobs with Discover, while earning money to offset the cost of college and graduate debt-free. Participants and guests of last week’s festivities relished in the positive impact being made in the lives of UTEP students as they listened to valuable insights, inspirational stories, and were reminded why we partner with innovative businesses like Discover and universities like UTEP to realize our mission of helping high-achieving college students gain the career-ready skills and financial stability needed to succeed after graduation.   “The UTEP celebration marks a milestone that is evidence of EAW’s commitment to pursuing excellence, dedication to our mission, and the collective efforts of an exceptional team,” said Demetria Ingram, Education at Work’s vice president of learning and development. “We celebrated an achievement that should serve as a reminder of what we accomplished together with a shared vision. Cheers to the journey that we have travelled and extraordinary possibilities that lie ahead in El Paso, Texas.” Our proven work-based learning model generates career outcomes for students, provides employers a skilled workforce to address an early talent need, and delivers higher ed institutions a sustainable affordability and student success model. “To deliver on our mission of access and economic mobility, we need to use every tool at our disposal to reduce college costs and create educational experiences that prepare students for the world of work,” said John Wiebe, Ph.D., UTEP provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This model allows us to do both at the same time.” https://vimeo.com/865388747 EAW enables college students to gain real-world experience at major employers and Fortune 500 companies. UTEP students participating in the program have the opportunity to work on behalf of Discover Financial Services’ consumer-facing financial services team. “At Discover, it is our mission to help people spend smarter, manage debt better, and save more to achieve a brighter financial future. This partnership builds on that mission by helping students advance their formal education while learning important job skills,” said Tracy Hedrick, Discover Financial Services vice president of card operations. “We are excited to invest in these students while they are pursuing careers in their field of study and building brighter financial futures.” In addition to developing resume-ready skills and earning wages through flexible hourly work, UTEP students receive up to $5,250 per year of employer-paid tuition assistance from Discover to help offset the cost of their education. In the one-year partnership, UTEP students have already received over $1.1 million in wages and tuition assistance earned.     “It was such an amazing experience to celebrate with UTEP, Discover, Strada, and the leadership from Education at Work. It’s amazing what a year can do, and to not only see it but be absorbed into it last week, was such an honor. I had an opportunity to speak to each individual and to feel genuine appreciation and commitment from all of them. It was a time of team bonding and reflection, reminding me why I work at EAW and how impactful our mission truly is. I couldn’t be more excited for the future of our organization.” – Stephanie Toston, Vice President of Growth, Education at Work Students at UTEP can apply for opportunities with Education at Work and Discover Financial Services at educationatwork.org/student-jobs.

An E@W Leader’s Perspective on DEI

An E@W Leader’s Perspective on DEI Since and before I started working at Education at Work, we have strongly committed to increasing and maintaining our accessibility… Since and before I started working at Education at Work, we have strongly committed to increasing and maintaining our accessibility and opportunities for success regardless of background, ethnicity, beliefs, identity, and appearance because we know that every individual brings value to the table and deserves the opportunity to be successful. When I heard Education at Work was recently awarded the 2023 Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace certification by Diversity for Social Impact for providing equitable professional and educational opportunities to diverse students, I was honored that Education at Work and the Strada Foundation were being recognized for the effort we’ve put in over the years. We are proud to say that 75% of our students come from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds and 50% of our students are first-generation college students. I am especially excited for Education at Work because embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but it’s essential for creating a truly effective and transformative work environment. By valuing and respecting the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of every individual, Education at Work can help foster a more equitable and inclusive society, in which everyone can succeed and thrive. Since inception at Education at Work over ten years ago, we have been able to level the playing field for historically underserved student populations. We have had the privilege of getting to watch our students learn and grow through their respective training and operational program – where they often are outperformers their professional counterparts. As a result of the professional skills and confidence gained with Education at Work, they are more likely than other graduates to land that first big job post-graduation – and that is what makes our jobs worth it, day in and day out. In conclusion, this acknowledgement is a great achievement and a powerful springboard to continue breaking the mold for even greater acceptance, diversity, and inclusivity in higher education and across the professional world. I hope this award encourages individuals of all backgrounds to realize their success is achievable as their effort is more equitably recognized by society. – Patrice Clark, Education at Work Vice President, Human Resources