MetLife Foundation and Jobs for the Future are collaborating
on an awards program to recognize community colleges that promote
educational and career advancement for traditionally underserved
youth and adults. In April 2003, community colleges will be invited
to apply for the second MetLife Foundation Community College
Excellence Awards, and the winners will be announced in spring
2004. The first MetLife Foundation Community College Excellence
Awards were made in 2002. Jobs for the Future, a national
organization that specializes in building career pathways that
link work and learning, administers the program on behalf of MetLife
Foundation.
"Community colleges open the doors to education to millions of
Americans," said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife
Foundation. "We are pleased to make possible these awards that
recognize outstanding community colleges for providing the tools
and pathways that overcome barriers and set students on the road
to economic and educational empowerment."
The first MetLife Foundation Community College Excellence
Awards, announced in 2002, went to West Hills Community College
of California's San Joaquin Valley and Sinclair Community College
of Dayton, Ohio. Each institution received $30,000 in recognition
of its leadership in demonstrating a college-wide focus on achieving
high levels of service for all students.
"In recognizing leaders among community colleges, MetLife Foundation
is also inspiring other colleges to adopt and invest in best practices
that help youth and adults succeed in school and in careers,"
commented Jobs for the Future President Marlene B. Seltzer. "The
awards to West Hills and Sinclair honored their effectiveness
in forging relationships that make education more accessible for
non-traditional students. Their programs and campus environments
maximize student success."
The MetLife Foundation Community College Excellence Awards celebrate and highlight the contributions of community colleges
to helping underserved youth and adults succeed and advance in
college and beyond. The awards recognize community colleges that,
in different ways and in very different communities, make significant
institutional commitments to helping first-time college-goers,
new immigrants, working adults, welfare recipients, high school
dropouts, and other populations with limited college experience
and success prepare for further education or for a family-supporting
career.
Applications for MetLife Foundation Community College Excellence
Awards will be available in April 2003. For more information,
please contact Anne Newton at Jobs for the Future, 617.728.4446, anewton@jff.org or go to: http://www.jff.org
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MetLife Foundation, one of the earliest corporate supporters
of community colleges, was established in 1976 by MetLife and
has a long history of supporting initiatives that improve the
quality of education and help young people succeed. For more information
about the Foundation, please visit the Web site at www.metlife.org.
Jobs for the Future seeks to
accelerate the educational and economic advancement of youth and
adults struggling in today's economy. JFF partners with leaders
in education, business, government, and communities around the
nation to: strengthen opportunities for youth to succeed in postsecondary
learning and high-skill careers; increase opportunities for low-income
individuals to move into family-supporting careers; and meet the
growing economic demand for knowledgeable and skilled workers.
For more information about Jobs for the Future, please visit the
Web site at www.jff.org.
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