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PRESS RELEASE Contact: Carmon Cunningham (617) 728-4446 ccunningham@jff.org     METROPOLITAN LIFE FOUNDATION AND JOBS FOR THE FUTURE COLLABORATE TO RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH AND ADULTS   Boston, MA, January 25, 2001   Metropolitan Life Foundation has awarded a major grant to Jobs for the Future to identify exceptional community college efforts to serve at-risk students and low-income adults. Jobs for the Future and the Foundation will research best practices, and recognize and award leading-edge institutions that meet the needs of these traditionally underserved groups.   Dr. Jane Milley, director of the new project at Jobs for the Future, announced the Metropolitan Life Foundation grant at a meeting of the American Association of Community Colleges. "The research and award will bring national visibility to innovative, high-performing community colleges - and inspire others to follow their example," said Dr. Milley.   Jobs for the Future, one of the nation's leading organizations conducting research and promoting policies on innovative learning strategies and workforce systems, will appoint a panel of community college expert advisors, catalog best practices in working with underserved populations, and administer a cash awards program on behalf of Metropolitan Life Foundation. JFF will also bring the award-winning institutions together to accelerate the adoption of their efforts by other colleges.   Commenting on the motivation for the new initiative, Metropolitan Life Foundation President and CEO Sibyl Jacobson said, "Community colleges are an important resource to our nation. They have their finger on the pulse of their local communities and are uniquely positioned to address local needs and provide programs that encourage upward mobility, connections between high schools and higher education, employability, and skill development for a changing job market."   Jobs for the Future President Marlene B. Seltzer commented, "Our research and the awards will spur institutions to adopt and invest in best practices that help hard-to-serve youth and low-income adults succeed in school and in careers. We will focus on colleges that are especially effective in reaching beyond the campus and forging relationships that make education more accessible for people from backgrounds of poverty and whose programs and campus environments maximize student success." The Metropolitan Life Foundation Community College Excellence Awards will provide $30,000 each to two colleges: one award will recognize service to at-risk young people and the other service to low-income adults. The award will honor initiatives that show vision and courage in going outside standard operating procedure.   The Metropolitan Life Foundation Community College Excellence Awards will provide $30,000 each to two colleges: one award will recognize service to at-risk young people and the other service to low-income adults. The award will honor initiatives that show vision and courage in going outside standard operating procedure.   ###    Founded in 1983, Jobs for the Future is a leading innovator in strategies to improve education and career outcomes for youth and low-skilled workers. Jobs for the Future provides research and consulting on education and workforce development issues to public and private organizations throughout the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom. For more information about JFF, please visit the Web site at www.jff.org.   Metropolitan Life Foundation, established in 1976 by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, has a long history of supporting initiatives that improve the quality of education and help young people succeed. The Foundation commits its resources in education to programs that instigate change and cultivate effective learning environments at school through teacher preparation and minority education, and throughout the community by involving families in education and encouraging after-school programs and arts and health education. Metropolitan Life Foundation has contributed more than $179 million to support health, education, civic and cultural programs throughout the United States. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.metlife.org.