The College of St. Scholastica is at the beginning of a four-year partnership to study and improve student success with the Complete College Accelerator, a project of Complete College America with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through its Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) work.
“This project is good for the College as it allows us an opportunity to dig deep into student success data and develop strategies that reflect the specific needs of students,” said Dr. Amy Bergstrom, associate vice president for Inclusive Excellence. “Along with two of our peers — Bethel and St. Kate’s, both fellow Minnesota Private College Consortium institutions — we will work collaboratively on increasing student access to higher education and success in Minnesota.”
The Complete College Accelerator network currently includes 80 institutions and their state higher education agencies representing eleven states working together to enhance student success, promote equal outcomes and bridge the gap in college accessibility and completion. Complete College America (CCA) is committed to bringing about widespread change and transforming institutions by utilizing policies based on data analysis, prioritizing student needs and adopting equitable practices.
The foundation of the work will stem from the results of the Institutional Transformation Assessment (ITA) completed by staff, faculty and students in January 2024. Using the collected data, St. Scholastica’s team will collaborate with Complete College Accelerator staff to determine key focus areas around which to develop pathways for students while addressing solution areas and operating capacities to strengthen the institution for a sustainable future.
Bergstrom added: “This project aligns well with our Benedictine values, where we strive to be a welcoming, inclusive community for all. Student success is at the heart of our mission. This work we will do within the framework of the Complete College Accelerator will give us access to technical assistance to make data-driven changes that benefit all students.”
