Thursday, September 5, 2019

CollegeNET Presents 2019 Social Mobility Innovator Awards to 10 University Professionals

Six distinguished universities from across the country were honored at the 2019 Social Mobility Summit held in Portland, Oregon in July. The CollegeNET-hosted event gathered representatives from the six schools for a day of presentations, roundtable discussions, and recognition dinner. Each was presented with the Social Mobility Innovator award for outstanding achievements in student success and social mobility. 

The honored institutions included:

     Wichita State University, represented by Dr. Richard Muma, Provost and Professor, and Kim Sandlin, Director of Student Success
     Winston-Salem State University, represented by Craig Richardson, Professor of Economics and Founding Director, Center for the Study of Economic Mobility, and  
Alvin Atkinson, Director, Strategic Initiatives and Associate Director, Center for the Study of Economic Mobility 
     Rutgers University — Newark, represented by John Gunkel, Vice Chancellor, Academic Programs and Strategic Partnerships 
     The University of California, San Diego, represented by Lindsay Romasanta, Director, Student Success Programs, and Jeff Orgera, consultant and former Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Retention & Success 
     The University of California, Santa Cruz, represented byGwynn Benner, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success 
     New Mexico State University, represented by Tony Marin, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, and Dacia Sedillo, University Registrar 

Each of these outstanding institutions was identified for their achievements in student success based on their ranking on the Social Mobility Index (SMI), which ranks US 4-year institutions according to how well they admit first-generation and under-resourced students, support their academic success, and prepare them for well-paying jobs once they graduate. The goal of the SMI — now entering its sixth year — is to help redirect the attribution of "prestige" in the higher education system toward colleges and universities that are advancing economic mobility.

The sixth annual SMI rankings will be published during fall 2019. For more information about the SMI and to see the 2018 SMI rankings, visit www.socialmobilityindex.org.