The NASH Catalyst award will support the Far North Satellite Education and Employment Development (SEED) project, an initiative of the University’s Interdisciplinary Studies—Individualized Degree Plan (IDP). Through partnerships with community colleges, including College of the Redwoods and Shasta College, the project will enable students with an associate’s degree to utilize their local community college as a resource while pursuing their bachelor’s degree online through Humboldt’s IDP.
Community college campuses will offer on-site advising, student services, co-curricular activities, and a career development curriculum to support student success and cultivate a sense of community. Localizing support not only enhances the student experience but also bridges the gap between remote learning and traditional campus life, ensuring that students are well-equipped to succeed in their academic endeavors.
“The funding will be instrumental in Cal Poly Humboldt's continued work to expand educational access in the region and beyond by deploying flexible and innovative approaches to teaching and learning that meet students where they are," says IDP Director Rebecca Robertson."
The IDP provides students with the opportunity and support to customize a major consisting of coursework from multiple disciplines and institutions, and offers flexibility in modality—be it in-person, online, or hybrid. By expanding access, reducing structural barriers, and fostering interdisciplinary learning, the IDP not only removes financial and opportunity costs but also enables students to tailor their academic pursuits to their interests and goals, as well as their personal and professional commitments.
Specifically, the award will fund micro-scholarships for students and the development of on-site support structures at community college campuses. Humboldt is among 32 recipients receiving funding totaling $220,000.
“As the nation’s largest and most diverse public four-year university system, providing equitable access to a high-quality education is central to the California State University’s mission. We are grateful to NASH for funding innovative programs at our universities that help remove financial barriers and increase academic and career opportunities for our diverse students,” says Mildred García, California State University Chancellor. “Through our engagement with NASH and collaboration with our California public higher education partners, we are building scalable models to advance student success that exemplify our nation’s fundamental value of opportunity for all.”
NASH sought out programs and initiatives at institutions within the California State University, University of California, and California Community Colleges systems that demonstrated innovative practices with potential for replication and scale. The Catalyst Fund focuses on discovering innovative ideas to share with NASH’s extensive network of systems nationwide, helping advance all students.
"We are thrilled to recognize innovative initiatives across all three of California's public higher education systems. With NASH's support these institutions are breaking down financial barriers, making higher education more accessible and affordable for all students," said Jessica Todman, executive vice president at NASH. "This investment is a testament to our commitment to fostering student success and sharing best practices across our extensive network through the Power of Systems. We hope the insights gained from this work will enable us to scale evidence-based interventions beyond California, as the collective efforts of all our systems aim to advance prosperity for the nation."
Additional funds also support initiatives focused on making college accessible and affordable for low-income students by addressing financial needs not covered by traditional aid, and reducing net tuition through various means such as reduced rates, fee waivers, scholarships, and microgrants for basic needs. Some also emphasized improving the communication and transparency of cost and financial aid information; providing comprehensive support services like daycare, transportation, food banks, and affordable housing; and implementing strategies to decrease time to earn degrees for low-income, traditionally underrepresented, and non-traditional students.
About the NASH Catalyst Fund
The NASH Catalyst Fund encourages broad engagement of member systems in sharing promising practices that are leading to equitable student success outcomes scalable to fellow systems. Its impact will be far-reaching, but the concept is simple: through pooled philanthropic support, NASH can recognize and incentivize the development of its members’ big ideas that, once proven to work, have the potential to be scaled not only across a single system but amongst peers around the country.
The first round of the NASH Catalyst Fund included $275,000 to recognize hotspots of best practices that demonstrate interventions that are already underway and proving to be successful with the potential to have a catalytic impact in meeting NASH’s measurable goals. More information can be found here.
About the National Association of Higher Education Systems
Founded in 1979, the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) works to advance the role of multi-campus systems and the concept of systemness to create a more vibrant and sustainable higher education sector. NASH systems comprise more than 700 campuses and serve more than 7.5 million students in nearly every state in the United States. To learn more about NASH and its national transformation agenda, the Power of Systems, visit www.nash.edu.