CFES College Persistence Summit

Listen to the Experts: Keeping Kids in College

The college-dropout challenge will be the focus of a daylong summit hosted by College For Every Student (CFES) in Essex, N.Y., on Thursday, June 6.

CFES has helped make college a reality for more than 75,000 low-income students since 1991. Several students who have benefited from the CFES program, both still in college and recent graduates, will be at the summit to discuss their experiences.

Three out of four low-income students drop out of college – a looming issue that threatens our country’s economy.

“Building the College Persistence Bridge: Ensuring Success for Low-Income Students” will bring together college presidents, secondary educators, retention professionals, counselors, and others to share ideas and ultimately develop strategies to lower America’s college dropout rate. They will be joined by Education Week Editor-in-Chief Virginia Edwards, who will speak about trends in higher education.

“While 40 percent of U.S. students who start college never finish, the college dropout rate for low-income students is an abysmal 75 percent,” said CFES President & CEO Rick Dalton. “With the highest college failure rate in the world, we desperately need strategies that can turn things around. We’re relying on our students to help solve the problem.”

Representatives from colleges in several states will make presentations at the conference to share their own experiences in improving the graduation rates of at-risk students. One of those institutions, Paul Smith’s College, has become a national leader for retention – the term used in the industry to describe the practice of keeping students in college.

“Getting students to college is just part of the battle – it’s critical to ensure that we develop the tools to keep them here until they graduate,” John Mills, president of Paul Smith’s College said. “Our retention team has cultivated a nationally recognized, hands-on intervention strategy that gives all of our students the best chance to thrive.”

CFES Event Details

What: College Persistence Summit
Where: CFES Headquarters, 2303 Main Street, Essex, NY 12936
When: Thursday, June 6
Virginia Edwards, Editor-in-Chief, Education Week, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Student Panel 1:15 – 2 p.m.

CFES Boardroom Named in Honor of Lawson and Clint Allen (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
CFES Rural-Urban Exchange (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Spring Barn Dance & Silent Auction (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
CFES Dedicates New Building Tomorrow (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About CFES Brilliant Pathways

CFES Brilliant Pathways is a global leader in helping K-12 underserved students from rural and urban communities become college and career ready, giving students an opportunity to forge their own route to a bright future. For 29 years, CFES has worked closely with schools, colleges and businesses in urban and rural areas to help students become college and career ready through mentoring and by equipping them with the EssentialSkills that include perseverance, agility, goal setting, networking, teamwork and leadership (www.brilliantpathways.org)