NORFOLK, Neb. – Northeast Community College will participate in Phase 2 of the Rural Guided Pathways Project, continuing the work it began in Phase 1.
Colleges that are part of Rural Pathways work with each other — and with community partners in their regions — to implement a framework designed to assist students as they progress through college and complete their educational goals.
The project’s rural focus and in-depth participation of community partners set it apart from other guided pathways efforts. Phase 1 included 16 colleges and ran from 2022 through 2024. Phase 2 includes 28 colleges, many of which are continuing the work they started in Phase 1 and will run from 2025 through 2027.
“In essence, we want to meet students where they are in their educational journey and help them meet their goal whether that be an associate degree leading directly to a job, certifications for workforce, English language learning, or in the preparation needed to transfer to a four-year institution and beyond,” said Leah Barrett, Northeast president.
Participating colleges commit to:
- Designing and implementing a better student experience at their colleges.
- Ensuring that more students earn credentials and move on to living-wage jobs or transfer to a four-year institution with junior status.
- Collaborating with key stakeholders to increase economic opportunity in their region and be partners in the implementation of a cross-sector approach to guided pathways.
- Implementing evidence-based reforms that will lead to improved educational and workforce outcomes.
The Rural Guided Pathways Project gives rural colleges opportunities to work through challenging issues and collaborate with peer institutions, all in the context of a learning community that provides a broad range of supports.
The role of community partners also sets Rural Guided Pathways apart. Throughout the three-year project, regional partners are an integral part of each college’s team and embedded in pathways implementation. The value of involving external stakeholders in pathways work is amplified in rural settings, where students’ education, residents’ economic mobility, and the regional economy are so closely intertwined.
“We are excited to have Northeast Community College continue its participation in Rural Pathways,” said Gretchen Schmidt, senior fellow, National Center for Inquiry & Improvement (NCII). “Rural institutions have not had many opportunities to problem-solve around the student success and completion issues that are particular to their culture, context, and capacity. By being part of Rural Pathways, Northeast is demonstrating its commitment to making lasting changes that will improve student outcomes.”
NCII provides the project leadership for Rural Pathways. A team of implementation coaches, leadership coaches, and subject matter experts join NCII in working with participating colleges and developing the project’s curriculum.
NCII also builds on longstanding partnerships with the Community College Research Center and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program to support participating colleges.
For more information about Rural Guided Pathways, visit ruralguidedpathways.org.
###