College Promise Quarterly Newsletter, June 2026
Greetings!
This season marks a time of celebration, momentum, and new possibilities across the Promise community. As students graduate, new cohorts begin their journeys, and communities look ahead to the future, we are reminded of the power of Promise to expand opportunity, unlock potential, and strengthen pathways to prosperity.
This year is especially meaningful as pioneering Promise programs—including Achieve Atlanta, Richmond Promise, Oakland Promise, and LA College Promise—celebrate 10 years of impact. These milestones reflect a decade of leadership, partnership, and a commitment to student success as central to building healthy, vibrant communities.
At College Promise, we have embraced that same spirit of momentum and innovation. This quarter, we advanced three learning communities designed to strengthen Promise programs and build stronger connections between education, workforce, and community systems. Our Parenting Student and Male Mobility Learning Communities brought together leaders across eight states to identify strategies for supporting student parents and men through more connected education-to-career pathways. We also concluded the College Promise Learning Community (CPLC) Advancing Impact Through Compelling Communication, where ten Promise programs strengthened their storytelling, communications, and stakeholder engagement. This summer, we are excited to bring key lessons from the CPLC experience to the broader Promise field through a public webinar series - see below for further details.
Looking ahead, save the date for the 2026 College Promise Careers Institute, October 21–22 at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, hosted in partnership with LA College Promise and the Los Angeles Community College District – more details will be coming soon!
Thank you for being part of this work. Read on for recent highlights, upcoming events, and opportunities to connect with the College Promise community this summer and fall.
With Gratitude,
The College Promise team
What’s New at College Promise: Save the Dates!
College Promise Careers Institute: October 21-22, Los Angeles
Hosted in Los Angeles—a global center of innovation, healthcare, technology, entertainment, and entrepreneurship—the Careers Institute will bring together leaders from education, business, philanthropy, government, and workforce development to examine how Promise programs can serve as a powerful platform for connecting education, skills, and opportunity— and advance big ideas and practical solutions to create stronger talent pipelines, flourishing communities, and greater prosperity for all. Early Bird Registration Opens Soon. → Add to Your Google Calendar
Summer Webinar Series: Advancing Impact through Compelling Communication: July 15, 22, 29, & August 12, 2:00-3:00 EST
Building on learnings from the College Promise Learning Community (CPLC), College Promise will host a four-part public webinar series open to the broader Promise field. The series will elevate key insights, tools, and promising practices that emerged throughout the learning community, equipping Promise leaders to more effectively communicate their impact, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and advance organizational sustainability.
- July 15: Effective Communication for Student Success, featuring Caitlin Anzelone, Director, MDRC Center for Applied Behavioral Science (CABS) | Register
- July 22: Fundamentals of Storytelling for Organizational Success, featuring Scott Carlson, author of Hacking College and Senior Writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education | Register
- July 29: What Is the ROI on That? Evaluating and Communicating the Impact of Promise | Register
- August 12: From Access to Shared Prosperity: How Promise Programs are Evolving & Strengthening their Stories to Demonstrate Impact | Register
Recently Released Tools & Resources
Promise Programs: Current Strength, Future Planning
Promise programs are strong today—and planning intentionally for tomorrow. Check out the full report from our Community Voices Survey, and our recommendations for investment in six key areas to strengthen their continued impact. Deep appreciation for all the Promise programs who shared their insights. Keep Reading →
College Promise Career Acceleration Playbook
Students need clear, accessible information about the labor market to make informed choices during college. The Career Acceleration Playbook provides Promise leaders with practical strategies and tools to help students connect education to career success and economic mobility. Keep reading →
Promise Headlines
Statewide. Georgia. Georgia moves beyond HOPE, with need-based aid for college students
Capitol Beat, Ty Tagami, May 11, 2026 Read More →
Statewide. Maine. Community college is permanently free for all future Maine high school graduates
13 WGME, Allyson LapierreFri, April 10, 2026 Read More →
Regional. Texas. Paris Junior College Announces the Launch of the Greenville Dragon Promise.
MyParisTexas, May 22, 2026 Read More →
Regional. Texas. STC and Coastal Bend College Unveil New “Promise to Promise” Bachelor’s Pipeline
Texas Border Business, Amanda Sotelo, May 13, 2026 Read More →
Regional. Illinois. From Chicago Classrooms to Debt-Free Degrees
Inside Higher Ed, Joshua Bay, June 1, 2026 Read More →
Regional. California. Oakland Promise celebrates a decade of changing young lives
Fox KTVU, May 15, 2026 Read More →
What We’re Learning: Insights from the Field
Getting state ‘free college’ right: Design choices that matter
Katharine Meyer and Isabel McMullen, Brookings
April 30, 2026
5 Key Takeaways on Caregiving Students
Joshua Bay, Inside Higher Ed
April 29, 2026
New MiLEAP Report Highlights Growing Access to Higher Education
Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP)
May 27, 2026
Seeking Stability but Seeing Risk: Young Men’s Perspectives on Career Pathways
Rebecca Silliman, Brian Schulz, and Andrew J. Seligsohn, PhD, Public Agenda
Coaching and Completion Grants, 5 Years of Evidence
SCORE
April 9, 2026
How Universities & Hospital Systems Affect Local Economies
Jonathan Schwabish, Christine Baker-Smith, Urban Institute
June 5, 2026
Additional Opportunities
Intuit Virtual Educator Conference
June 23, 12-4 EST
CUNY Student Success Action Lab
Learn More | Apply by Friday, June 26
Connect with Us!
We hope to see you at the following conferences this summer!
- Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance (HEFWA) | July 23 - 26 | Charlotte
- 2026 SHEEO Policy Conference | August 3-6 | Chicago
Want to connect for a conversation? Reach out to info@collegepromise.org, or make an appointment to connect with College Promise!
Have a resource or opportunity you would like to share in the College Promise newsletter? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to jessie@collegepromise.org