News

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) has awarded a Michigan multi-partner collaborative a $250,000 Strategic Impact and Innovation Grant. The grant will bolster the state’s efforts to award credit for prior learning and ensure seamless pathways from work experience to bachelor’s degree completion in applied programs.

Through strategic partnerships among Michigan’s public and independent universities, community colleges, and state agencies, the Scaling Michigan’s MiWorkforce Pathways initiative will establish transparent, scalable, and equitable models for translating prior learning into degree-applicable credit. It will also establish stackable credential pathways in relevant workforce programs for high-demand occupational fields where Michigan employers face persistent talent shortages, including health care and information technology.

Members of the collaborative include the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP); Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity; Michigan Community College Association; Michigan Association of State Universities and Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities.

“Michigan’s future depends on how well we help connect talent to opportunities,” said Sarah Szurpicki, deputy director of the Office of Higher Education in MiLEAP. “This initiative will help more Michiganders turn what they already know into college credit, helping us reach our 60 by 30 attainment goal, strengthening our state’s talent pipeline, and fueling career growth.”

The initiative will leverage Michigan’s prior investment in the Transfer Success Project, Michigan Transfer Network’s Industry Credentials Database, the pre-existing MiWorkforce Pathways, and the Michigan College Credit for Apprenticeships program.

“Michigan’s community colleges know that learning happens everywhere — in the workplace, through military service, and in industry training,” said Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association. “This grant helps build on the strong work already underway in Michigan to expand credit for prior learning and create clearer pathways from experience to degree completion.”

Daniel Hurley, CEO of the Michigan Association of State Universities, noted that the grant will help build upon a robust track record in recent years of fostering more clear and efficient career pathways for students. “This collaborative involving many key stakeholders will further strengthen the workforce development ecosystem in Michigan.”

MHEC’s Strategic Impact and Innovation Grants support high-impact, collaborative initiatives that address state needs and that align with the MHEC’s vision to strengthen postsecondary education and advance regional economic vitality. Each of MHEC’s 12 member states can apply for a grant for up to $250,000.

“This multi-partner proposal from Michigan leaders has the potential to create a national model for recognizing wherever and however learning occurs, which can have a significant impact on our workforce,” said Susan G. Heegaard, MHEC President. “We were impressed with the initiative’s thorough, thoughtful, and innovative approach.”

About MHEC
MHEC brings together leaders from midwestern states to develop cost-sharing opportunities, generate collaborative solutions to challenges and opportunities in higher education, and align postsecondary education to improve individual career readiness and regional economic vitality. Member states are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. More information is available at www.mhec.org.

Information
For more information about the grant, contact Carrie Wandler, senior director of policy initiatives at MHEC.