October 2023 IllinoisCAN Newsletter



Illinois College Access Network


Illinois College Access Network Newsletter

October 2023


Welcome to IllinoisCAN's monthly newsletter.

The mission of IllinoisCAN is to improve postsecondary access and success for low-income and first-generation college students in Illinois. IllinoisCAN builds the capacity and effectiveness of college access organizations to help students reach their goals. IllinoisCAN monthly newsletters are intended to be for us and by us – professionals around the state working to improve college access.

In this issue:
SAVE THE DATE: IllinoisCAN Virtual Meeting

Please mark your calendars for IllinoisCAN's fall meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 1st from 8:30-10 a.m. where we will discuss the creation of an advisory council for the network and introduce the First Generation Scholars Network. A meeting invitation will be sent via email.

You can also access the meeting using this link: https://illinois2.webex.com/illinois2/j.php?MTID=m0e117cfc1d03af1930c7f5ed17f350a3.

Measuring Higher Ed's Benefits Beyond Earnings

A new report from Lumina Foundation and Gallup discusses a myriad of positive outcomes associated with going to college. The hope is that this will lead to a new perception of higher ed's "worth".

Read the report: https://www.gallup.com/analytics/468986/state-of-higher-education.aspx

Reintroducing the Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary

"To help transform outcomes for youth and adults across Illinois, Education Systems Center at NIU, together with the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois State Board of Education, and Illinois Student Assistance Commission, is re-launching the innovative Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary as a new comprehensive and user-friendly web-based resource. The new Illinois Career Pathways Dictionary includes expanded and updated definitions as well as resources and implementation guidance on a new website, pathwaysdictionary.org."

Illinois Education and Career Success Network Webinar

How can we recruit underrepresented students into pathways leading to high-quality careers? What supports do these students need to feel welcome and be successful in the classroom and the workplace? Join us on October 31, 2–3 p.m. to hear from three Leadership Communities using innovative approaches for advising students, especially those from underrepresented groups, as they pursue their career pathways.

ISAC's New FAFSA Simplification Webpage

ISAC's professional development team has developed a new FAFSA Simplification webpage specifically created for counselors, mentors, and other college access professionals who may have questions about the new 2024-2025 FAFSA launching in December.

Visit the page to see updates, answers to frequently asked questions and for training opportunities: https://www.isac.org/pd/fafsa-simplification

Illinois Latino College Landscape Study

"In 2021, only 26% of Latino adults aged 25 to 64 in Illinois earned associate degrees or higher, the lowest educational attainment of all racial/ethnic groups. To better understand the educational attainment disparity, the Latino Policy Forum initiated the Illinois Latino College Landscape Study in partnership with the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC)."

Read the full report and watch the "Latino College Access and Completion: Voices from the Field" webinar at https://www.latinopolicyforum.org/issues/education/illinois-latino-college-landscape-study.

Tutor/Mentor Institute Resources

The Tutor/Mentor Institute has been compiling lists of services for youth for many years. Here are three resources that may interest IllinoisCAN members:
These are FREE resources and are a small part of the library built over the past 25 years by founder, Dan Bassill, tutormentor2@earthlink.net. Thank you for sharing, Dan!

Do you have events, news, requests, or resources to share with college access colleagues?

IllinoisCAN monthly newsletters are intended to be for us and by us – professionals around the state working to move college access forward. For inclusion in the next newsletter, send content by Nov. 3rd to ISAC.IllinoisCAN@illinois.gov.

Find us on Facebook:
  • Like and Follow the Illinois College Access Network page
  • Join the IllinoisCAN Facebook group established for members to connect and collaborate
Share IllinoisCAN with colleagues as we expand to our statewide network.

https://illinoiscan.org/join-illinoiscan/