In Philadelphia alone, there are more than 70,000 adults who have at least one year's worth of college credits but have not completed their degree. Regionally, there are close to 300,000.
This is not a problem that is unique to Philadelphia, many cities face similar challenges. However, our solution to it is. Nowhere in the country, to the best of our knowledge, have major stakeholders come together to promote college degree attainment and provide the services and supports needed to complete a degree.
Our reasoning is simple. Increasing the number of individuals with college degrees returns significant economic and social benefits to the region, its residents, and its businesses.
At an individual level, a college degree opens doors to well-paying careers — many of which require a degree — and an average increase in lifelong earnings potential of $1 million.
From a business standpoint, increasing the number of working adults with college degrees improves productivity and performance, as adults can easily apply their knowledge and skills directly and immediately to their work. Further, it strengthens the region's talent pool and provides current and prospective businesses with their most valuable asset — a skilled and talented workforce.
Ultimately, the success of these efforts will benefit the entire region. It will allow more residents and businesses to participate and prosper in the economy, and will make the Greater Philadelphia region a more attractive and viable place to do business.
To increase the number of adults with college degrees, Graduate! Philadelphia works on three fronts:
- Raising awareness of the issues and leading a regional, multi-partner collaborative approach to solutions
- Influencing policy and systems change
- Developing and piloting innovative programs, such as the Graduate! Philadelphia outreach center
Graduate! Philadelphia was founded in 2005 as a response to the shortage of adults with college degrees in the Greater Philadelphia region. Co-founders Sallie Glickman, CEO of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, David Thornburgh, then Executive Director of the Economy League, and Hadass Sheffer brought together the perspectives of workforce development, economic development, and higher education in what was then considered a groundbreaking approach to increasing regional college attainment levels.
Today, Graduate! Philadelphia works with employers and organized labor, community-based organizations, colleges, foundations, government agencies, and others to further our common agenda of helping adults get back to and through college in a timely and efficient manner.
The Graduate! Philadelphia center is operated in partnership with the Philadelphia Education Fund and is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the City of Philadelphia.
Graduate! Philadelphia is a joint initiative of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and the United Way of Southeastern PA. These organizations form the Managing Partnership of Graduate! Philadelphia.
To join this effort, please contact Hadass Sheffer, Executive Director of Graduate! Philadelphia, at .
