Message from Founding Chairman
Message from President & CEO
Student Success Center for Florida Colleges
$1,000,000 Invested
Helios believes that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary degree. Yet, often first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students convince themselves a postsecondary degree is too costly, overwhelming, or out of reach. For these students, starting their education at a state college often provides the right campus fit at the right cost.
The Florida College System served over 800,000 students in 2015-16. Of those enrolled, 50% were pursuing an Associate of Arts degree, with the other 50% enrolled in workforce programs. Further, 54% of students in upper-division courses at Florida public universities started at a Florida College System institution.
The average age of a state college student is 25; 8% are under 18 years of age. In academic year 2015-2016, more than half of students enrolled in the state college system were female (58%) and minority (55%). Additionally, just under half of students enrolled in Florida’s state colleges are Pell Grant recipients, and approximately 66% enroll part-time. Demographics of Florida’s state colleges mirror those of the state of Florida.
To augment student success efforts taking place on individual college campuses, Helios Education Foundation invested $1,000,000 in the creation of the Student Success Center for Florida Colleges (The Center).
The Center serves as a resource for evidence-based, innovative practices, and just-in-time information for Florida’s twenty-eight state colleges. The Center outlines its work in five pillars:
Student Success
Strategy Alignment
and Coherence
Policy Development
and Advocacy
Convening and
Engagement
Data Use to Guide
Priorities and
Investments
Research and
Knowledge
Management
By unifying efforts across the state and creating synergistic partnerships with K-12 districts and universities, The Center seeks to enrich each student’s college experience while also preparing him or her for the next step toward success in college and career.