On this episode of Impact Adventures, experts from Lumina Impact Ventures, Edquity, and the Community Outcomes Fund talk about finding and funding new ways to set students up for success, the challenges that derail individuals from attaining postsecondary education, and the potential of outcomes financing to change the impact investing landscape.

At San Antonio College—which last week won the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence—students are required to meet with an advisor at four junctures during the pursuit of an associate degree; a case management approach supports students in and out of the classroom; and a new program increases resources for students with fewer than 15 earned credits.

Many colleges around the country use similar models. Where advising used to be heavily focused on academic paths and career aspirations, it’s now about helping students juggle other aspects of life.

Photo: André Chung 

An organization called B-360 exists at the unlikely intersection of three lanes: unrecognized potential, dirt bike culture, and STEM education.

Brittany Young, a former NASA engineer, created B-360 in March 2017; since then, about 7,000 students have taken part in the Baltimore program. They don't just learn to do tricks on bikes. They also learn to code, operate a 3D printer, repair and build bikes, and construct robots. The goal is to attract more Black students into STEM careers.