Dayton Business Journal...
Sinclair obtains distinction for graduation rates
Friday, September 30, 2011
By Laura Englehart 

Sinclair Community College and 23 other schools were given Leader College Distinction for improving their graduation rates and closing achievement gaps. 

The recognition comes from Achieving the Dream Inc., a nonprofit focused on increasing community college graduation rates. 

The Dayton region’s largest school joins 52 community colleges around the country that already have earned the distinction 

Since 2005, Sinclair has taken steps to increase the number of students who graduate in three years with a degree or certificate by eliminating graduation application fees and redesigning curriculum and teacher approaches to learning. 

The college’s graduation rate for first-time, degree-seeking students improved from 8 percent in the 2005-06 school year to 12 percent in the 2008-09 school year. Additionally, by 2010, the 1,200 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2007 to earn a degree or certificate, 62 percent had graduated, were still enrolled, had transferred to another college or left Sinclair in good academic standings. 

Sinclair leaders have worked with Achieving the Dream since 2006 and say the Leader College Distinction matters. 

“Across the nation, community colleges are working very hard to find different and better ways to help students stick with school and meet their educational goals, whether it’s to finish a series of courses, earn a certificate that gives them leg up in workplace or transfer to four year college,” said Helen Grove, senior vice president and provost. 

Sinclair has focused on helping more students achieve a certificate or a degree because post-secondary education makes a big impact on a career and family. 

“Having that post secondary education is just essential to provide for oneself and one’s family,” Grove said. “We’re very committed to having more students go further academically.” 

Read it at Dayton Business Journal