Ascend at the Aspen Institute is a hub for breakthrough ideas and collaborations that move children and their parents toward education success and economic security. Ascend takes a two-generation approach to its work – focusing on children and their parents together – and they bring a gender and racial equity lens to their analysis.
Why We Invested
Nearly a quarter of all postsecondary students (approximately 4 million students) have a dependent child. Student parents have incredible motivation, grit, courage, and drive to increase their career and economic mobility through postsecondary success, which could increase the educational outcomes for their children. Yet, they face meaningful challenges to graduate. Through our partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute, we hope to better understand the needs of student parents and inspire solutions that will accelerate postsecondary success for student parents, while improving the outcomes for their children.
Listening to parents, elevating their voices, and lifting up their dreams for their children and family is core to ensuring economic mobility for all families. At Ascend, we take a two-generation approach to building prosperity and well-being for families in the US, and we know that investing in the economic and educational success of parents can have a significant impact for generations to come.
Anne Mosle, Vice President, Aspen Institute and Executive Director, Ascend at the Aspen Institute