Sometimes, a single moment in a new city can crystallize years of dedicated effort. For a group of students from Saint Paul College and Minneapolis College, their recent trip to the NCORE Conference and the NYC Learning Exchange wasn’t just a field trip—it was a profound validation that their journey is the culmination of years of partnership and commitment.
For over half a decade, Minneapolis College and Saint Paul College have jointly partnered with Generation Next, leveraging data, sharing best practices, and focusing on creating a seamless path to postsecondary success for students of color and lower-income students. From initial data on the dual credit gap in 2019 to refining culturally sustaining practices like the BTEG (Bridging the Equity Gap) and iLEAD (Identity, Leadership, Excellence, Accountability, and Dedication) programs, every strategy was a seed planted. This trip was the harvest.
Finding Your Seat at the Table
As sponsor of the students’ experience Generation Next received their reflections. The most powerful theme from the students’ reflections was the unwavering affirmation of their identity and worth. It was more than just learning; it was being seen.
One student captured this perfectly: “This experience affirmed that I do not have to change who I am…to be taken seriously in academic spaces. I can show up fully, knowing that my voice matters…” This feeling of authenticity is the direct result of our partnership’s core focus on culturally sustaining practices.
The impact was perhaps best illustrated during a powerful dinner at Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine. One student recalled counseling a peer who was feeling overwhelmed:
“I told him that someone believed in him enough to fly him across the country… because his voice, his presence, and his perspective mattered. I reminded him that he did not need to shrink or prove anything, because the seat was already his.”
That quote results from ongoing efforts like the developmental education reform, which recognized that old systems acted as a barrier, causing students to disengage and fostering self-doubt. When we eliminate those systemic barriers, we make it clear that the student is worthy, the seat is theirs, and their voice is invaluable.
Inspiration in the Face of Adversity
Our partnership has worked to address systemic barriers head-on, such as the “belief gap” highlighted in recent practitioners’ forums. The conference gave students direct access to the battle for higher education.
For one student, with a personal journey in the justice system who had “believed that all of my academia efforts were shattered,” hearing scholars speak about working with other justice-impacted students was a profound reversal of fortune.
“Within this forum and in these meetings they welcomed me, they encouraged me, they cheered me on… I finally felt a part of a [higher education] system that I once, out of shame and doubt, had so long ago abandoned, that had now welcomed me back.”
This is the very essence of perseverance—a student reclaiming their future. It echoes the confidence drawn from a powerful NCORE keynote by Yasmin Cader, Deputy Legal Director at the ACLU: “Yasmin’s ‘We’ve already done this before,’ gave me the chills. Her reminder that our nation has endured and overcame the most challenging times of our history gave me all the confidence that I needed.”
This resilience is not built in isolation. It’s nurtured by the “unconditional love and support” they felt in their cohort and at moments like the dinner with #DegreesNYC and Young Black Male Grassroots Initiative leaders—a “true meeting of the minds” that one student described as “humbling, loving, and necessary for me to understand the power of black love and leadership.“
The Power of Community and “Real Time” Advice
The learning exchange wasn’t just about abstract concepts; it was about practical, “real time advice” and connections. Students found immense value in networking with peers and professionals “dealing with the challenges in higher education as well as professionals who have triumphed.”
The visit to CUNY ASAP, a strong, tangible model that focuses on “removing barriers instead of just offering general advice,” inspired them to connect it to their own programs. The casual peer-to-peer moments—laughing, reflecting, and sharing space—were just as vital. As one student noted, the evening gathering “felt easy and familiar in the best way. Honestly, it felt like home.“
This sense of community is the direct outcome of our commitment to collective impact, which we noted in 2023 as a key to student retention. By facilitating these connections, partner institutions ensure students leave not just with knowledge, but with an extended family of support.
The Journey Continues
The incredible feedback from this trip validates the years of collaborative, data-driven work—from the 2020 Postsecondary Transitions Action Community learnings to the ongoing SLEDS data analysis. The students’ experience is the evidence that when we invest in asset framing, equity-focused leadership, and culturally sustaining supports, we don’t just close gaps—we launch futures.
Their enthusiasm for continuing their education is our greatest reward. As we continue to strengthen college and community partnerships, refine our postsecondary transitions model, and advocate for meaningful policy changes, we do so, guided by these student voices.