CaliforniaAttain! Annual Retreat

In June, CaliforniaAttain! partners (California Competes, ProjectAttain!, Sacramento State, and Shasta College) convened for its annual retreat to strategize and align our efforts to better serve Californians with some college but no degree. Learn more about this work here.

Compton College 2023 Commencement Ceremony

California Competes CEO Dr. Su Jin Jez served as the keynote speaker at Compton College’s 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Watch her full speech here. “Your power lies within who you are as individuals and the unique, personal experiences that have shaped you… Claim your story. When you do, you create a future that is filled with […]

Los Angeles 2nd District Community Colleges (LA2CCC) Career Readiness Pilot Convening

As part of our LA2CCC project, focused on enhancing career readiness within Los Angeles County’s 2nd supervisorial district, we brought together all five partners, including Compton College, El Camino College, Los Angeles Southwest College, West Los Angeles College, and Holly Mitchell’s workforce development team, to identify a set of challenges and opportunities related to career […]

Ascend’s #CollaborativeAction for #StudentParents Convening

Dr. Su Jin Jez, California Competes CEO participated in the following session at Ascend’s annual student parent ecosystem convening, Collaborative Action for Student Parent: Making Measures: Encouraging State and Federal Governments to Establish Student Parent Data Mandates and Attainment Goals Elevating student parents on government agendas takes dedicated effort and sophistication in navigating multiple systems. […]

California Higher Education Policy Institute for Legislative Staff 2023

California Competes hosted its third annual California Higher Education Policy Institute for Legislative Staff on Friday, May 5, 2023 in Sacramento, CA. This event was designed to educate and engage legislative staff on key higher education issues that are crucial to informing state policymaking. For copies of the event materials, please click here or the relevant […]

Panel and Reception on California Higher Education Innovation at the ASU+GSV Summit

California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy participated in a California-focused panel on higher education innovation that took place at the 13th annual ASU+GSV Summit on April 17, 2023, with a reception immediately after. The panel dicussed emergent and persistent challenges facing California higher education and workforce development and opportunities for innovation to help […]

California Higher Education Policy Institute for Legislators 2023

  California Competes hosted its third annual California Higher Education Policy Institute for Legislators on January 19-20, 2023 in Sonoma, CA. This two-day event focused on creating an engaging space for policymakers to explore new strategies on how to move higher education forward in uncertain economic times. Together, we engaged in in-depth discussions and activities […]

ProjectAttain!’s Summer Summit on Adult Learner Success

Summer Summit on Adult Learner Success

On Tuesday, August 9, Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Jez provided a keynote at ProjectAttain!’s Summer Summit on Adult Learner Success. The program was held at American River College and covered education and workforce initiatives, adult attainment and re-engagement strategies, and new investments that support education in the region. Attendees heard about updates on initiatives and […]

Thriving and Equitable Online Education Retreat

Online Education Retreat

On December 12-13, California Competes convened key higher education leaders for a two-day retreat to strategize on the future of online education in California and set a path forward toward an equitable system of higher learning.

California Economic Summit

California Economic Summit

California Competes Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Jez served as part of the panel for the Education and Workforce workgroup at the 2022 California Economic Summit held in Bakersfield on October 27-28. This annual event brings together a network of bipartisan business, equity, environmental and civic organizations to champion solutions to advance shared prosperity across […]

Edtrust-West Education Equity Forum

Edtrust-West Education Equity Forum

At Edtrust-West’s Education Equity Forum, California Competes Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Jez joined a panel of partners to discuss advancing cross-sector collaboration for student parent success. Kenya Abner, California Competes summer fellow also joined the panel to share her experience and perspective as a student parent (and grandmother).

Short Term Credentials: Dynamics, Returns, and Funding

short term credentials

California Competes Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Jez participated in the opening panel for Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s two-day hybrid event Short Term Credentials: Dynamics, Returns, and Funding. Discussions included the connection between higher education and the workforce, as well as some factors that have led to the growth of short-term certificates and other nondegree […]