US Africa Institute, ASU partner to advance college access for Black students

The U.S. Africa Institute and Arizona State University have launched a partnership aimed at increasing educational access and success for Black high school and aspiring college students worldwide.

A new joint program leverages ASU’s Learning Enterprise programs. Students who complete college courses while in high school are more likely to go to college than those who don’t. Through this partnership, participating high school students will take college-level courses designed by world-class ASU faculty and aligned with ASU degrees.

The partnership puts college within reach for everyone through ASU’s Earned Admission — a flexible, low-risk pathway to a college degree. Regardless of previous academic standing, all learners can take courses online from ASU’s leading faculty to earn college credits, only adding a course to their transcript when it’s completed with a C or better. After graduating high school and finishing the required coursework, they are guaranteed a spot at ASU, or they can transfer earned credits toward a degree at another institution. 

“U.S. Africa Institute looks forward to the positive impact this collaboration with ASU will have on its learners and is eager to see the fruits of this joint educational venture,” shares Tadios Belay, president and CEO of U.S. Africa Institute.

ASU’s Learning Enterprise already has 310,000-plus learners enrolled across the globe, and this partnership with the U.S. Africa Institute will expand the capacity for serving learners.

“Our goal is to provide more high school students and aspiring college students with increased access to high-quality education and academic support,” says Maria Anguiano, executive vice president of ASU’s Learning Enterprise, which advances universal access to learning at all stages in life. “The U.S. Africa Institute has a track record for advancing equity and strengthening our democracy, making them ideal partners to connect learners to more seamless paths to college.”

The program begins Aug. 1. View the detailed course offerings from ASU’s Universal Pathways at https://ea.asu.edu/courses.

Written by Samantha Becker.