Mission: Graduate announces progress toward the 60K goal

At the All Partner meeting United Way of Central New Mexico CEO Rodney Prunty announced to the more than 80 attendees that 29,469 new graduates with post-secondary degrees and certificates were added to the central New Mexico region between 2010 and 2017. The information was published in Driving Change, Mission: Graduate’s sixth annual data report, which was released at the annual All Partner meeting. 

Since 2010, Mission: Graduate has been working to increase the number of new graduates with degrees or certificates to 60,000 by 2020. The number of new additional graduates announced are above the baseline certificate and degree attainment rate established in 2010. The total number of degrees and certificates awarded during the same time frame was 113,787. The report also includes other educational attainment data for the central New Mexico region in the same 2010–2017 timeframe, along with updates on strategy work. 

CNM and UNM continue to make significant graduation gains, both in terms of the total number of credentials awarded and their overall graduation rates,” says Jessica Nojek, Executive Director of Mission: Graduate. “While the goal is an important driver in our work, the conversations that have started by bringing together our community is what is inspiring lasting change.” 

Keynote speaker, Gwen Perea Warniment, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary of Teaching, Learning and Assessment, New Mexico Public Education Department, shared her vision for public education in New Mexico.  

Josh Davis, Vice President for External Affairs, StriveTogether reflected on the partnership with Mission: Graduate.    

During breakout sessions, partners discussed findings from the report.