To me, this said it all: "Georgia State found its 'moral compass' in the fact that Atlanta’s working class had been hammered by recession, producing rising numbers of applicants who met the federal definition of low-income students.
'We really became comfortable with saying we’re not about being the next University of Georgia or Chapel Hill,' Mr. Renick said."
Bravo! GSU is a school for strivers of all races -- people of all colors and backgrounds, often modest backgrounds, who are in fact pulling themselves up by their bootstraps with a big assist from GSU. Isn't that how it should be? I love that GSU is carving its own path to excellence instead of trying to be a second-rate version of some other school. I applaud this young lady's work ethic, persistence, resilience, and grit -- and GSU's, too!
38
Excellent story. I was particularly impressed with two things GSU is doing:
1. The pre-college summer readiness program to get students who might not be ready prepared for college.
2. The financial help to payoff outstanding debts.
I could've used No. 1 when I went to college, I wasn't prepared and my first quarter grades showed that.
Good job, Georgia State.
18
This is a great story, hopefully these techniq came be replicated.
7
Nice to see some good stats on Education for all Americans, including African Americans.
Whatever Georgia State is doing, it needs to be done for the rest of the USA.
18
At last something to be proud of in my home state of Georgia! (I grew up in Waycross.) But state must STOP all those horrible killings by the state, even of innocent people! I hate that so much! Great that once in a while we do something right for working people, who mostly can't possibly make it in the third-worlding country we live in. Rich have it all. But good luck, you graduates -- maybe some of you WILL make it, in spite of everything we will do to keep you down, as to wages and housing, healthcare, and the whole works!
7
I graduated from GSU in 2005 with a BS in Middle Grades The school is way more diverse than this article suggests. The author makes it sounds like it's all black, but it's not. My student teaching cohort had 50 students of which only 6 were black. Most of the blacks I knew went to one of 3 colleges (Spellman, Moorehouse Clark) that were well known for being black schools. It is nice to see the attention GSU is getting. We also won the Cure Bowl versus Western Kentucky!
7
Georgia State's grad schools are underrated across the board, especially law and business. Plenty of C-level execs in the southeast made the financially savvy decision to skip the more famous brands and it likely paid off in spades.
9
that's awesome I remember that college when visiting the ATL.
2
When I lived in Atlanta it wasn't considered the school for white businessmen. It was considered a joke and gave you a bad education. It was where kids who had no money went to school to get a four year degree. So it's good to see that continuing. I'm not assuming the education part of it is any better since it is in the south and they really really really hate education. And are proud of that fact.
3
I don't know when you lived in Atlanta, or how long ago, but I live there now, and your comment is ignorant. I'm not from the south, btw, nor did I go to GSU, but I've lived here for over two decades. Georgia has made major investments in education over the last 20 years, both in HOPE scholarships in higher ed and the lottery-funded pre-K program. Georgia State and its leaders are doing an amazing job not only educating tens of thousands of students, including in part-time programs for those who need to work, but also rebuilding and revitalizing downtown Atlanta. Its law school, for one, has a brand new, $50+ million state of the art building, great programs, and many excellent faculty.
Atlanta is a growing, interesting city with a flourishing arts community, film industry, healthcare institutions, etc., but it is also affordable, livable, and family-friendly. Both the city and the state have issues, but what city and state don't? Georgia State is doing great work, I applaud that, and I thank the NY Times for this article.
41
Interesting how involved the staff is in the students' academic lives. Cf. the recent story about Hamilton College. At the average big schools such as where I and my kids attended, it's surprising to find a teacher who knows your name. I guess at GA State 18 (or even several years older) does not mean you are on your own and cast adrift. I bet this school monitors attendance. Does GA State worry about FIRPA? It is impressive how well so many students there do who are not affluent and have, unlike at wealthier schools, job and family obligations. While 18 year olds may be adults legally, they do need guidance in the educational sphere.
9
This is something I think about a lot. Those of us from relatively privileged backgrounds—middle-class, financially secure, stable two-parent households—don’t realize how much of an education we get in our own homes, outside of the classroom. Among other things, it helps us navigate the bureaucracy and overwhelming resources of college. The interstitial programs at Georgia State replicate that experience for students from ‘unconventional’ backgrounds.
28
Don’t you know how offensive it is to advocate for the advantages of a two parent household. Did you not learn anything from Murphy Brown? Single mothers don’t need a man. Shame, shame. You sound like Dan Quayle. Outrageous.
4
Thank you for publishing this breath of fresh air.
As both a parent and teacher one number leaped out at me: advisors monitoring 800 warning flags.
Outstanding.
29
I am proud to know a 23-year old marketing major at GSU. He was raised by a single mom on a waitress’ income and struggled to complete his classes at a community college before transferring to GSU. He is working full time supporting himself and also his mom at times. He just started an internship in the ATL Tech village and is on schedule to graduate next year. The kid has grit! I mentioning that he is caucasian since race is a factor in the article.
15
This story made me cry happy tears.
14
Great story. Hopefully their success will drive others locally and nationally to improve how they increase student success. Sadly, the cost of secondary education has gone thru the roof, and the payoff has flatlined for non-STEM majors over the last 5-10 years. The worst offending majors are psychology, and sociology which for some bewildering reason women just love at unprecedented numbers across the country. Even majors like business management aren't that great anymore.
3
Atlanta is an African-American city---the city and state need to do a lot more to create educational opportunities for students of color at these local universities like Georgia State, including millions more in benefits and free tuition and books.
7
How about creating educational opportunities for all races.
7
What is the graduation rate for African Americans at GSU? The school is 42% African American so the overall rate doesn’t tell me anything.
Students across all ethnic groups graduate at about the same rate in a large part by helping those that need help which often are minorities. A better future for all seems to be a actual reality here at GSU.
5
I would like to point out that according to Black Enterpise this year alone Georgia state hast has tripled the graduation rate of black male student—and there is no graduation gap based on student demographics. Georgia State University now graduates more black students than any other U.S. college. Also i would like to point out African Americans are the majorty at georgia state. The graduation rate for African American students is 77.5%; for Hispanics, 76.7%, and for whites, 76.4%.
Here is a link to the article:
http://www.blackenterprise.com/georgia-state-triples-graduation-rate-bla...
13
Alumna of GSU School of Nursing, then Andrew Young School for Policy Studies, and got a fabulous education. During the years I attended school I loved the great diversity of the student body. My general classes had all kinds of students and many international students. GSU was affordable for me and within five years of graduating I had no debt. Pell Grants and work-study also helped me pay expenses. Because of my education I have consistently been at a high salary level and been able to perform interesting and challenging work. THANK YOU GSU!
35
That's great! Proud of this school in my home state of Georgia -- and most of the time I'm ashamed of it! I hate all the executions so much -- even of people who are innocent!. Can't bear that. (I grew up in Waycross.)
3
Many states started lotteries to fund education only to see the money spread throughout their budget with no net gain for education. Gov. Miller succeeded in setting the GA lottery up in a way that actually works for higher education. Other states would do well to move in this direction.
19
Might have been helpful for the author to tell the readers that GSU student body is 42% African American. That was deceiving your readership and deserves an apology. No one reading that story would believe the school was not at least 85% African American. Instead, the reality is most students are not African American. So the social mobility could be for whites.
6
G-State student population is as follows:
42% AA; 25% White; 13% Asia; 10% Hispanic.
Graduation rates are 57% AA; 51% White; 54% Asian; 51% Hispanic. So, the upward mobility is higher for AA, about on balance for Whites, low for Asians and high for Hispanics against national norms. We don't know how many of these students are going part-time. Also, 19% of these graduates actually did so by transferring to other school. Overall it is still a tremendous success.
20
Bravo. So much has been done over my 65 years of life to help and bolster the blacks in America. It is good to see something work. Most of the efforts have not yielded results.
3
The school is 42% African American. Most of the results are for non African Americans
Imagine what Georgia State or hundreds of other colleges around the country could do with the money that is given to the big name universities who already have endowments in the billions.
12
what graduation ceremony we are talking about? The GSU ceremony had to be compressed because of an impending storm and there was no "walking across the stage?.
2
GSU has multiple commencements throughout the day of graduation, and only the last of the day was impeded by weather.
GSU is a very large school with somewhere around 33,000 enrolled in four-year and graduate programs, and a further 20,000+ enrolled in two year programs. It's been a very long time since they've only had a single graduation.
3
I attended GSU law school's graduation ceremony last week, and the diversity was evident. Big public dollars are thrown at this school, though, which makes it highly subsidized compared with the private university at which I teach, where diversity is also valued. It would be nice if there were more equalization of resources to facilitate access to higher education for one and all who want it and can succeed. Same should be true for technical training. Georgia does a good job of this with its Hope scholarship program, among the best in the nation. That is probably the bigger story than GSU in particular.
8
HOPE for Whom?
New analysis of Georgia's aid program for top students -- a model for those of many other states -- finds that it is missing many low-income and minority students.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/16/report-finds-georgias-hop...
4
MJ, the GBPI study by Claire Suggs generally says that HOPE reaches many but could reach more. Suggs says that the problem in higher ed (not in tech training) is that HOPE is merit-based. You have to have a 3.0 out of high school. That is not a bad thing, because if you can't get a 3.0 in high school, you may not be well suited for college. On the other hand, a point not mentioned by Suggs, there is considerable irony is that the HOPE program is financed by lottery proceeds, disproportionately paid by poor people, and in Georgia at least, disproportionately by African Americans. The irony is that poor African Americans are often subsidizing elite white students. There could be a better funding vehicle, but I would stand by the 3.0 requirement.
1
As much as New Yorkers prides themselves (and look down on Southern states) for its liberal and egalitarian ways, we should look to Georgia, which has had Hope scholarships long before NY went that far. Georgia concentrates on kids actually graduating. Not just going to college.
11
I went to UGA on the Hope scholarship, and then Georgia State Law on my own dime. I was able to pay-off law school in five years working in non-profits. The State of Georgia has done an amazing job trying to create an affordable path for college students, and I commend them for it.
23
Are there no heartwarming stories involving men at this school? Let’s celebrate women’s successes, but not with passive acceptance of missing black men, both at school and in the home.
7
Oh there are and I have listen to some with similar stories that can bring tears.
A Caucasian graduate. I couldnt be more proud to read this article. Atlanta has so much potential and GSU will be a major driving force to help it realize it. The faculty at the school is top notch and focused more on helping their students achieve success opposed to getting their papers published. It is amazing to me how far the school has come since I graduated in 2001.
19
This is so needed especially when you realize how many of these young folks are conned by for profit colleges who enroll them, have them take on huge debt, only to drop out and find themselves in a worst spot than when they started.
Or the "lucky ones" who graduate with a useless degree and $150k in debt
Ms. Jones can't wait to hear about great things from you in the future and Atlanta business folk who are reading this call over to the college and help this young lady with a real job. Come on now,you were there at one time and somebody looked out for you
19
When I went to GSU in the 90’s it was known as a commuter school. I worked FT went to school FT it wasn’t a tradition college experience. GSU has come a long way in 20 years! I’m so proud of its evolution!
11
An Omega man in the black fraternity scene was always viewed with respect.
By her sash she has a connection with the local chapter.
How are the ''Thundering Zetas'' assisting with this graduation mission?
Can Greek life reinvent itself?
3
Very proud to be from Atlanta and learn of Georgia State University's interest in graduating their students. However, I would like to add when we moved here in 1994 I would hear a Georgia State professor often being quoted in the news. Georgia State has been on the forefront of many innovations, it has not just been "A night school for white businessmen".
16
Having grown up in Atlanta, the changes in our culture, the diversity we now have has been a long time coming. While most of the country will continue to perceive the south as backward this is a part of the south that people don’t acknowledge. Yes, outside of Atlanta it can still be backward but metro Atlanta has grown and created a new city. Thank you New York Times for this story- positive and educating others. All of us no longer drive around in a red pick up truck with a gun rack behind us.
37
I think we should take note that Miss Jones is a survivor of cancer. It takes a lot of grit to rise up after suffering a major disease at a very young age and get on with one's life as successfully as she has. This young woman has it.
66
"And for the last five years, it has awarded more bachelor’s degrees to African-Americans like Ms. Jones than any other nonprofit college or university in the country."
Numbers please?
9
I'm an Atlanta native but the comment, "the State of Georgia used to reject or neglect black students seeking a college degree" sounds awfully biased, no pun intended. As a lifelong NYT reader, am very disappointed in the tone of the article, as well intended it may be.
A better way to express this comment would be to examine why black students were not applying or being accepted, perhaps due to lack of academic preparation, college exposure or mentoring in high school?
I'm disappointed in this irresponsible statement.
12
"It has also changed the educational landscape in Atlanta, home to some of the nation’s most renowned historically black colleges. They came into being because the State of Georgia used to reject or neglect black students seeking a college degree. ".
While not technically a Georgia native, I have lived here since I was seven in 1963. I am white. I attended a private college in the state and UGA for graduate school. I had a career in the state teaching for a short time at UGA, at a not-for profit HBCU, and at a for-profit career college, both in Atlanta. What the article says is true. I don't know why you would think the tone of the article is biased, but the history of our state on this issue is fairly clear and easy to research. Perhaps you are too young to remember it.
7
You honestly don't think there's racism in Georgia! Please!
1
When a school makes serving a specific marginalized population central to its mission and identity, I cannot help but worry. Too often, the institution, motivated by the bottom line, is simply looking to increase its enrollment and claim the federal funds that come with explicitly serving racial and ethnic minority groups. The quality of the education offered tends to be inferior and the students who manage to complete the program are left with nothing more than a hollowed out credential, impossible loan payments, and hope that will be dashed as soon as they hit the job market. It's not much different from what we've seen with K-12 charter schools. What we need is education overhaul, not another iteration of "separate and unequal."
12
At least at GSU's law school, the education is top notch, and I know what I'm talking about as a law professor in the state, with a daughter who just graduated from GSU's law school.
21
I taught for most of my career at Cleveland State, a similar university to Georgia State. What has always struck me is that while the students need coaching and time to learn what the university is about, such universities are a launching pad for many to have successful careers. Those who speak of a "hollowed out credential" have no idea of the student growth which takes place at such places. Such universities are a real launching pad to social and economic equality for those who make the sacrifice and graduate. The government's money is well spent, even more so than at a state's flagship institutions.
47
I missed the part in the article that discussed lowering expectations for minority students. I thought it said administrators were using data to signal problems to be addressed? Possibly I'll be the first to tell you this, but dismissing the success of black students sounds a lot like racism.
13
While attending an HBCU in the ATL in the late 70's but not a resident on campus; there were many a days where I'd stop by the GSU library downtown. I found it a very nice place to study and I'm sure they were more open to nonstudents using their facilities then than they are now. It was surely a place where location proved beneficial for me at least, because I could step right out of GSU and hop on MARTA for an amazing price of fifteen cents and have it take me to my location in Dekalb County. I remember Atlanta prior to it winning rights to the Olympics.
5
Nice story. I applaud GSU for its mission and efforts. Unfortunately, there is no special help or additional tutoring in the work world or professional school. These students who require all of this additional attention to graduate may not be able to succeed in the professional world or graduate school where such assistance is not available. We face this issue yearly when students who required such assistance in undergraduate programs get into medical school and struggle without the special attention and assistance. Unfortunately many are unable to succeed on their own. This also occurs in the work place for those who get jobs. In the end, while some succeed, the majority of those who require so much assistance and special tutoring to get through just college end up with just a degree and no real skills to get them ahead.
10
Ey - The support these disadvantaged students are getting from GSU is the exact same support that affluent students get from their families. GSU students get micro-grants to help with bills and fees? Affluent students take for granted that their families will pay these expenses (and their families probably fix their car too so they don't have to spend 2 hours on a bus each day just to go to classes!). GSU students get assistance with choosing an appropriate major when one doesn't work out? Affluent students often get this type of guidance from their parents who themselves went to college. GSU students get extra tutoring when they need it? Affluent families pay private tutors to assist when their children need extra support. The fact is, the "extra" support GSU gives its students simply evens the playing field with the support affluent families take for granted. I have a hunch that these GSU students will do GREAT in the real world!
78
Why doesn’t the author give more details? Of the 800 data points, she mentions only two. And what is the role of the teacher? Apparently non existent. When I was at Purdue in the early 80’s in many classes I was required to meet one on one with the professor after every test. Is that done at Georgia State? I would like to know. This article had plenty of room for more details.
I am curious how you know this? Have you had personal experience with these types of students?
1
I went to Brown University for undergrad and Georgia State for law school. Can't say I got more out of the fancy school than I did from the superlative training I received at the College of Law. Two of my classmates are now judges and another hopefully will be elected this fall for a well-deserved place on the bench.
71
Great story. It is encouraging to see such a system use data to help further education and to help monitor large numbers of students which was previously not possible. More universities should be using systems like this.
19
Wow. A system that sends out an alert that the student has unpaid tuition and fees. Amazing. Evolutionary. Not really. It’s what the bursars office at every college in America has done forever. It’s called a past due notice. And you can’t go very far without paying for tuition. It’s not Berea College that has no tuition for any student. I would have like to have know what the adviser does after a poor quiz score. Wouldn’t that be the role of the teacher. Aren’t they the ones who graded the quiz or test?
Exactly! Why aren't more colleges duplicating this program? Certainly there are enough students at risk who could benefit from this. Bravo to the staff at Georgia State!
I attended Georgia State to complete post-bacc studies for medical school. My experience was fantastic. The school helped me succeed in difficult premed courses with dedicated supplemental instruction and tutoring services, and now, at the ripe old age of 30, I will be attending medical school this fall. I'm so proud to see GSU recognized for its excellent work. Perhaps the best part of my Georgia State education was meeting people who on the surface were so different from me but shared the same hopes and desires to achieve their dreams and contribute to our Atlanta community and beyond.
78
As a recently retired person and someone looking for something to do this article suggest to me that I should look to help local schools to assist young people looking to find their way in the world.
53
Good luck with that! When you find a school system that is open to community "helpers," let the NYT know. It has been my experience that schools and local supporting organizations are closed systems, no matter how much you have to offer as a community member. You might be able to volunteer for the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club.
1
I thought the same thing as a second career after corporate life.
Congratulations Shantil Jones and thank you Christopher Almond!
It is refreshing to hear about colleges that focus on the students that benefit from intentional investments of time and talent from the institutions they attend. It is also refreshing to hear about colleges that are outside of the Northeast private college ecosystem.
33
I'm surprised the NYT even knows there are schools outside of the Northeast. I guess they don't realize it is a big country out there and not all like NY.
21
I work at GSU and this focus is part of why I stay here.
I know I could make more money elsewhere, but when I've interviewed places, I don't hear this same passion for helping students succeed. Lip service to student success is easy. Actually working to find ways to make that happen is hard.
63
As a parent of a former and a current GSU student. Thank you!
My current student seriously considered attending SCAD for her design degree, but I'm satisfied she's getting the same great education without the crippling debt we would have incurred.
9
Good for you, Laura. marthastephens.wordpress.com
1
Education is something no one can take from you so it has value of its own. Great for her. However, social mobility requires more than a part time job at the UPS store with a college degree. Doesn't sound like you need a college degree for that job.
7
Bill, I agree with you, but she’s not alone. I don’t know the statistics, but anecdotally, this seems to be a common experience among our friends’ children, mostly white and from affluent families here in California. After graduating from relatively elite schools (USC, UCLA, Loyola, etc.) these kids’ first jobs are similar. Starbucks, etc. Some move up fairly fast - after two years one landed a job as an Apple software engineer - and some do not. My guess is that we’re already beginning to see the effects of AI, machine-learning and automation on the job market. If so, it’s going to get worse.
12
Now days you probably do need a college degree for a PT job at the UPS store; this is part of the problem. This young woman's education is being under utilized and a high school graduate, maybe even an experienced one has no chance to get a job like this anymore because they can hire someone who went to college.
9
Well, we all have to start somewhere. If she refused that job because she believed her college degree deserved better, you would probably accuse her of being unrealistic.
As a first-generation college graduate myself, naysayers like you are best ignored, since you cannot bear to stay silent.
9
Mark P. Becker, Timothy M. Renick, drivers of this Georgia State vision found a moral compass leading to exemplary graduation rates.''“Rather than trying to find a way to get students other than the ones that enroll at Georgia State and then find a way to serve them, why don’t we just find new ways to support the students who we do enroll, and who come to us in great numbers?”
Brilliant in it's simplicity of a mission statement.
Betsey Devos just shut down all the investigations. Betsy DeVos Shuts Down Team That Investigates For-Profit College Fraud .
Thank you for an uplifting article and how the choices can't be clearer.
41
This is great, and this is also what high schools should be doing. Too often kids fall through the cracks or are left to their own devices until actually failing.How great if someone would not only alert them and their parents at a dip in grades, but also swoop into help - even if the kids don't think to ask for help or don't know how to ask. And not only poor schools, but all schools. Also, all colleges should do this, as well.
36
Atlanta is full of success stories for (and by) the African American community. And there is an amazing lack of racial animosity, despite real racial disparities. Those disparities are finding answers in places like Georgia State. Now, SOMEBODY give this young woman the job her accomplishments deserve!
48
Sadly no one deserves a job based on a college degree. You have to find one. that fits your skills and interests.
16
As an African American graduate of GSU, class of '73, I applaud this. GSU has come a long way. AA students at GSU were met with open racism and hostility when I attended. Shockingly, much of it came from the teaching staff. So glad that GSU is more welcoming to all students now.
43
Please, NYT..keep these stories up--I need at least one feel good story a day to wall out what is happening in the Oval Office.
110
I would like to know if GSU is a racially diverse campus. Without diversity, you can’t receive a quality education. Please someone give me some statistics. The story started out with segregation, why not tell me who goes to school there now.
I'm a former Georgia State staffer (2013–16). At least while I was there, the racial mix was basically one-third white, one-third African American, and one-third other ethnicities.
I am a current GSU faculty member and we do indeed have a diverse undergraduate student body. 2017 data are available here: https://success.gsu.edu/download/2017-status-report-georgia-state-univer....
1