More graduates + more startups = bright future

It’s nowhere near the ambitious goal of 60,000 “new” graduates by 2020 that Mission: Graduate set several years ago.

Still, the Central New Mexico region has added 20,226 “new” graduates with post-secondary degrees and certificates between 2010 and 2016 — an impressive accomplishment. And Mission: Graduate still has four more years of graduation data to help get it closer to its goal.

The 20,226 figure represents the graduates above the baseline certificate and degree attainment rate set in 2010. Total degrees and certificates awarded during the same period was 92,789.

Central New Mexico Community College and the University of New Mexico deserve credit for much of the gains seen to date. Both institutions are graduating more people every year.

Angelo Gonzales, executive director of Mission: Graduate, praises “the exceptional work” being done by the two institutions.

“Having more residents with post-high school certificates and degrees is good for the people who hold those credentials, and it’s good for the economic vitality and overall wellbeing of our community,” he added.

But Mission: Graduate and its partners also deserve credit for the various programs they sponsor aimed at boosting the area’s high school graduation rates. Those programs include:

Working with more than 40 school-based attendance teams to help reduce chronic absenteeism.

Working with four schools in Albuquerque’s South Valley and with Junior Achievement in Valencia County schools on career exploration projects to increase the number and quality of career experiences available in middle and high school.

And supporting science and math teachers from Rio Rancho Public Schools and Los Lunas Schools to better use technology in the classroom and make connections with local business professionals to learn about realworld applications of science and math.

Mission: Graduate is an initiative of United Way. It’s a cradle-to-career partnership consisting of educators, local employers, educational support providers, government leaders and citizens.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” — Norman Vincent Peale