Announcing 10 New Coalition Members for 2021-22 Academic Year

Eligibility based on dedication to increasing college access for under-represented students

A student walks across the graduation stage at Berea College, one of the 10 new Coalition member school for the 2021-22 academic year. (Photo courtesy of Berea College)

Sept. 8, 2021

The Coalition for College, a diverse group of public and private colleges and universities across the U.S. working to improve college access, welcomes 10 new members for the 2021-22 academic year. These ten institutions join a distinguished membership of more than 150 colleges and universities with a demonstrated commitment to supporting low-income, under-resourced and first-generation students.

“The power of the Coalition is our ability to work across member institutions to improve college access, and that work remains critically important today, ” says Stacey Kostell, CEO of the Coalition. “Our new members will join our efforts to advance best practices in serving limited-income and under-represented students, and we look forward to their partnership in connecting more students with free tools to help them reach their higher education goals.”

Graduating students on time, and with low or no debt, is the basis for membership in the Coalition. Averaged together, Coalition schools outperform the national retention and graduation rates by 17 percent. 

New members include:

Berea College

Duquesne University

Eastern Connecticut State University

Hope College

Lewis University

Maryland Institute College of Art

Portland State University

Syracuse University

University of North Carolina Charlotte

York College of Pennsylvania

Coalition members work together to support students on the path to higher education. Beginning in 9th grade, students can create a free MyCoalition account, where they’ll have access to online-college planning tools to help them learn about, prepare for, and apply to college. The platform includes a convenient digital storage locker to track their experiences and accomplishments; an interactive collaboration space to connect with mentors; and an application platform that empowers them to start early and apply easily to smart college choices. An easy-to-use application fee waiver removes barriers for limited-income students applying through MyCoalition.

The Coalition also provides free access to guidance and advice through informative articles and videos, as well as virtual events, where students can connect with Coalition schools and learn how to make smart college choices. 

See a list of all Coalition member schools.