Greenville Technical College (GTC) is one of 250 institutions selected to be part of the Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) initiative, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded effort aimed at helping higher education institutions achieve more equitable student outcomes. The effort, a $100 million investment over five years, will continue through August 2027, with support aimed at transformational outcomes by using data to make informed student success decisions.
The effort will be managed nationwide by six intermediaries. Greenville Technical College is one of four technical colleges in South Carolina working with Complete College America, an organization committed to helping 80 institutions over the next five years understand the unique needs of every student and build clear, supportive pathways to graduation.
“Complete College America aligns with our mission of transforming lives through education and ensures that all students have an equal chance to experience the life-changing power of completion,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College.
As a first step, participating institutions administer an Institutional Transformation Assessment, a tool that measures how the campus community perceives the institution is performing in moving the student success needle. Findings from this baseline survey, administered at GTC in February, will be discussed in April.
“For many years, we have focused not just on access to higher education but on college success,” said Dr. Larry Miller, vice president of learning and workforce development at GTC. “This effort is a natural next step as we work toward equitable outcomes that impact economic mobility for the entire community.”
After the survey results are in, an institutional leadership team is identified and decisions are made about priorities and next steps. The survey will be repeated in two years to determine whether perceptions have changed.
“At Greenville Technical College, we have developed a number of programs that impact student success including, but not limited to, our African American Male Scholars Initiative and our Center for Collegiate Recovery,” said Dr. Matteel Knowles, vice president for student services. “Complete College America brings together all areas responsible for student success so we can build on successes and make improvements.”