Higher Education Attainment

The Higher Education Attainment spoke focuses on increasing participation and completion rates of all women in Utah, including at the certificate, associate, bachelor, and graduate levels. This also includes a specific focus on women from marginalized populations. Although increasing the rates of postsecondary attainment is important for all residents—including men—it is critical to consider future initiatives and initiatives by gender. This spoke will include affiliates and participants across the state with all institutions of higher learning. It will also include additional voices, initiatives, and organizations that focus on increasing rates of women attending immediately after high school (particularly women of color), retaining female students, removing barriers, supporting completion, encouraging reengagement, and increasing aspirations for graduate education among Utah women and girls.

Spoke Leaders

Katie Mazzie

USHE
LinkedIn Profile

Katie Mazzie serves in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education where she supports the Board of Higher Education with legislative affairs and strategic and student-centered initiatives.

Jessica Miller

Senior Network Director
LinkedIn Profile

Jessica Miller is the Senior Network Director for Promise Partnership Utah. She is a college success advocate with experience in higher education administration, project and financial management, coordinating events, and designing and teaching student-centered courses.

Bryn Ramjoue

Marketing Director, my529
LinkedIn Profile

Bryn Ramjoue’ Marketing Director for my529, Utah’s college savings plan. She serves on the CSPN Communications Committee. Her own SEM includes Who’s Who, a 40 under 40, a marketing person of the year, and a 30 Women to Watch.

Bold Vision & Goals

To make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive, the Higher Education Attainment spoke leaders and partners have crafted the vision and goals below. Spoke leadership and UWLP team members are currently working to collect baseline data that will assist in adding numbers to the changes we want to see by 2026 and 2030.

Vision: Boldly increase the participation and completion rates of Utah women at the certificate, associate, bachelor, and graduate levels.

Goals:

Increase the college-going rate of female high school grads 1.5% by 2026 and 3.0% by 2030, and 2.0% by 2026 and 4.0% by 2030 for women from underserved populations. [Metric]
Increase female students’ ability to pay the cost of attendance by (a) increasing FAFSA completion rates in Utah by 5% in 2026 and 10% in 2030 and (b) increasing state scholarship applications from female students by 5% in 2026 and 10% in 2030. [Metrics Forthcoming]
Increase female students’ timely completion of degrees and awards 1.5% by 2026 and 3.0% by 2030 and 2.0% by 2026 and 4.0% by 2030 for women from underserved populations. [Metric]
1. Increase the completion rate of women in programs aligned with high-wage, high-demand jobs 4% by 2026 and 8% by 2030. [Metric Forthcoming]
2. Increase the completion of women in graduate degree programs 4% by 2026 and 8% by 2030. [Metric]
Change Utahns’ agreement (understanding and perceptions) in the following areas: [Metric Dashboard]
1. In addition to improving economic opportunity, higher education is also important for intellectual growth, personal development, and life-long societal contributions. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
2. Inclusive environments are critical to cultivating cultures of belonging in higher education. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
3. It is important for more Utah women to complete graduate degree programs. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
4. Women students of color face more barriers than other students when pursuing careers in high wage, high demand fields. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
Increase female participation in college education during high school. [Metric]
1. Increase female enrollment in concurrent enrollment 3% by 2025 and 5% by 2030.
2. Increase the representation of females in technical college dual enrollment by 2% by 2026 and 4% by 2030.

Thriving Statement: Women and girls thrive when they can aspire to and have access and opportunity to complete postsecondary education at all levels, no matter their backgrounds or previous life experiences.

Partners

Working Group Leaders

Barriers: Stefanie Adams (Director, Regional Pathways/Workforce Alignment, Utah Valley University) & Rachel Bryson (Assistant Professor, University of Utah)
Single Mothers: Emily Martin Prisbrey (Director of Development, The FORB Foundation) & Katie Bunnell (President, Live Your Dream Foundation)
Women’s Centers: Rachel Lund (Senior Director, Women’s Success Center, Utah Valley University) & Dru Bottoms (Coordinator, Utah Tech University Women’s Center)

Get Engaged: Ways to get engaged include contacting Carly Erickson to get connected in a working group or if you’re interested in being a part of strategic discussions to increase success for young girls and women accessing and completing certificates and degrees; and get access to state college attainment data or to learn about statewide initiatives in higher education, visit ushe.edu. Thank you for your interest!

Carly Erickson

Spoke Coordinator
LinkedIn Profile
cjericks@gmail.com