LAFAYETTE – On Friday, January 10, One Acadiana (1A) will join partners from across the region and state at the UL Student Union for a summit to kick off year two of the 55 by 25 educational attainment initiative.
The 55 by 25 initiative’s goal is to increase the proportion of working adults in Acadiana with postsecondary degrees, certificates, or other high-value credentials to 55% by 2025. As of the most recent Census data, Acadiana’s current rate is about 38.5%. Looking ahead to year two, a primary focus of the 55 by 25 initiative will be supporting adult students, particularly the nearly one in five adults who have earned some college credit but no degree.
The summit will be moderated by Dr. Natalie Harder, Chancellor of South Louisiana Community College and Jim Bernard, Executive Director of Manufacturing at Stuller, Inc. Harder and Bernard serve as co-chairs of 1A’s Workforce & Education Committee. Other speakers include Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education; Dakota Pawlicki, Strategy Officer for Community Mobilization at Lumina Foundation; Mark Willis, Chief Communications Officer at LHC Group; Chris Krampe, Owner/Operator at MacLaff; Kathy Zandona, Senior VP of Network Engagement at The Graduate! Network.