Pasadena, Texas, May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- San Jacinto College is launching a program, thanks to a $15.3 million grant from Arnold Ventures, in support of the Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) model, a project aimed at improving community college completion rates.
By combining high-touch advising, structured pathways, and a comprehensive financial and academic support system, the project aims to raise the current three-year graduation rates from 39.8% to 50%, and create a sustainable, equity-focused framework aligned with Texas’s Building a Talent Strong Texas initiative.
“This generous grant will allow us to support students – from enrollment to completion – by removing barriers and strengthening support systems already in place,” said San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer. “We are committed to ensuring more students complete so they can transfer or enter high-demand careers that fuel our regional economy, and this investment by Arnold Ventures will provide a strong foundation for scaling important work already taking place.”
Modeled on CUNY’s rigorously evaluated ASAP, the program is expected to double graduation rates for participating students. Through its postsecondary student success work launched in 2016, Arnold Ventures identified ASAP as a standout, scalable model – proven through AV-funded randomized controlled trials across multiple states – that delivers comprehensive, long-term supports to help two-year students overcome financial and academic barriers.
“CUNY ASAP continues to demonstrate the power of providing students with comprehensive support to increase graduation rates and change lives, which is why more than 65 colleges across nine states have replicated our model,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “We are grateful to Arnold Ventures for continuing to invest in expanding the ASAP model, and we anticipate it will be transformative for students at San Jacinto College in Texas, just as it has been for more than 125,000 CUNY students and for students at colleges across the nation.”
The ASAP program at San Jacinto College will be embedded within the College’s Promise program, aiming to start with 900 Promise Scholars studying Natural Sciences or who are enrolled in one of the College’s four bachelor’s degree programs.
This work directly aligns with the State of Texas’s Building a Talent Strong Texas plan, and the state’s House Bill 8 performance-based funding model. The ASAP model is an evidence-based approach designed to improve completion and outcomes tied to workforce alignment, helping to grow the economic impact across the region and state.
“We know that completion outcomes for many of our Natural Sciences students is low, which is one reason the discipline was selected for this program,” added Hellyer. “By introducing this ASAP program and other supports that address both academic and non-academic barriers related to completion, we believe we can lead a transformation in completion, not just with our student, but across the state as well.”
“Arnold Ventures is proud to partner with San Jacinto College as it replicates the ASAP model, a proven, evidence‑based approach to improving community college completion,” said Kelli Rhee, President and CEO of Arnold Ventures. “By aligning the program’s goals with Texas’s Building a Talent Strong Texas initiative, San Jacinto College is helping more students complete credentials that strengthen economic mobility while supporting the state’s workforce and long‑term economic growth.”
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than 1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately 45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s.
San Jacinto College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Learn more at sanjac.edu/accreditation.
For more information about San Jacinto College, visit sanjac.edu.
Amanda Fenwick San Jacinto College (281) 998-6160 amanda.fenwick@sjcd.edu
