National Foundation Recognizes Community College Excellence with Mini-Grant Awards
Jefferson State Community College was selected as one of the grantees of Lumina Foundation’s mini-grant opportunity and first-ever Instagram challenge. A total of seven community colleges have been awarded $50,000 each to enhance their digital outreach and marketing efforts.
Jefferson State’s engaging Instagram Reel showcased the exceptional value and vibrant experiences offered by the college, helping the college stand out among over 100 entries from public, accredited two-year institutions nationwide.
The Winners:
– Jefferson State Community College, AL
– Ohlone College, CA
– Ocean County College, NJ
– Community College of Beaver County, PA
– State University of New York (SUNY) Niagara, NY
– Owens Community College, OH
– Chaffey College, CA
The Instagram challenge invited community colleges to create a 90-second Reel, highlighting why their college is the best choice for practicality, convenience, and excellence. By participating, Jefferson State aimed to showcase #WhatsExcellent about the college and demonstrate the vibrant experiences and opportunities available to our students.
“Jefferson State is excited and grateful to receive the grant from Lumina Foundation, and we are especially proud to be the only recipient in the Southeastern United States,” said Jefferson State Director of Communications David Bobo. “The grant will provide significant resources for our marketing team to create new initiatives to share the many programs and opportunities available at Jefferson State.”
“For the past two years, Lumina has engaged in a national conversation about understanding and strengthening community college brands,” said Mary Laphen Pope, Lumina’s strategy officer for participation. “While discussions often focus on challenges such as enrollment declines, success stories about community colleges and their students are rarely highlighted. We aim to change that.”
Community colleges embody the dreams and aspirations of our communities, offering excellent student services, beautiful campus facilities, heartfelt community engagement, and dynamic classroom experiences. Jefferson State is excited to continue sharing amazing stories and highlighting the diverse and profound impact of a community college education.
“We were excited to offer this mini-grant opportunity and so impressed by all the outstanding video reels we received. We hope this initiative will help shift the narrative around community colleges and all that they offer,” added Laphen Pope.
Lumina invites community colleges to continue sharing their stories and highlighting their excellent work. For more information about the mini-grant challenge and to apply for future opportunities, visit Lumina’s Challenge Page.
About Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College has led the way in providing excellence in education and workforce training for central Alabama since 1965. Jefferson State remains committed to students and communities by providing accessible and affordable education of the highest caliber. Jefferson State serves more than 14,000 students each year and is one of the largest community colleges in the state. The college currently offers 116 university transfer programs, 39 career and technical programs, 30 short-term certificate programs, and more than 100 dual enrollment courses at four campuses in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Chilton counties.
About Lumina Foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, addresses racial injustice, and meets the nation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. We are working toward a system that prepares people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy.
For more information, please contact:
David Bobo
Director of Communications and Marketing
[email protected]
(205) 983-5306
