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Finding “common grounds” Center for School Change

releases recommendations
Students offer practical recommendations
and gain professional experience to increase success
of “newly emerging
majority college students”
The University of Minnesota’s he says. “Bringing these students together
In January 2009, the Carnegie Corporation of
West Bank is home to the Humphrey created a community of leaders who saw
New York convened a national roundtable to
Institute of Public Affairs, the Carlson the value of building relationships across
help educators, policymakers, funders, and
School of Management, and the Law School. sectors, industries, and academic research
others consider how to accomplish a very
Their students are bright, motivated future areas.”
important national goal: Increase the number
leaders in their respective fields, but rarely This fall, Common Grounds helped the
of students from low-income, limited-English
have the opportunity to network with Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
families and students of color that not only
and learn from one another. One group, confront their challenge of connecting re-
enter, but successfully graduate from post-
however, brings these students together sources to promote energy efficiency with
secondary education. The Center for School
and turns their collective experience and renters. Some of the students’ suggestions
Change helped to bring almost 50 individuals
knowledge into practical solutions for area included targeting management companies
from around the country together for a
organizations. through industry associations, exploring
daylong discussion of how best to increase
Common Grounds was founded five opportunities for energy companies to
completion and other measures of success in
years ago on the principle that complex work together, and the creation of a model
higher education.
problems require collaboration across energy-efficient rental building supported
The center recently released a summary of
disciplines. Students from the three through a public–private partnership.
key themes to come out of the meeting. They
schools come together to provide pro- The group previously has offered recom-
include:
fessional research and consultation to mendations to the Minnesota Home Own-
• For many years, higher education was content
area businesses and organizations. In ership Center, Minnesota Civic Education
to “harvest” the best from the K–12 system.
return, they gain valuable professional Matters, Children’s Heartlink, and the
Today, postsecondary education must help
experience likely to help them in their Minnesota Bar Association.
develop the skills of students entering their
future careers. According to Mary Pawlenty of Children’s
institutions, as well as identify and encour-
“We provide succinct recommendations Heartlink, “The Common Grounds experi-
age the most skilled high school graduates.
from hard-driving young professionals look- ence was very affirming for our organization.
• It is vital but not sufficient to gather, use,
ing to gain experience in the real world,” The students made specific recommenda-
and report data about graduation rates and
says Adam Faitek, a second-year Master of tions that are new and thought-provoking.
other key indicators by income and racial/
Public Policy student and chair of Common [They] forced us to start thinking strategi-
ethnic groups. Real progress requires setting
Grounds. cally about a question that’s central to our
specific, measurable targets, then developing
“The work is hands-on and applicable,” development as an organization and the
a research-based plan to achieve success.
he continues. “Our members get the oppor- integrity of our mission.”
• Significant progress for students will require
tunity to work for a client whose challenges “We took [Common Grounds’] ideas and
changes in both K–12 and higher education
are multifaceted, and our recommendations were able to put them into practice immedi-
systems.
impact the clients’ short- and long-term ately,” says Brian B. Bell of the Minnesota
• Broader community awareness of these issues
decisions and strategies.” State Bar Association.
and strong encouragement to change is vital.
Lars Leafblad, an alumnus of the Carlson “The current leadership team and mem-
Advocacy, business, foundation, and commu-
School and principal with KeyStone Search, bers have exceeded my expectations for
nity groups, as well as journalists, should
began the program in 2004. “It seemed like the ongoing growth of the organization,”
encourage systemic change at all levels of
graduate students on the West Bank were says Leafblad. “They have created a
education.
not fully leveraging the physical proximity valued experimental learning and leadership
• Affordability remains a major issue for
of the ‘leadership development ecosystem’ development opportunity by linking the
prospective students. Just as important is
created by having Humphrey, Carlson, and collective talents of the membership with
helping students and families new to higher
the Law School within a two-block radius,” the needs of an external organization and
education understand scholarships and other
truly have harnessed the collective vision
programs available to help them afford
of our initial group and turned it into some-
college.
thing actionable, impactful, and sustainable.
• People of color and those representing
All alumni of Common Grounds are excited
families who do not speak English need to
to see where the group will go as the future
be “at the table” sharing their experiences
unfolds.” H
as policies and procedures are developed. H

Common Grounds continues to seek new


clients. For more information, visit
www.commongroundsmn.org or e-mail
3 info@commongroundsmn.org.

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