Helping Students Cross the Finish Line

Every year, students who have done the work and earned the right to walk across the stage are overlooked – not because they failed, but because the systems meant to track their progress fell short. The consequences are real: missed credentials mean missed opportunities – for students, and for the institutions working hard to support them.

With the right tools and a relentless focus on student success, Alvin Community College is changing that narrative. In this session, Patrick Sanger will share how Alvin has built a process to uncover students who’ve completed their requirements but are invisible to traditional systems. He’ll also show how the college is identifying potential graduates, surfacing alternate credentials students may already qualify for, and putting into their hands something that can transform a life: a degree or certificate that reflects what they’ve earned.

These credentials don’t just recognize achievement – they create momentum. For many community college students, they’re the first step toward economic mobility, family-sustaining wages, and generational opportunity. And in a performance-based funding landscape, every credential awarded brings in resources colleges can reinvest into the programs and support systems that make that upward trajectory possible.

What You’ll Take Away

By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• Recognize the systemic barriers that prevent institutions from identifying eligible graduates in time.
• See how simple, sustainable processes can help your team find and award life-changing credentials.
• Understand how uncovering alternate award paths and out-of-path course patterns can improve student outcomes and positively impact your funding.