Apr 22 2025
Postsecondary Spotlight on Equitable Funding of Predominately Black Community Colleges
April 22, 1:00 pm ET
Primarily Black community colleges and historically Black community colleges serve 10% of Black community college students. Yet these institutions are chronically underfunded. This session will share insights from a cohort of institutions working to implement student success strategies, generate new funding models and strengthen leadership development opportunities. Explore how strategic philanthropic investments, evidence-based practices and policy advocacy can end unfunded mandates, close equity gaps and dramatically improve student outcomes.
There is no cost to attend this Grantmakers for Education program. Registration closes 15 minutes prior to the program time. By registering for this program, you agree to our Learning Environment Commitment. Thank you for your patience; we review each registration in advance.
REGISTER FOR EVENT ❯About the Speakers
Charles Ansell
Vice President for Research, Policy, and Advocacy
Complete College America
Charles Ansell is the vice president for research, policy, and advocacy at Complete College America. In his current role, Charles uses research to advocate for legislation and resources that help students graduate college, closing socioeconomic, racial or generational disparities that exist in college completion. As the chief operating officer of the Community College System of New Hampshire, Charles directed research, strategy, finance and technology for a statewide system of colleges. Prior to this, Charles led student success efforts at the City Colleges of Chicago. He holds an M.S. in business information technology from DePaul University and a B.A. from Carleton College.
Quanic Fullard
Senior Associate, Family & Youth Financial Stability
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Quanic is a senior associate at The Annie E. Casey Foundation, focusing on advancing economic opportunity for parents while supporting healthy child development. In this role, she provides strategic guidance for the foundation’s investments in two-generation strategies, including overseeing and coordinating its grants to support program pilots, build evidence and promote policy and system reform. Quanic also manages a portfolio designed to improve equitable outcomes for students of color in higher education. Before joining Casey, Quanic worked at Capital Impact Partners, where she led impact measurement efforts and provided strategic guidance in education and place-based revitalization investments. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica, she worked with a rural community on women’s health, ecotourism and education. Quanic has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MPP from the University of Chicago.
Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth
President
Olive-Harvey College, City Colleges of Chicago
Kimberly Hollingsworth is the president of Olive-Harvey College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. Situated on the southeast side of Chicago, the 67-acre community college campus houses a state-of-the-art transportation, distribution, and logistics center and an on-site cannabis greenhouse where students get hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for a wide range of in-demand careers. A comprehensive community college, students at Olive-Harvey learn English or earn their high school equivalency for free, earn career-focused certificates, and associate degrees that transfer to four-year universities.
Dr. Hollingsworth started her career in education immediately following college — she began working as the Cook County Recruitment Coordinator for Eastern Illinois University, her alma mater, where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degree in business and education respectively. While attending EIU she was initiated into the nationally recognized service sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Following EIU, Dr. Hollingsworth accepted the assistant director of transfer student recruitment position at DePaul University where she automated and improved transfer services.
Chandra Scott
Executive Director
Alabama Possible
Chandra C. Scott is the executive director of Alabama Possible, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, whose mission since 1993, is to break down barriers to prosperity in Alabama through advocacy, education and collaboration.
Chandra is driven by the need to increase equitable postsecondary access and success in Alabama and to shift mindsets on how to eradicate poverty.
Under her leadership, Alabama Possible convenes statewide and regional networks including the Alabama College Attainment Network, the Higher Education Alliance, (Re)Engage Alabama and Regional College Attainment Network. The organization leads the Alabama Goes to College Campaign as a strategy to increase FAFSA completion and postsecondary enrollment. Alabama Possible also couples advocacy at the federal and state level with community level civic engagement to impact policy and practice. In 2021, Alabama Possible was a critical partner in launching the nation’s and Alabama’s first Predominately Black and Historically Black Community College Network (HBCC/PBCC) along with making applying to over 60 Historically Black Colleges and Universities free for all high school seniors in Alabama. In 2024, Alabama Possible released case studies on Alabama’s eight HBCCs/PBCCs at the inaugural EmpowerED Conference.
Prior to joining Alabama Possible, Chandra served as the director of strategic outcomes for the Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF) in Mobile, Alabama. She has provided strategic direction and messaging as an advocate for education equality for more than 19 years.