The University of Iowa is proud to join more than 100 colleges and universities as a member of the American Talent Initiative (ATI), an organization that seeks to expand access to higher education and opportunities for highly talented low- and moderate-income students. As part of ATI, the UI will help develop strategies to attract, enroll, and support such students from before college to graduation and beyond.

By joining ATI, the UI also shares in the collective goal of enrolling 50,000 additional talented low- and moderate-income students at colleges and universities with strong graduation rates by 2025.

“Success shouldn’t belong only to those who can afford it,” says UI President J. Bruce Harreld, “and we are not alone in believing that a student should have the opportunity to succeed no matter their income or background. We gladly add our voice to the many other committed institutions of this country working to give future generations their chance to succeed.”

“Making sure that Iowans and others across the country are able to obtain a college degree from a top university regardless of their socioeconomic status is a top priority,” says Melissa Shivers, vice president for student life. “Collaborating with ATI and other member institutions gives the University of Iowa another way to look at opportunities for recruitment, retention, and access.”

The UI currently supports high-achieving students facing financial challenges through programs such as TRIO Upward Bound, which helps first-generation and low-income high school students prepare for postsecondary education, and TRIO Student Support Services, which provides coaching, planning, and skill development for students who demonstrate academic need and are first generation, low income, or have a verified disability.

UI students also lead support efforts. UI Student Government recently completed fundraising for the Hawkeye Completion Grant, which offers small grants to students whose outstanding balance on their U-Bill would prevent them from registering for classes.

ATI member institutions are encouraged to implement recruitment and retention strategies and goals, including:

• Increasing the number of applications from Pell-eligible students, the number of Pell-eligible students who are enrolled, and the number of first-generation students enrolled;
• Prioritizing need-based aid to make attendance more affordable; and
• Retaining and graduating lower-income students at rates comparable to their higher-income peers.

Launched in December 2016 with 30 institutions, ATI requires its member institutions to have a six-year graduation rate of at least 70 percent; the UI six-year graduation rate is 74 percent. At this time, about 290 colleges and universities nationwide achieve a graduation rate of 70 percent of their students in six years. Membership in ATI now includes the entire Ivy League, 17 state flagship universities, and private colleges.

ATI is a Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative led by the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R.