NCLCA 2012
Keynote Speaker
It Takes a Village for Student Success
Michael Lawrence Collins
Associate VP, Postsecondary State Policy
JOBS FOR THE FUTURE
Michael Lawrence Collins, Associate VP, Postsecondary State Policy, for Jobs for the Future, will be the Keynote Speaker at the NCLCA Conference. His speech will acknowledge the new thresholds of education focusing on recent innovations in Developmental Education and culminating with an overview of “Completion by Design”—a new initiative for helping students complete higher education..
Michael Collins is an associate vice president on JFF's Policy team. He develops and advocates for state policies on behalf of national initiatives, such as Achieving the Dream, the Developmental Education Initiative, and the Completion by Design project.
A policy researcher, analyst, writer, and strategy consultant, Mr. Collins helps states to develop and implement public policies designed to increase the number of low-income and minority students who successfully transition from high school into college, persist, and earn credentials and degrees. Mr. Collins regularly convenes education thought leaders and collaborates with public policy decision makers, state and national intermediary organizations, philanthropic organizations, academic researchers, and nationally recognized policy experts to develop policies that support innovative blends of high school and college, and to design and execute on-the-ground policy/action agendas for dramatically improving the rates at which students reach their individual education goals, and at which states reach their statewide education attainment and workforce goals.
Before joining JFF, Mr. Collins served as assistant commissioner for participation and success at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In that capacity, he worked with K-12, higher education, the business community, the Texas Legislature, and community-based organizations to increase college access and success.