From Campus to Career
Advancing Career Connected High-Impact Practices
Lumina Foundation, in partnership with AASCU and national intermediaries, is supporting institutions in scaling and institutionalizing career-connected high-impact practices (HIPs) — transformative educational experiences that deepen learning, boost degree completion, and prepare students for meaningful careers. With funding ranging from $80,000–$100,000 for up to 15 institutions, this opportunity goes beyond grant support—it offers the chance to shape national practice, join a peer learning community, and access technical assistance from experts in the field.
Contact us.A cohort of bachelor’s degree-granting institutions seeks to advance and scale career-connected HIPs.
What if every student left college with the skills, experience, and confidence to thrive in today’s workforce? Career-connected high-impact practices – such as internships, undergraduate research, study abroad, service learning, and capstone projects – are powerful tools to make that vision real. These experiences not only deepen learning and boost degree completion, but when intentionally aligned with career pathways, they also help ensure every student is prepared for a meaningful career.
Lumina’s official award announcement will be released in March/ April.
Learn more about this opportunity at Lumina Foundation.Why this work matters:
Career-connected HIPs aren’t optional extras — they are high-impact, equity-driven components of a student’s journey. When intentionally aligned with career pathways and workforce needs, these experiences help ensure all students graduate with the skills, confidence, and networks to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Benefits of participation:
- Each institution will receive $80,000 – $100,000 from Lumina Foundation to support project activities
- Receive technical assistance from nationally recognized experts in the field to strengthen your efforts
- Learn from peers and be part of a community that shapes national practice
Check back in March 2026 when the awardees will be announced.
High-impact practices are teaching and learning approaches that promote deep, meaningful learning by engaging students in active, applied, and reflective experiences. They help students integrate knowledge, build skills, and strengthen academic success and long-term growth. Among them are common intellectual experiences, diversity and global learning, first-year experiences, collaborative projects, writing-intensive courses, community-based learning, and undergraduate research.
Lumina Foundation is seeking letters of interest for a grant opportunity for up to 15 institutions to scale career-connected HIPs on their campuses. Applicants must seek to pursue ambitious and innovative HIPs strategies, but the benefits extend far beyond the direct funding to support this work, including:
- An opportunity to shape national practice in career-connected HIPs among exemplar institutions from across the U.S.;
- Participation in a learning community of peer institutions facilitated by intermediaries such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Excelencia in Education, and the Center for Innovation in Postsecondary Education (CIPE) at the University of South Alabama;
- Tailored technical assistant provided by national experts to support the success of campus implementation;
- And direct funding ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 for each grantee.
Only institutions that meet the following criteria will be considered:
- Accredited, bachelor’s degree-granting colleges or universities in the United States (bachelor’s degree granting community colleges are not eligible for this grant opportunity).
- Demonstrated commitment to intentionally embed career preparation into curricular or co-curricular experiences.
- Demonstrated experience in implementing and assessing multiple HIPs (beyond isolated programs or majors).
- Committed to ensuring access, participation, and outcomes across student populations.
Priority consideration will be given to the following:
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) member institutions
- Seal of Excelencia Certified institutions
- Public or private HBCUs
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