Do Students Need a Car to Attend Community College?
How One Foundation’s Data Is Capturing the Attention of Changemakers
The good works of our clients continue to inspire us every day—and we’re not the only ones taking note of the waves the Seldin / Haring-Smith Foundation (SHSF) is making. The Philadelphia Inquirer recently ran a feature piece on SHSF that is seeking to answer one key question: do you need a car to attend community college?
Through their Civic Mapping Initiative, SHSF’s team continues to expand their series of interactive state maps that show which community and technical college campuses have public transit stops within walking distance—and which ones are still waiting for the bus.
“Our students are one flat tire away from dropping out of school,” said Abigail Seldin, CEO of SHSF. “Conversely, they may be one consistent, well-designed, affordable bus route from completion.”
Through their work, they continue to see strong engagement from both policymakers and advocates. SHSF’s data provided the foundation for the bipartisan PATH to College Act, which captured all of the recommendations of the 2021 SHSF Public Transit Map research brief and has now passed in the House twice. Their report was credited in the Congressional announcements and an endorsement letter that attracted sign-ons from the leading organizations in higher education. They look forward to sharing additional media and state map launches later this fall.
We are proud to serve SHSF and can’t wait to see the continued impact they are having!
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