Southern New Hampshire University
IN-25: Innovation B

College for America was founded with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation. Southern New Hampshire University is proud to have broken ground in the effort to make a rigorous, workplace-applicable college degree available to every working adult through the Workforce Partnerships program. The College for America programs are industry-leading competency-based programs built specifically to serve working adults, especially those in frontline roles, and their employers. The University was the first university in the nation to be approved for federal financial aid under the U.S. Department of Education’s direct assessment provisions, independent of traditional credit hours. This program was awarded the U.S. Department of Education’s “First in the World” grant—one of 24 schools out of roughly 500 applicants nationwide—for groundbreaking research on improving developmental education. This program directly addresses sustainability by promoting healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages as well as ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Learners are able to pursue degree programs in sustainability and environmental related topics and courses.