Collaborative Opportunity Grant, 21st Century Skills Cohort

USU’s Collaborative Opportunity Grant 21st Century Skills Cohort is sponsored by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF). The initiative provides seed grants to universities innovating in the field of 21st-century skill development. This workgroup is led internally by USU Deputy Executive Director, Christel Perkins, and Assistant Director, Melissa Rivas.

USU will award $50,000 to 12participating universities that collaborate with external partner organizations to address 21st Century skills delivery to low-income, first-time in college, and/or transfer students. As a part of three cohorts: Disrupting Structures for 21st Century Skills, Prototyping a 21st Century Curriculum, and Charting 21st Century Pathways, universities will address three goals.

1) Identify and move equity-based innovations that address 21st Century Skills development from niche areas on campus and/or pilot stages, to scale internally and eventually externally;

2) Increase the adaptation of innovative approaches that more effectively connect learning (e.g., curriculum, experiences) to workforce needs; and

3) Create and fortify partnerships that bring new resources and support necessary changes that sustain and scale innovation.
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Participating Universities

California State University, Los Angeles
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Memphis
University of New Orleans
Virginia Commonwealth University

$250,000

awarded to participating universities

5

institutions represented

6

urban community-based organization partners