A major project geared at addressing practical concerns from students and families about the value of a college degree launched today in Washington, D.C. The National Student Success Project, in development since early 2026, is led by five higher education associations and the presidents and chancellors of 19 colleges and universities.

Bates President Garry W. Jenkins has been on the National Student Success Project advisory board since its inception. 

The project spells out five core commitments representing an action agenda for American higher education:   

• Deliver a strong value for the investment students make in education
• Empower students with clear and affordable pathways to a degree or other significant credential
• Advance academic excellence with innovative programs and strong teaching
• Ignite career ambitions through real-world experiences and robust guidance
• Cultivate a community that supports all students and promotes civil dialogue and respect for others

“When I was approached in the early days of this project, I felt certain that Bates should be part of this,” Jenkins said. “It is vital that higher education make a strong case for its value for the future — to offer this education in a way that remains relevant we need to evolve for the 21st century and beyond, ensuring that the experiences we offer are engaged with and connected to an ever-changing, complex world. At Bates, we’ve already been working toward this agenda independently, in recognition of how vested we are in successful outcomes for our students.” 

Jenkins pointed to the college’s efforts to integrate career and academic advising, promote constructive dialogue across difference, and create professional pathways and concentrations. These initiatives, and many more, combine the breadth of a traditional liberal arts education with immersive professional and co-curricular experiences to help students prepare for their life after Bates with purpose and intention.

“Joining with other presidents and leaders to further this agenda was a natural fit,” Jenkins added. “I’m excited to see where this leads us, and I am hopeful that others will join in. We are stronger together.”

Five higher education associations are helping launch the project: the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Strada Education Foundation supports the project.

In addition to Jenkins, the advisory board includes leaders from a wide range of colleges and universities from across the country, including peer liberal arts colleges, Ivy League schools, public flagships, large research institutions, community colleges, regional universities, historically Black and minority-serving institutions, technical and engineering focused schools, and more. 

More than 50 colleges and universities joined as initial participants in the launch of the National Student Success Project. The event included a talk on return on investment for a college degree given by Zack Mabel, a research professor and interim director of Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, and a panel on affordability, academic excellence, and career pathways moderated by editor-in-chief of Inside Higher Education Sara Custer. Students from around the nation also participated in a panel.