Cary, N.C. - Durham County Commissioner Nimasheena Burns recently completed the Hunt Institute's ElevateNC: Higher Education program. The members of this cohort come together for a program designed to enhance leadership capacity as well as provide a forum for the development of strategies that increase postsecondary attainment. The Institute gathers prominent leaders from a variety of sectors including state policymakers, K-12 superintendents and teachers, higher education administrators and faculty, members of the business community, advocacy organizations, and local government representatives for each cohort.

ElevateNC: Higher Education is hosted in partnership with myFutureNC, that provides expertise on how cohort members can drive progress toward the statewide postsecondary attainment goal: to have two million North Carolinians achieve a degree in postsecondary by 2030.

From late summer 2022 until spring 2023, Burns completed four sessions with the third ElevateNC: Higher Education cohort, the last of which was hosted in Durham in May.

"ElevateNC certainly has been a driver in my continued support in board investments around educational initiatives, but more importantly it ignited my legislative advocacy for raising the dropout age," said Commissioner Burns. "Currently, North Carolina is one of only 15 states that still allows 16-year-olds to drop out of school. Our state has the shortest required attendance span (ages 7-16) in the nation. Knowing this, I presented a legislative goal to Increase the NC High School Dropout Age from 16 to age 18."

Commissioner Burns' Legislative request was supported by the Durham County Board of County Commissioners. It also received bi-partisan support at the NC Association of County Commissioners Legislative Conference and was moved forward to the General Assembly.

"I also want to explore best practices designed to support students before they get to a place where they might consider stopping or dropping out," Burns said. "That has to happen before high school. Our state's economy will be improved and expanded with the availability of a better prepared workforce. I know that raising the age will not be enough. We have to simultaneously secure dedicated funding for the most effective wrap around services that will engage at-risk students, such as student support specialists who can provide dropout prevention services."

Each session took place over two days and covered different topics and policy issues, as well as offer ways for leaders to move from learning to implementing in their home communities. During each meeting, participants heard from leading practitioners, students, elected officials, and state and national resource experts.

"This program is critical for leaders to collaborate and think creatively about preparing students to attain the credentials and degrees they need to be successful in today's economy," said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, president & CEO of The Hunt Institute.

The members of the 2022 ElevateNC: Higher Education cohort were:

Dr. Angela Alvarado Coleman, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, North Carolina Central University

Senator Sydney Batch, State Senator, North Carolina General Assembly

Nimasheena Burns, Commissioner, Durham County

Senator Kevin Corbin, State Senator, North Carolina General Assembly

Senator Sarah Crawford, State Senator, North Carolina General Assembly

Dr. John D. Denning, Senior Advisor, John M. Belk Endowment

Dr. Andrea DeSantis, Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Abraham Dones, Vice President, Chief Student Services Officer, Durham Technical Community College

Dr. Kim Evans, Program Coordinator, PEPSC, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Jon Harris, Policy Director, Office of the Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson

Representative Zack Hawkins, State Representative, North Carolina General Assembly

Tai Huynh, Town Councilmember, Town of Chapel Hill

Bruce A. Johnson, Dean of Mathematics & Sciences, Central Piedmont Community College

Dr. Shonda Jones, Executive Director of Academic Programs, Wake Forest University

Dr. Chris Marsicano, Assistant Professor of Educational Studies, Davidson College

Dr. Ashley McMillan, American Indian Liaison to the Chancellor & Director, American Indian Heritage Center, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Dr. Brian S. Merritt, President, McDowell Technical Community College

Chris Rivera, Executive Director, GuilfordWorks

Corinne Smith, Director of CAP Operations and GEAR UP, Appalachian State University

Representative Raymond E. Smith, Jr., State Representative, North Carolina General Assembly

Maureen Stover, High School Science Teacher, NC Virtual Public School

Emily Thomas, Policy Analyst, EducationNC

Representative David A. Willis, State Representative, North Carolina General Assembly

"We have to create better talent pipelines," Burns added. "I hope to see how leaders might drive implementation of Higher Education policy initiatives, consider how to garner support from various sectors, navigate policy requirements, and ensure scalability."

About The Hunt Institute

An affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, The Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since its establishment in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. For more information, please visit: http://www.hunt-institute.org/

About myFutureNC

myFutureNC is a statewide nonprofit focused on educational attainment that includes some of North Carolina's most influential education, business, and civic leaders. The organization was formed with the goal to create a stronger, more competitive North Carolina. myFutureNC is working across sectors and in communities throughout the state to close gaps in the education pathway, to promote alignment between educational programming and business/industry needs, and to ultimately improve educational opportunities for all North Carolinians. Join our efforts, stay in touch and help champion success for our state and all of its people. Visit www.myfuturenc.org.