U.S. Under Secretary of Education visits Arrupe College

On a recent trip to Chicago for a conference on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA), Under Secretary of Education, James Kvaal, visited Arrupe College to meet with students and administrators. Kvaal, who leads the Department of Education’s work on higher education, student financial aid, and career and adult education, is committed to building an inclusive higher education system that helps all students graduate and achieve a better life. 

Prior to joining the Biden Administration, Kvaal was president of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a research and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to affordability and equity in higher education. During his tenure there, he became acquainted with Arrupe’s innovative two-year associate’s degree program. This program specifically targets first-generation, low-income students from underrepresented communities, providing a bridge to bachelor’s degrees. Kvaal was inspired to learn firsthand about the program’s impact on students and their families.

During a roundtable discussion with Arrupe leadership, Kvaal was briefed on recent projects aimed at improving student success measures and the unique wraparound services that Arrupe students receive to ensure success both in and out of the classroom. He learned about the college’s impressive student retention and graduation rates: seventy percent of first-year students are retained, and forty percent earn an associate’s degree in two years, compared to the national average of thirteen percent for community college students. Additionally, seventy-two percent of on-time Arrupe graduates matriculate to a bachelor’s degree program. 

Kvaal also had the opportunity to speak directly with students, listening to their personal stories about how they discovered Arrupe, why they enrolled, how they navigate relationships on campus, and how the support at Arrupe helps them academically and personally. The students also shared their plans after earning their associate’s degree or certificate. As the discussion concluded, Kvaal said, “You guys know Arrupe’s different than other normal other colleges, right? Just hearing from the administrators about the high-achieving outcomes, like the graduation rates and transfer rates, tells me you are in such great hands. I hope you understand how well you have been set up for unbelievable success, more than most of the two- and four-year colleges.”  

He continued, “Even though Arrupe only started in 2015, it’s being adopted by several other schools, and there’s a reason for that. This system is in place for your support and for your academics and is so unique… it’s something that should be adopted by more schools.” 

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