COME TO BELIEVE NETWORK EXPANDS IMPACT WITH LAUNCH OF NEW TWO-YEAR COLLEGES
Butler University and the College of Mount Saint Vincent Have Adopted Come to Believe Network’s Proven Model to Empower Underserved Students through an Innovative Educational Model
NEW YORK—The Come to Believe Network (CTB), a nonprofit that assists higher education institutions in developing and launching two-year college programs that provide pathways for underserved students to receive four-year degrees, today announced Butler University and College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV) will establish new two-year colleges on their campuses, as Come to Believe continues to replicate its proven model nationally. The new colleges at Butler and CMSV will be accessible to students without the typical credentials required to attend selective universities but who can succeed with the support CTB’s model provides.
Come to Believe’s model, developed at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago and first replicated at Dougherty Family College (DFC) of the University of St. Thomas, is a two-year, associate degree-granting program embedded within a four-year college or university. The model is designed to provide students with rigorous academics and holistic supports without the burden of high tuition costs or student loans. Students benefit from small classes, dedicated faculty advisors, mental health services and other wrap-around services. Graduates earn associate degrees and two years of transferable credits to continue into one of Butler or CMSV’s bachelor’s degree programs or at another four-year university.
The CTB model has achieved outcomes that far surpass most two-year colleges. At Arrupe and DFC, students graduate at more than four times the national average and 90% of students graduate without any debt. In addition, more than 80 percent of graduates from CTB model colleges transfer to four-year schools, and 75 percent graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Nationally, only 14 percent of students who begin at two-year programs complete a bachelor’s degree within six years.
“CTB is excited to announce that our network is growing, “ said Fr. Steve Katsouros, SJ, President of Come to Believe. “Butler and Mt. St. Vincent are providing outstanding opportunities for wonderful students in their communities who might be otherwise left out of the higher ed landscape. It’s very satisfying to think of young people now in high school in Indianapolis and the Bronx who will soon enroll at CTB-model colleges at Butler and Mt. St. Vincent. We know the experiences of the students, faculty, staff, and leadership at Butler and Mt. St. Vincent will influence our work at CTB as we continue to accompany other universities exploring our model for replication on their campuses.”
The launch of these colleges addresses an urgent need for postsecondary innovation in both Indiana and New York. In 2021, only 53 percent of Indiana’s high school graduates enrolled in college, a full 10 percentage points below the national average. In 2020, only 40 percent of Indiana students with low socioeconomic status (SES) enrolled in college, compared to 61 percent of students with higher SES. In 2022, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education reported that students from low-income families averaged a 27 percent on-time graduation rate, compared to a 45 percent rate for total students. In New York City, 38 percent of the 2019 public high school graduating class did not continue or persist in college for 6 months after enrolling. Furthermore, a recent report found that when it comes to bachelor’s degree attainment, Hispanic (20%) and Black (27%) New Yorkers are underrepresented when compared to Asian (45%) and white (64%) New Yorkers.
“Butler is committed to making an exceptional educational experience available to students from all backgrounds,” Butler University President James Danko said. “We’re proud to work with CTB to bring their successful model to campus and create new educational opportunities for the Indianapolis community here at Butler.”
CMSV’s two-year college is named "Seton College” after the Sisters of Charity’s founder, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. The Sisters sponsor the College of Mount Saint Vincent.
“For over 175 years, Mount Saint Vincent has been educating students rooted in the tenets of goodness, discipline, and knowledge,” said Susan R. Burns, President of Mount Saint Vincent. “Our dear Sisters are trailblazers. They are heroines and they are innovators. It took a lot of courage for the Mount to take this leap and form a two-year school on campus. But, after watching what the Sisters have done for generations of young people seeking the benefits of education—women, the sick, the marginalized—we knew this was something we had to do to continue to ensure every single student seeking access to higher education can receive it.”
CTB selected Butler and CMSV for its inaugural Design Grant cohort based on both institutions’ commitment to access, impressive institutional capacity, strong enrollment trends, and large populations of low-income prospective students in their communities who could benefit from the program. As part of the design grant process, CTB provided Butler and CMSV with inside access to existing CTB model colleges, planning resources and customized advisory services.
Come to Believe is also providing both institutions with $500,000 in seed funding, made possible by generous gifts to CTB from Schreiber Philanthropy and the Carson Family Charitable Trust. CTB will continue to support both institutions as they prepare for the opening in Fall 2024 (CMSV) and Fall 2025 (Butler).
"The CTB Board is thrilled to see the collaborations with Butler and CMSV leading to new two-year colleges on their campuses and more opportunities for more students,” said Amy Jo Dowd, Board Chair, Come to Believe Network. “CTB is committed to building access and equity through our innovative model, and we hope to see more institutions join the network and ensure that all students are supported to thrive in higher education and complete their degrees.”
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About Come to Believe Network
The Come to Believe Foundation (CTB) assists higher education institutions in developing and launching a two-year college model that provides a pathway for underserved students to receive four-year degrees. First developed at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago, the CTB model provides students with small classes, dedicated faculty advisors, mental health services, generous financial aid and other supports. The results are exemplary, with graduation rates four to six times the national average, and over 80% of graduates transferring to four-year schools. CTB operates as an accelerator within the higher education ecosystem: identifying, supporting and investing in institutions that can successfully replicate CTB’s model on their campuses.
