ASU Local × Southwestern Community College District

Combining digital learning platforms with localized, personalized support

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ASU Local is an innovative and affordable college model that combines in-person academic and career coaching, mentorship, and community with the flexibility of ASU’s advanced digital learning platforms. This flexibility is particularly important for low-income, place-bound, BIPOC students seeking to earn a bachelor’s degree while juggling complex schedules and responsibilities.

ASU Local is currently located within six communities, one of which is co-located at Arizona Western College, a community college in Yuma, Arizona. With 90% of Western College students retained from Fall ‘21 through Fall ‘23, the community college model shows great promise for learner success. It provides ASU Local with direct access to learners and helps create stronger, more supportive environments as the students transfer to four-year programs.

90%

ASU Local's college co-location model has shown 90% year-over-year retention in an innovative pilot program.

In 2023, Axim Collaborative partnered with ASU Local and Southwestern Community College District (SWCCD) in California to expand and codify this community college co-location model. Through technology enhanced onboarding and launch process, we hope to broaden access to postsecondary pathways for underserved transfer students as they work toward their bachelor’s degree. In addition, the new site at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California, will provide key insights on what it takes to successfully launch the co-location model in low-income communities throughout the US.

The ASU, SWCCD, and Axim partnership will include the following initiatives as we work toward increased transfer rates for BIPOC students who attend community college, delivering personalized support and reduced time to degree completion after transfer:

Adaptive, scalable partnership structure between community colleges and universities with a student-centered design model that includes holistic and wraparound services.
Streamlined transfer processes for BIPOC students with a specific focus on low-income and working students who attend community college.
New transfer pathways for BIPOC students to apply and attend a Research 1 institution in their local community.