Philanthropy Roundtable: Turning the Workplace into the New Learning Place with Reach University

Real change in education often begins with one person believing in another.

For Reach University President Joe E. Ross, that person was Miss Fenner — a teacher who quietly removed a roadblock and helped shape his future. Her influence planted a lasting passion for every student to have a Miss Fenner in their educational journey. 

That idea is now lived out through teacher candidates like Jackie Collins, a working mother and school staff member who once believed a bachelor’s degree was out of reach. Through an Apprenticeship Degree, Jackie is earning her credential while continuing to work — building a pathway into teaching without stepping away from her income or community.

And it is made possible by philanthropic leaders like Carrie Morgridge of the Morgridge Family Foundation, whose investment reflects a belief that redesigning higher education around affordability and credit for learning at work can unlock opportunity at scale.

From Miss Fenner’s classroom to Jackie’s Apprenticeship Degree and Carrie’s catalytic support, the throughline is clear: turning jobs into degrees changes lives.

Read the full feature from Philanthropy Roundtable to learn how this model is transforming the workplace into the new learning place.

🔗: Turning the Workplace into the New Learning Place with Reach University