Our Research

“You know, everybody may have a different story, but we [are all] on the same path. We all have a goal.”

OMD Scholar

One Million Degrees is in the third year of a randomized controlled trial led by the University of Chicago Urban Labs. The study is evaluating whether OMD’s holistic support system improves community college students’ graduation rates, employment, and earnings. 

Early findings from the evaluation’s first two years were recently released and indicate that participating in the OMD program leads to a 35 percent increase in full-time enrollment and a 47 percent increase in full-time persistence to the next school term. 

Read more about the study here.

In partnership with Jiffy Lansing, PhD student, Northwestern University, OMD has published a study on the impact of positive identity development for the success of low-income community college students. “Beyond a Degree: Identity Development and Community College Student Success” highlights the importance of both capital development and identity development for low-income student success and describes how OMD is pioneering a focus on identity work.

“Different Stories, Same Path: Alumni Reflections on the One Million Degrees Experience” outlines Dr. Lorenzo Baber’s (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) key findings from a series of focus groups and interviews with OMD Alumni. This paper explores which supports are most critical in helping low-income community college students succeed during college and beyond.