NEW YORK, New York — Google.org—the company’s philanthropy—awarded Rize Education and the Lower Cost Models Consortium (LCMC) $5 million in funding aimed at increasing access to career-relevant degree programs. This support will empower students at small colleges across the country to pursue high-demand fields such as Computer Science, AI Literacy, and Business Analytics.
Over 115 colleges and universities in the LCMC already leverage Rize’s online program sharing model to more affordably offer students cutting-edge programs that lead to great jobs. With this generous support from Google.org, Rize and the LCMC will be able to expand their efforts and create opportunities for students at even more institutions. The funding from Rize and the LCMC, with support from Google.org, is already enabling Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia to launch 5 new MBA specializations.
Developed in close collaboration with academic and industry experts, programs offered through Rize combine essential liberal arts competencies with the specialized skills necessary to succeed in today’s job market. Participating colleges integrate online courses taught by peer institutions alongside existing curriculum to create hybrid degree pathways.
“Students are looking for colleges that offer reliable pathways to fulfilling careers,” said Kevin Harrington, CEO and Co-founder of Rize Education. “Many of these students want the classic college experience, but increasingly, they actually want to take some of their courses online. This shift in student preferences creates an incredible opportunity for institutions that embrace online program sharing. We are grateful to Google for supporting an initiative that helps colleges both preserve and innovate.”
By supporting career-relevant degree programs, this funding not only supports individual students but also contributes to the development of a skilled and diverse workforce that will drive economic prosperity. It also supports a critical ecosystem of small colleges that support millions of students and hundreds of communities across the country.
Schedule a call to see if your institution qualifies for funding through our recent Google.org grant. For more information about this initiative, please contact: press@rize.education.
About Rize and the LCMC: Rize Education, in collaboration with the Lower Cost Models Consortium (LCMC), is dedicated to helping small and mid-sized colleges thrive by offering shared, high-demand programs that are affordable and scalable.
