Greater Texas Foundation and EMC Partner to Launch Rural Promise of Economic Mobility
Expanding college and career pathways across West and North Texas DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / September 14, 2026 /
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Expanding college and career pathways across West and North Texas
DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / September 14, 2026 / Greater Texas Foundation (GTF) and Economic Mobility Center (EMC) today announced a three-year, $1 million partnership to strengthen education-to-workforce pathways for students at Howard College and Grayson College. EMC believes every student deserves a path to a living wage, and in West and North Texas, that means aligning schools, colleges, and employers around shared, data-driven goals for student success.
Why it matters: In Texas, only 54% of working-age adults hold a degree or high-value credential beyond high school, and rural and low-income adults consistently attain credentials at lower rates than the state average. Closing that gap for rural students is central to why EMC, GTF, Howard College, and Grayson College are investing in this work together.
The initiative builds on EMC’s existing partnerships with both colleges – the Texoma Promise, launched with Grayson College in 2021, and the Open Roads Promise, launched with Howard College in 2024 – extending that work, with GTF’s continued investment, into a next-generation model that connects K-12 districts, employers, workforce boards, and community organizations around shared goals for credential attainment and living-wage employment.
“Every student in Howard County and Texoma deserves a clear path from high school to a credential to a good job, no matter how far they live from a major city,” said Megan Aghazadian, CEO of Economic Mobility Center. “This grant lets us bring the same kind of regional coordination that’s worked in other parts of Texas directly to the communities Howard College and Grayson College serve.”
“Rural students often face disconnected pathways between high school, college, and the workforce, making it harder to earn credentials that lead to economic opportunities,” said Sue McMillin, President and CEO of Greater Texas Foundation. “This initiative will create clearer pathways to credentials of value while helping rural colleges build systems that can sustain these efforts beyond the grant period.”
The initiative will serve rural communities across Grayson, Howard, Fannin, Dawson, Martin, Glasscock, Coke, Concho, Sterling, and Tom Green counties – reaching Howard College’s roughly 3,700 students and 41 partner high schools (49% Pell-eligible) and Grayson College’s roughly 4,300 students (40-55% Pell-eligible, with 28% enrolled through dual credit before age 18). The work is designed to align with the 86th Texas Legislature’s House Bill 3 (2019) and the 88th Texas Legislature’s House Bill 8 (2023), helping both regions translate state outcomes-based funding incentives into lasting local capacity.
“Howard College (Open Roads Promise) and Grayson College (Texoma Promise) are inspiring and supporting more students through postsecondary education to good regional jobs,” said Eric Ban, Founder of Economic Mobility Center. “We are excited to build on this foundation to reach students earlier, develop stronger regional infrastructure, and ensure alignment to regional workforce needs and state policies that improve and sustain funding.”
Anabel Romero-Juarez, Ed.D., Managing Director of Regional Partnerships at EMC, is leading day-to-day implementation of the initiative.
About Greater Texas Foundation: For 25 years, Greater Texas Foundation has helped education changemakers across Texas move ideas into action so more students can earn a meaningful postsecondary credential and achieve a brighter future. Working alongside grantees and partners, we support the innovations and system improvements that expand opportunity for Texas learners.
About Economic Mobility Center: Economic Mobility Center (EMC) partners with K-12 districts, community colleges, employers, and workforce boards across Texas to build technology platforms, digital credentials, and case management tools that help more students complete degrees and enter the workforce in high-demand, high-paying jobs.
To learn more about The Rural Promise of Economic Mobility, visit economicmobilitycenter.org
Media Contact
Asad Ali
Enterprise Marketing Manager,
Economic Mobility Center
Asad.Ali@economicmobilitycenter.org
SOURCE: Economic Mobility Center
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