PRESS RELEASE | HIGHER EXPECTATIONS AND BUILDING OUR FUTURE HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL REGIONAL FAFSA SUMMIT: RACINE AND KENOSHA PARTNERS TO FOCUS ON INCREASING COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

Racine & Kenosha, WI – Higher Expectations for Racine County and Building Our Future in Kenosha County, through the Equitable Enrollment Collaborative, will host the third annual Regional FAFSA Summit on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Gateway Technical College. The event will bring together high school counselors, district leaders, college financial aid staff, and community partners from Racine and Kenosha Counties to strengthen strategies that help more students pursue education after high school.

"Gateway is honored to host this year’s FAFSA Summit," said Dr. Morgan Phillips, Interim President of Gateway Technical College. "Events like this show the power of collaboration between our schools, higher education institutions, and community partners. Collaboration is key to helping more students take their next step after high school.”

The FAFSA Summit is part of a regional effort to increase college enrollment. The Collaborative has set a clear vision: by 2028, 62 percent of high school graduates in Racine and Kenosha will enroll in a postsecondary program the fall after graduation. Both Higher Expectations and Building Our Future are members of the StriveTogether national network, which connects communities across the country to accelerate outcomes for young people through cradle-to-career partnerships.

“The FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a gateway to postsecondary education. It unlocks financial resources that make college and career training possible for so many students,” said Elizabeth Erickson, Executive Director of Higher Expectations for Racine County. “When families complete the FAFSA, they are taking a critical step toward ensuring that cost is not a barrier to their child’s future.”

“This Summit is about more than one county or one school district. It is a regional effort,” said Tajana Bicanin, Executive Director of Building Our Future in Kenosha County. “By bringing decision makers and student support staff from Racine and Kenosha to the same table, we are building the partnerships needed to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed after high school.”

This year’s Summit will build on insights gained from the FAST FAFSA initiatives over the past two years, which have deepened the understanding of the barriers and motivations students face in completing the FAFSA. Together, participants will explore local data and strategies, share perspectives from schools and the community, and collaborate on actionable plans to increase FAFSA completion and postsecondary enrollment across the region.

About Higher Expectations: Higher Expectations is a collective impact nonprofit that engages community partners, aligns efforts, and maximizes resources to promote excellence and equity in education and employment outcomes in Racine County. For the past nine years, Higher Expectations has committed to using evidence-based and data-driven decision making to identify local best practices, align community efforts, and track progress on key outcomes from birth to successful employment. They have three core goals: Every child enters school ready to learn; Every student succeeds in school; Every resident succeeds in a career.

About Building Our Future: Building Our Future (BOF) is Kenosha County's local education partnership and a proud member of the StriveTogether Network, a national initiative working to improve youth outcomes. We bring together leaders from every corner of our community - schools, businesses, nonprofits, and families - to ensure all students succeed from cradle to career. By connecting and strengthening existing programs, we create opportunities for every child to thrive and build a brighter future for our entire community.

What We Do:

Building Networks: We bring people and organizations together through action networks that focus on key milestones in a child's educational journey, from early childhood to career readiness.

Building Capacity: We provide coaching, training, and tools to help youth-serving organizations improve their impact using proven, data-driven methods. We also empower students by amplifying their voices and helping them become strong advocates for change.