Gay Hibbitts, a proud Throckmorton High School graduate, was born and raised just two blocks from the school she now calls home as a teacher. After raising her three sons and caring for her parents through their battles with cancer, she felt a deep pull back to the...
Media & Press
New Mexico launches first preschool to workforce initiative through Rural Education-Workforce Collaborative
CORONA, N.M. – The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions announced yesterday the launch of the first-of-its kind Rural Education-Workforce Collaborative, a $400,000 statewide initiative connecting early education and P-12 instruction in rural school districts...
From Dreams to Reality: Brittany Baumbach’s Path with CEN
From the very start of her career in healthcare, Brittany Baumbach knew she wanted more. “I’ve been working in healthcare since I was 18,” she shares, “and as rewarding as each step has been, I always felt I wasn’t quite where I was meant to be.” The spark to return...
Collegiate Edu-Nation Expands Workforce Pathways into Abilene, Lubbock, and Beaumont
Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN), a Texas-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming rural education and workforce systems, is expanding its EPIC (Empowering People, Inspiring Communities) model into Abilene, Lubbock, and Beaumont, bringing new career-connected...
CEN Receives $1 Million Investment to Advance Rural Education & Workforce Pathways
Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Thoma Foundation—marking the Foundation’s second major investment in our mission to strengthen rural communities through education, workforce development, and civic leadership. This funding will...
Maximizing Rural Opportunity: How Texas Legislation is Reshaping Postsecondary Pathways
Transformative legislative changes in Texas—namely, House Bill 3 (HB3) and House Bill 8 (HB8)—have introduced both exciting opportunities and real challenges for rural school districts. These bills aim to transform how education systems align with workforce needs,...
John Sharp Joins CEN Board of Directors
Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp Joins CEN Board of Directors [Austin, TX] – Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) Board of Directors unanimously approved the addition of retiring Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp to its Board...
Greater Texas Foundation Grant
Greater Texas Foundation Awards More Than $1.1 Million to Collegiate Edu-Nation to Expand Postsecondary Pathways in Rural Texas ROSCOE, TX - June 6, 2025 — Greater Texas Foundation has awarded a $1,118,985 grant to Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) to strengthen and...
Collegiate Edu-Nation Hosts Practitioner and Stakeholder Panel at TASA Midwinter, Launches “The North Star Venture” Fundraising Campaign
Collegiate Edu-Nation Hosts Practitioner and Stakeholder Panel at TASA Midwinter, Launches “The North Star Venture” Fundraising Campaign [ROSCOE, TX – January 23, 2025] – Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) is thrilled to announce its Practitioner and Stakeholder Panel...
Collegiate Edu-Nation Advances Rural Empowerment, Advocacy and Thought-Leadership with Strategic Growth Initiative
Collegiate Edu-Nation Advances Rural Empowerment, Advocacy and Thought-Leadership with Strategic Growth Initiative [ROSCOE, TX - December 15, 2024] - Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) is proud to highlight its continued focus on transforming rural education and community...
