Higher Education Access: The Key to Central Florida’s Future

Education is more than a personal journey to a diploma. It’s the foundation of a strong and successful community. It creates a skilled workforce that attracts businesses, fuels innovation, and drives economic growth.  

Our recent Business United Connection Series sponsored by Bank of America, featuring Helios Education Foundation CEO, Paul J. Luna and his colleagues, Paul Perrault, Ph.D., and Kimberly Lent-Morales explored the findings from the foundation’s Florida’s Future Billions Report. The report shows how a 10% rise in college attendance could fundamentally reshape Central Florida’s economy. A dynamic panel of business leaders based in Central Florida then discussed strategies to make this goal possible by 2030. 

How Education Strengthens the Economy 

The Billions Report focuses on the economic impact of increased enrollment across three areas: individuals, social and fiscal. The analysis highlights the significant returns: 

• Florida: A statewide 10% increase in college enrollment could lead to $8.4 billion in social gains and another $3.43 billion in fiscal gains, annually. 

• Central Florida: The region alone could see $1.2 billion in social benefits and over $500 million in fiscal benefits from this 10% increase. 

The report also examines the broader economic benefits of increasing the college completion rate, improving college readiness, and closing college race gaps.  

Increasing College Enrollment: A Six-Point Strategy for Florida Leadership

The Helios team concluded its presentation with six actionable steps for Florida leadership to help increase college enrollment: 

1. Ensure students are better prepared for college and the workforce. 

2. Align with organizations actively promoting workforce and college readiness. 

3. Hold ourselves accountable for moving this economic agenda forward. 

4. Grow exposure and awareness of your work, industries, and needed skill sets. 

5. Foster relationships between the business community and College and University systems. 

6. Keep Florida Students in Florida! 

What Our Panelists Shared for Next Steps 

Our conversation concluded with a spirited discussion featuring four forward-thinking panelists: Braulio Colón (Florida College Access Network), Tristan Brown, MBA (Coca-Cola Beverages Florida), Michael Strayhorn, CIMA, CRPC, CLTC (6001 Silver Star Partners, LLC), and Ulysses Tyre (Electronic Arts). 

The panelists shared real, tangible ways businesses and individuals can collaborate to help students enroll in and excel at college and successfully enter the workplace. Being part of the solution can be simple, such as mentoring one high school student, or more elaborate, like coordinating a FAFSA completion event or a College & Career Fair. 

Ready to make a difference? To truly move the needle, we need your support! We’ve outlined two powerful ways you or your business can jump in and join this effort. 

Get Involved Locally with upliftED 

Heart of Florida United Way’s education collective, upliftED, offers Central Florida business leaders a direct path to the solution. 

UpliftED helps ensure students are prepared for college and the workforce through the Education United: Student Success HUB. The HUB is specifically focused on increasing both the FAFSA completion and college enrollment rates by 10%. It provides a range of services centered on affordability, college readiness and career pathways. 

There are many ways for businesses and individuals to get involved in upliftED’s efforts. To learn more, contact Daisy Franklin, upliftED Program Manager, at daisy.franklin@hfuw.org. 

Join Business United  

Partnering with local nonprofit organizations is always a win for the community, but it can also be a win for your business’ bottom line. Business United is a unique model for bringing businesses together to better Central Florida.     

Through Business United, Heart of Florida United Way empowers businesses and organizations of all sizes to support our community while simultaneously meeting your corporate social responsibility goals. Is your business ready to amplify its impact and harness the power of partnership? Join our Business United program. To get involved, please contact Victoria Del Agua at victoria.DelAgua@hfuw.org.  

Together, we can do our part to light the way for future generations in Central Florida.