{"id":7789,"date":"2025-07-16T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/news-release\/2025\/07\/16\/3116118\/0\/en\/National-Higher-Education-Nonprofit-Launches-Creative-Commons-Photo-Library-to-Reflect-the-Realities-of-Today-s-Students.html3116118"},"modified":"2025-07-16T11:34:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T04:34:57","slug":"national-higher-education-nonprofit-launches-creative-commons-photo-library-to-reflect-the-realities-of-todays-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cryptoinsider.asia\/vi\/national-higher-education-nonprofit-launches-creative-commons-photo-library-to-reflect-the-realities-of-todays-students\/","title":{"rendered":"National Higher Education Nonprofit Launches Creative Commons Photo Library to Reflect the Realities of Today\u2019s Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Indianapolis, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Complete College America<\/a> (CCA)\u2014a national nonprofit on a mission to raise postsecondary attainment in the United States\u2014today announced the launch of the Complete College Photo Library, a free public collection of Creative Commons photography featuring authentic images of today\u2019s college students. The library showcases the wide range of student experiences and campus settings across the country\u2014including community colleges, HBCUs, regional universities and workforce training programs\u2014highlighting how many of today\u2019s students are balancing college with jobs, family, and other complex real-world responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollege students are more likely to be working learners, parents, veterans, first-generation college-goers, and professionals seeking to upskill, rather than the full-time, residential, straight-from-high-school archetype depicted in the majority of media and publications on higher education,\u201d said Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America. \u201cThe way we depict students\u2014regardless of the medium\u2014has to evolve beyond the outdated stereotypes of the past. This project is about shifting the visual narrative to match the realities.\u201d<\/p>\n

For decades, the prevailing narrative about higher education in media and public discourse has focused narrowly on traditional, four-year residential colleges and the experiences of students in their late teens. At the same time, recent data from the Common App shows a sharp increase in students who are financially independent, many of whom are returning to college later in life. Nationally, more than one in four students (26%) is raising a child while pursuing their education, and roughly 40% of undergraduates are over 25.<\/p>\n

Research also shows that today\u2019s students attend a broad range of institutions \u2013 over 40% of students enrolled in postsecondary education attend community colleges<\/a>, HBCUs enroll 10%<\/a> of all Black students in the U.S., and Hispanic Serving Institutions<\/a> enroll more than 65% of all Hispanic undergraduates.  <\/p>\n

To help produce a more complete picture of the lived realities of today\u2019s students, Complete College America invited institutions from across the nationwide CCA Alliance to apply for participation in the inaugural cohort of a new storytelling and visual identity initiative. Through this process, the organization selected seven partner campuses and coordinated a series of multi-day, on-campus photo shoots to create a national library of high-quality, authentic imagery. <\/p>\n

\u201cColleges and universities today are shaped by the unique experiences, backgrounds and identities of our diverse student bodies — it’s what strengthens and binds our community together,\u201d said Eric M. Friedman, President at Bergen Community College. \u201cServing as one of the flagship colleges in the Complete College America Photo Library not only speaks to the tapestry of cultures at Bergen Community College, but how those many identities enrich our institution and how we provide visibility for our community members to the entire society.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result is the newly-unveiled photo library, which now includes nearly 1,000 curated, professional-quality images featuring a wide range of students in real college and workforce settings across the country. The images were captured by renowned photojournalist and photographer Allison Shelley, who traveled to each campus to capture authentic students and scenes. All images are free and accessible for use by all through a Creative Commons license, which ensures that journalists, institutions, policymakers, funders, and advocates will have access to these materials. <\/p>\n

The initial cohort of institutions selected to contribute to the Complete College Photo Library includes Bergen Community College, College of Northern New Mexico, College of Southern Nevada, Salish Kootenai College, Pasadena City College, Tougaloo College, and the University of Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

Complete College America invites media outlets, freelance journalists, education organizations, and researchers to explore and use the new Complete College Photo Library. The collection features authentic, high-quality images that reflect the diversity and experiences of today\u2019s college students. <\/p>\n

Visit completecollege.org\/photolibrary<\/a> to explore and share.<\/p>\n

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About Complete College America<\/strong>: Complete College America (CCA) is a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates and closing institutional performance gaps by working with states, systems, institutions, and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success. To learn more about CCA, visit www.completecollege.org<\/a><\/p>\n

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