data sharing, OU, oakland admissions,
February 14, 2025
Oakland University has announced its partnership in the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Data Collaborative, an initiative that will provide comprehensive insight into student progress and achievement in the Detroit Region.
The Collaborative uses the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP), a nationwide effort from the National Student Clearinghouse, to support this initiative by improving access to better data on student progress and outcomes.
Oakland joins the following 11 participating colleges and universities in this collaborative:
Davenport University Grand Valley State University Henry Ford College | Macomb Community College Monroe County Oakland Community College | St. Clair County Community College University of Detroit Mercy University of Michigan – Dearborn Wayne State University |
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“This initiative enables Detroit Drives Degrees and participating colleges to analyze data effectively, highlighting areas that require attention and improvement,” said Meghan Schmidbauer, Senior Director of Detroit Drives Degrees at the Detroit Regional Chamber. “By identifying trends and gaps in student performance, enrollment, and success, we can allocate resources more strategically, ensuring efforts are directed at initiatives that will have the most significant impact. Further, this data-driven approach fosters accountability and encourages more efficient collaboration across various sectors developing and depending on the talent coming from these institutions.”
“At Oakland University, we are committed to leveraging data to enhance student success and improve educational outcomes across the region," said Dawn Aubry, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Oakland University. "By partnering with the Detroit Drives Degrees Data Collaborative, we gain valuable insights that will help us track student progress, identify barriers, and develop targeted strategies to support their academic journey. This collaboration aligns with our mission to create a more seamless and supportive educational experience, ensuring that students have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive at Oakland University and beyond.”
The Detroit Drives Degrees Data Collaborative represents a significant partnership between the participating colleges and the Detroit Regional Chamber. The Chamber produces the annual State of Education and Talent report, which provides context centered around key data indicators that illustrate how the Region’s education institutions are preparing students for the jobs of the future through education. While data is available from multiple sources, it is not possible to collectively measure the work of the Region’s colleges.
By participating in the data collaborative, OU has signaled its dedication to student success and its commitment to the Regional Talent Compact’s goals. As partners in this work, Oakland and the other participating colleges will submit robust data to the National Student Clearinghouse PDP platform, which will allow for regional analysis and help Detroit Drives Degrees measure and monitor the impact of the Regional Talent Compact’s implemented strategies and policies on removing barriers to post-high school education and student success. Learn more at detroitchamber.com/talented.
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About TalentEd
TalentEd is the premier business-led talent development initiative for Southeast Michigan. A prosperity initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber, TalentEd is shaped by leading CEOs. It empowers employers and institutions of higher education to develop tomorrow’s talent now and create a more prosperous future for the Region. The Chamber is the only organization that brings together business, education, government, philanthropy, and community groups from across the Region to collectively strengthen the post-high school talent pipeline and grow the pool of credentialed, educated workers through scalable programs that ensure employers have the highly skilled workforce needed to compete.
About Detroit Drives Degrees
Detroit Drives Degrees is the Detroit Regional Chamber’s collective impact initiative that brings together stakeholders from business, philanthropy, government, K-12, and higher education. The Detroit Region’s rapidly evolving economy requires strengthening the talent pipeline. Detroit Drives Degrees seeks to increase the proportion of individuals with college degrees and high-skill credentials in the Region. With only 53% of adults having attained this level of education within the Region, Detroit Drives Degrees’ primary goal is to increase the post-high school attainment rate to 60% by 2030 and cut the racial equity gap in half. Learn more at detroitchamber.com/d3.