In This Issue
 ·Annual report - Tomorrow: It's a group project
 ·College Goal Sunday expands to 18 states
 ·College affordability: A case study

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
College Goal Sunday extends its reach
College Goal Sunday expanded its reach this year with events in 18 states plus the District of Columbia. Volunteers work one on one with thousands of students and families to help them complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). More...

ACCESS: STATE POLICY CASE STUDY
Utah: Policies and priorities maintain college affordability
Compared with other states, Utah has been able to maintain a system of higher education that is more affordable for students, while enrollments have almost doubled over the past 20 years. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education recently released a Case Study of Utah Higher Education, which examines state policies and performance in the areas of enrollment and affordability. Also see, Measuring Up 2004: The State by State Report Card.

SUCCESS: INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
How marketing of financial aid affects college enrollment
What role does marketing play in increasing the effectiveness of financial student aid programs?  The Education Resource Institute, with support from Lumina Foundation, commissioned research reviews to identify what is known about the impact of financial aid program design, operations and marketing on the perceptions of lower-income and minority youth and their parents. More...

SUCCESS: INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
Foundations of Excellence launches new Web site
FYFOUNDATIONS.ORG is the new Web site for the Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year, sponsored by the Policy Center on the First Year of College and supported by Lumina Foundation. The project includes four-year and two-year colleges and is designed to enhance the learning and retention of beginning students.

ACCESS: HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION
Bigger may not be better: School size and graduation rates
Decreasing the size of school districts improves graduation rates, according to a national study by the Manhattan Institute. Conversely, school district consolidation leads to higher dropout rates. More.  Another recent report by the National Association of Secondary School Principals examines the complex issue of high school graduation rates and offers policy recommendations for improving graduation rate calculations and outcomes. More...

Adults blaze new trails to college
The latest issue of Lumina Foundation Focus magazine provides an in-depth examination of how and why adults are heading to college. The issue explores how nontraditional students are becoming the norm in postsecondary institutions around the country and how institutions are responding to the varied needs of adult students. Read Lumina Foundation Focus: Lifelong lessons.

Lumina Foundation publications
Communication initiatives are central to our mission, and we offer a range of publications to disseminate information about our work on behalf of student access and success beyond high school. More...

Lumina Foundation announces first-quarter grants
In the first three months of 2005, Lumina Foundation awarded nearly $5 million in grants to help students, especially the traditionally underserved, gain access to and achieve success in education after high school. More...

Minority-serving institutions initiative moved to AEHE
The Alliance for Equity in Higher Education (AEHE) will lead and manage BEAMS (Building Engagement and Attainment of Minority Students), funded by Lumina Foundation. The Institute for Higher Education Policy coordinates AEHE programs. More...