At Lumina Foundation for Education, we are committed to increasing students' access to and success in education beyond high school. Our mission is vital, not only to the lives of millions of individual students, but to the social and economic future of this nation.

Our mission also is increasingly urgent. As global economic competition intensifies, the need for an adaptive, well-trained American workforce – a college-educated workforce – becomes ever more critical. At the same time, huge demographic changes are altering the face of our nation, putting increased pressure on our higher education system to serve higher proportions of students who traditionally face the highest barriers to success. Clearly, we can't delay our efforts to address this problem. The challenges are too great – and the stakes too high – for us to wait.

This issue of Lumina Foundation Focus magazine is all about people who refuse to wait.

In "Front-porch pathfinders," noted education journalist John Pulley takes a close look at the heroes of college access: the counselors, mentors and advocates who work one-on-one with today's young people to help them become tomorrow’s college students – and future graduates.

You'll read the story of Cara Ables, a college senior who is helping teens in rural Tennessee follow in her footsteps. You'll learn about Ginny Donohue, who works tirelessly to help inner-city students in Syracuse, N.Y., formulate and realize their college dreams. You'll read about Brenda Chavez and Violetta Bluitt, counselors in a New Mexico program that helps Latino students enter and succeed in higher education.

These and many other inspiring, real-life stories – supported by insights from noted researchers, educators and experts across the nation – speak volumes. They underscore the importance of mentoring and guidance, and of families and students starting early to prepare for college success.

Those messages of mentoring and early preparation – major tenets of a nationwide public information campaign that will soon be launched – have always been central to our work at Lumina, and to the efforts of our grantees. We’re proud in this issue of Focus to put the spotlight on some of those efforts.

As always, I welcome your feedback on this issue, and I look forward to your continued help in the important work of enhancing college access and success.