Mary Laphen Pope
Strategy Officer
Mary Laphen Pope serves as strategy officer for participation for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.
More about Mary1 of 14
Community colleges have a terrific story to tell. Here’s how to showcase their strengths.
June 27, 2024
Flexible. Supportive. Innovative. Effective. Community colleges are all of these things as they prepare millions of students for in-demand jobs.
2 of 14
Embrace culture and nature with Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
May 13, 2024
The college has created an environment that embodies its values and embraces the surrounding landscape as an extension of the teaching and learning environment. From the outdoor classroom where students and community members can learn under the sky to the medicine garden, expertly shaped like a turt
3 of 14
Your school could land $50K in our first-ever Instagram grant challenge
April 25, 2024
From excellent student services to beautiful campus facilities, heartfelt community engagement, and dynamic classroom experiences, community colleges embody the dreams and aspirations of their communities.
4 of 14
From grapes to houses, something special is growing at Yavapai College
April 23, 2024
Something amazing is happening in the Grand Canyon state. Steeped in the rich colors of the Arizona landscape is a multi-campus college with strong community ties and a passion for innovation. Yavapai College is an interesting mix of entrepreneurial thinking, artistic expression, agricultural savv
5 of 14
Lessons from Guam: How a small college is creating big opportunities
March 21, 2024
What can colleges in the mainland U.S. learn from a small island college in a remote part of Micronesia? A lot! We traveled to the U.S. territory of Guam to understand how they use ingenuity to meet the workforce needs of this unique island. Guam Community College (GCC) is a small but mighty college
6 of 14
Taking on brands across the country
Oct. 25, 2023
If you think about a college’s brand as their reputation—how people experience the college, their perceptions—and what they say about a college, then we know that brand perception matters a great deal in education.
7 of 14
Why mobile optimization matters at small colleges
Oct. 25, 2023
Community colleges across the country need to be creative in how they attract and enroll adult learners in their communities. For small colleges in particular, it’s critical that their touchpoints reach their students where they are, and for 97 percent of the population (according to Pew Research)
8 of 14
The college brand in action
Oct. 25, 2023
At Lumina Foundation, we understand the power of a brand. It’s something we think about daily. Are we staying true to our mission? Are we creating experiences with our grantees that are inclusive and designed for success? When people visit our website, walk through our office doors, or interact wi
9 of 14
College identity and building community
Aug. 21, 2023
When Great Falls College Montana State University applied for The Million Dollar Community College Challenge, college officials expressed a strong desire to strengthen brand identity and engage the community.
10 of 14
Community Colleges Far and Wide: Guam Community College
Aug. 21, 2023
Next up, we're traveling to the U.S. territory of Guam to visit Guam Community College, which is steeped in history and culture, and all in on workforce programming. There’s never been a stronger sense of community in college. Guam Community College might be far from the mainland United States, bu
11 of 14
What happens when a system takes on the Challenge?
Aug. 21, 2023
When we launched The Million Dollar Community College Challenge in February 2022, we were intentional about focusing on individual colleges. Our goal was simple: to provide an opportunity for colleges across the country to energize the field around improving community college brands AND to get resou
12 of 14
Worried about the “enrollment cliff”? It’s time to change our perception of who goes to college.
June 22, 2023
In 2007, Tlaloc Fierro went to a liberal arts college in Florida right after high school but quickly discovered that the experience wasn’t for her. She was more than prepared academically—she graduated a year early from high school. But her family struggled to pay tuition, even with a scholarshi
13 of 14
Community colleges: You could get $1M to tell your story
Feb. 14, 2022
The Million Dollar Community College Challenge will award 1.9 million in grants and technical assistance directly to community colleges, with one college receiving $1 million dollars and nine colleges receiving $100,000 each.
14 of 14
The Great Resignation is here. How can community colleges help?
Dec. 7, 2021
The Great Resignation is upon us. In September alone, about 4.4 million workers walked away from unfulfilling or low wage jobs, looking for more promise, purpose, and pay. Community colleges are stepping up to offer Americans paths to careers, but the route from college to job isn’t always clear.