Wayne Taliaferro
Strategy Director
Wayne Taliaferro is director for student success at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. In that role, he works to support the creation of a system in which student success and equitable outcomes are scaled up significantly, particularly at community colleges as the start of a success trajectory.
More about Wayne1 of 12
Prioritizing adult learners of color makes education better for all of us
Nov. 7, 2023
Over the last two years, Lumina has supported the REACH Collaborative, which stands for Racial Equity for Adult Credentials in Higher Education and works with community colleges to help adult students of color attain associate degrees and other credentials.
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It’s time to write a new chapter for historically Black and predominantly Black community colleges
June 27, 2023
It’s time to rewrite the “do more with less” narrative that has for too long dominated historically Black and predominantly Black community colleges (HBCCs and PBCCs)—an often overlooked yet resilient segment.
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Community colleges in six states join national effort to support adult students of color
Sept. 22, 2021
Education and training after high school, long known to be a vehicle for economic mobility, will play a pivotal role in our recovery, but only if that promise is just as true for communities of color. Systematically, however, that has not been the case for Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native America
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When it comes to student borrowers of color, policymakers should explore the shades of gray
July 14, 2020
The last recession consumed the modest wealth of Black and Hispanic communities, further deepening racial wealth divides and burdening college students from these communities with higher loan debt. Today, the United States is experiencing another severe economic downturn, with record-high unemployme
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The story of Latino borrowers’ academic persistence is missing from state and federal policy dialogues
July 14, 2020
In an interview with Janette Martinez, a senior policy and research analyst at Excelencia in Education, I discussed the importance of Hispanic voices in policy dialogues about affordability and student borrowing.
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Policymaking to aid Black borrowers shouldn’t happen without Black experts in the room
July 14, 2020
In an interview with Dominique Baker, assistant professor of education policy, Simmons School of Education & Human Development, Southern Methodist University, I discussed the importance of Black voices in policy dialogues about affordability and student borrowing. Read more on Lumina’s “Borrower
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COVID relief for higher ed has to mean serious—and long-overdue—support for student parents
May 5, 2020
The federal stimulus plan directs $6.28 billion in emergency aid to college students. The relief fund has drawn support for its novelty as well as criticism amid its restrictions and rollout. But what it does include is an additional avenue of support for a group that is often overlooked in higher
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The rest of America could benefit as LA helps former students earn college degrees
Oct. 9, 2019
Nearly half a million adults in the Los Angeles area have completed some college but didn’t finish their degrees, according to the U.S. Census. Nationally, the figure is about 35 million Americans, or roughly 20 percent of the population between 25 and 64. Responsibilities at work and at home can
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Let’s focus on quality and equity in higher education for incarcerated students
Sept. 12, 2019
In a town marked by partisan gridlock, criminal justice reform conversations in Washington have surprisingly moved beyond those frequent stalemates. Yes, challenges and disagreements endure, but access to higher education for people in prison has gained new levels of attention and support. The boost
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Real justice demands a second chance — for education
April 19, 2019
April is National Second Chance Month, a month dedicated to centering the voices, experiences, and promise of people affected by the criminal justice system. It’s a time to unify around the principles of justice, fairness, and redemption.
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Prison education: Making the most of a second chance
March 5, 2019
Since 1994, when the Violent Crimes Act banned incarcerated people from receiving federal financial aid, millions of Americans have cycled through prisons, only a fraction able to obtain high-quality higher education.
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Federal regulations should put today’s students first
Jan. 16, 2019
This week, the U.S. Department of Education began negotiating regulations that govern higher education. We at Lumina Foundation care deeply about this process and its results.
