News and views in higher education attainment from Lumina Foundation

Featured Story

Adult Pathways

Colleges buck enrollment trends by increasing their supports for students

More than 40 million people in this country have attended college but stopped before completing a degree, and I can understand why.

Jamie MerisotisMay 29, 2023

Female college students talk with their male friend after the graduation ceremony.

Research and Evaluation

How do we bounce back from the enrollment plunge? Four colleges show the way.

A new National Student Clearinghouse report says 40.4 million Americans have some college but no degree, up from 39 million a year ago.

Courtney Brown May 24, 2023

Happy volunteers lifting wooden frame together at park stock photo

Today's Credentials

Think carefully before deciding to delay the path to or through college

Taking a break between high school and college, or in the middle of your studies, is tempting. After all, the learning process can be hard, and exhausting. But the times we are in call for caution when it comes to any delays in education.

Jamie Merisotis May 15, 2023

Featured Podcast

Student Supports

Addressing Mental Health on College Campuses

Dakota PawlickiMarch 29, 2023

Katherine Wheatle

FILTERED BY AUTHOR:

Katherine Wheatle

Katherine Wheatle, Ph.D. is a former strategy officer for federal policy and equity at Lumina Foundation.

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Racial Justice and Equity

Equity first: Trailblazing Prairie View president turns Black pain into social change

When Lumina Foundation decided to put $15 million toward fighting systemic racism in response to the killing of George Floyd, we imagined funding the efforts of leaders like Dr. Ruth Simmons and institutions like Prairie View A&M University in Texas.

Katherine WheatleFeb. 15, 2021

Federal Policy

When it comes to student borrowers of color, policymakers should explore the shades of gray

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 unemployment fueled by a pandemic—and it’s affecting college affordability even more dramatically.

Wayne Taliaferro, Katherine WheatleJuly 14, 2020

Federal Policy

Honor the treaties: Deliver on promises to educate Native Americans

In an interview with Amanda R. Tachine, assistant professor of higher education at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, and Jameson David “J.D.” Lopez, assistant professor of educational policy studies and practice at the College of Education, University of Arizona, I discussed the importance of Native American voices in policy dialogues about affordability…

Katherine WheatleJuly 14, 2020

Racial Justice and Equity

NAACP Image Awards show that students can be powerfully authentic messengers

Student voices can be a powerful force in shaping policies and influencing views on higher education. I know this firsthand because I got my start as an educational equity advocate years ago while a collegiate member of the NAACP.

Katherine WheatleMarch 5, 2020

Racial Justice and Equity

Fifty years after protests, civil rights advocates are needed more than ever

We can’t achieve racial equity in higher education without an avid defense of civil rights. Within the past year, Lumina Foundation has focused on supporting civil rights organizations to increase their capacity to advocate for federal policies that can better serve today’s students.

Katherine WheatleSept. 5, 2019

Affordability

New report, old story: To succeed in college, money matters

College students of limited means receive much less support from Pell Grants today than in the past and have a much lower chance of graduating within six years, a new report shows.

Katherine Wheatle, Wendy SedlakJune 12, 2019

Affordability

Four ways to make college financial aid more fair

The Great Recession ended 10 years ago this summer, but a decade of economic recovery has failed to lift the prospects for millions of college students staring down more than $1.5 trillion in education debt.

Katherine WheatleMarch 5, 2019