News and views in higher education attainment from Lumina Foundation

Featured Story

Student Supports

Mental health Is A Major Problem On College Campuses—Here’s What We Can Do

Emotional stress is causing more students to leave college and keeping others from enrolling, at a time when people need post-high school education more than ever—and the country desperately needs their talent.

Jamie MerisotisMarch 31, 2023

Alisa A. Miller. 2015 photo from Chicago Booth

Lumina News

Tech entrepreneur to lead Lumina Foundation board

Lumina Foundation’s board of directors has elected tech entrepreneur Alisa Miller as its new leader. She will serve a three-year term as board chair. Miller began her board service in 2015, and she succeeds Kathy Davis, who will remain on the Lumina board.

March 31, 2023

Mother walks with child on public sidewalk.

Student Supports

We know what works to help student parents afford childcare. Communities can learn from this Maine program.

Many adult learners can’t afford hot meals or shelter. If they’re parents, they can’t afford child care. Three out of five college students say they lack the necessities of life, with students of color disproportionately affected.

Katy Launius March 28, 2023

Featured Podcast

Student Supports

Addressing Mental Health on College Campuses

Dakota PawlickiMarch 29, 2023

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Paola Santana

Paola Santana is a strategy officer for state policy at Lumina Foundation, where she supports states' efforts to increase education attainment and eliminate racial disparities.

State Policy

The requirements for handing out state financial aid can impact students of color negatively, but we can change that

The way many states choose to dole out financial aid could have the “unintentional consequence of disproportionately excluding Black and Hispanic students,” new research shows.

Paola SantanaFeb. 23, 2023

Racial Justice and Equity

Shifting some strategies can help us put racial equity first

When we launched our strategic plan, Lumina Foundation recommitted to doing all it can to reach the goal of at least 60 percent of Americans having a degree or some other high-quality credential beyond the high school diploma.

Paola SantanaAug. 3, 2021

Racial Justice and Equity

There’s a better way to defuse racial tension and improve legislative debates

With the brutal killing of George Floyd and last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, more state legislatures are debating measures that intersect with how we think about race in society.

Paola Santana, Scott JenkinsMarch 2, 2021

Racial Justice and Equity

Changes in how Lumina makes grants and awards contracts will highlight the need for racial justice and equity

Lumina Foundation has a long-standing commitment to achieving racial equity—the point when an individual’s race or ethnicity no longer predicts educational outcomes. Creating a learning system in which Black, Hispanic, and Native American people are a priority was crucial to our launch 20 years ago.

Paola Santana, Amanda DeLaRosaJan. 14, 2021

Racial Justice and Equity

Equity Narratives: For the undocumented, it’s hard to shake the grip of fear

In our home country, my family was considered white and middle class. But all that changed when my family and I emigrated to the United States when I was 10 years old.

Paola SantanaFeb. 27, 2020

Racial Justice and Equity

Lumina grants bring new urgency to boosting success among students of color

Lumina Foundation has selected seven states to receive short-term grants of up to $50,000 to advance equity-minded leadership aimed at increasing post-high school learning among students of color.

Paola SantanaJuly 22, 2019

State Policy

Lumina offers grants to help states advance equity-minded leadership

Lumina Foundation is offering six-month grants of up to $50,000 for states that focus on some of the essential practices needed to grow equitable educational attainment.

Paola SantanaMay 21, 2019