2025-04-22-Insights from The Million Dollar Community College Challenge

Diversity and equity initiatives are increasingly under attack in statehouses, schools, and corporations across the country. But amid this rising rhetoric, a critical misunderstanding threatens our nation’s future—one that could erode our global leadership and economic prosperity.

States across the country have proposed or enacted legislation that hampers or eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on college campuses. These efforts range from removing diversity statements from job posting to outright elimination of student support services. Erin Gretzinger and Maggie Hicks from the Chronicle of Higher Education gives us a national overview and Veronica Selzler from Hattaway Communications talks about a new toolkit designed to help bridge the communications gap.

This could be a challenging year for the 4 million or so people just graduating from college: While the National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that most employers say they will maintain or increase hiring, sizeable job cuts elsewhere mean an overall decrease in hiring.

Waterloo, Iowa, got an urgent wake-up call in 2018. Despite being one of Iowa’s most diverse towns with a major manufacturing hub, a financial commentary site listed it as the worst city to be a Black American.

And my equity journey continues. Four years ago, I wrote a column about sending my son off to college and my fears for him as a young Black man finding his way as a student and citizen. Today, I’m the proud mom of a college graduate. Though the world shut down during my son’s freshman year, and he spent […]

If you want progress, work for justice. That’s a paraphrase of Pope Paul VI from 1972 amid the Vietnam War. Then, the sentiment was about peace. More than 50 years later, we’re still talking about justice—but now in the context of economic mobility and the promise of American progress.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s June 29 decision to end affirmative action in college admissions, a group of foundations quickly issued a joint statement condemning the decision, saying, “The Supreme Court’s decision impedes colleges and universities from selecting their own student bodies and fully addressing systemic racial inequalities that persist.”

What will American colleges and universities look like now that the Supreme Court has upended affirmative action? The evidence is clear: As we’ve seen from states that had already banned race-conscious admissions prior to the court’s recent decision, enrollment for students of color will decline. We can avoid going backward only if institutions embrace new approaches for increasing student diversity and abolish advantages for the privileged, such as legacy preferences.

We often hear that a bachelor’s degree pays off, literally, long-term, but is that always true? And how do short-term credentials like certificates and training badges really compare?

America once led the world, but the global economy is evolving, and other nations are surging ahead. We must recommit to innovation and training.

At the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit, Lumina Foundation President and CEO Jamie Merisotis gave a LightningX keynote on increasing the value of higher education.

This live session, taped at SXSW 2025, explores the interplay between higher education and artificial intelligence, delving into how academic institutions are responding to the proliferation of AI in the workplace and economy.

Here’s why states betting on certificates to boost attainment might be a losing wager. A recent visit to the Santa Anita racetrack taught me a surprising lesson—not about horse racing, but about the seductive power of a “clever” idea.

In response to falling public confidence, higher ed needs to deliver greater value and a clear return on investment.

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans that currently do not have a degree believe that earning an academic credential is valuable. And yet, there is waning confidence in higher education across the country, as many people ask if they will get a return on their investment. In this episode, we visit Lupita Trujillo, a mother of three, who shares how these decisions sounded in her household. We also review the latest Gallup-Lumina Foundation reports about perceptions of higher education with Dr. Courtney Brown.

Higher ed leaders and policymakers need to fundamentally rethink the system of who pays for college, and how.

Despite the loud and pervasive national rhetoric that college campuses are ideological battlegrounds where free speech is stifled, most students say their experience is much different.

Three years ago, we at Lumina Foundation became curious about the stigma surrounding community colleges. Americans saw them as the convenient, practical choice—but as a backup to something “better” and often not the first choice for serious students.

In this special edition, we have a conversation on how to drive economic growth, strengthen civic life, and equip individuals to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Experts from workforce, higher education and philanthropy will dive into how learning after high school cultivates a skilled workforce, fosters innovation, and improves quality of life for American communities.  This show was recorded live from the podcast lounge at SXSW. 

This episode dives into how schools are using SEO, branding, and mobile-friendly marketing to reshape perceptions and connect with their communities.

Much of what makes America the envy of the world is its great diversity. That diversity cuts across many different lines: Income, geography, gender, ethnicity, race, and many other factors contribute to the nation’s economic strength and competitive ingenuity.

We disagree so much in this country that it’s heartening to find an idea that nearly everybody supports—at least generally.

I have served at the U.S. Department of Education twice—once as a career civil servant and later as deputy undersecretary and acting assistant secretary. I took immense pride in serving students with dignity and purpose in both roles. I continue to be inspired by the unwavering dedication of the department’s career employees—public servants who have committed their lives to advancing educational opportunity in every corner of this country.

Seventeen years ago, Lumina Foundation set an ambitious goal: By 2025, 60 percent of working-age adults in the United States would have a degree, certificate, or industry-recognized certification. At the time, only 38 percent had one. Today, that number has risen to 55 percent, thanks to the dedication of students, educators, and policymakers who believe in the power of education and training beyond high school.

Four in five first-generation student participants from the “Is College Worth It?” report believe their degree will help them achieve financial goals and credit their college experience with expanding career opportunities.

But our collective efforts must keep evolving until learning after high school prepares graduates to thrive economically.

Three years ago, Lumina Foundation launched the REACH Collaborative with a very clear and specific goal: to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and Latino, and Native American adults with quality credentials and degrees. Alongside our partners, we welcomed more than 100 community colleges in six states into the collaborative and supported them in implementing the REACH Framework, which includes three pillars.

The 2024 #FAFSA season was rough. Released late, riddled with errors, and dogged by processing issues, the launch of a simplified form led to a chaotic college enrollment season for students, families, and colleges.