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
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
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
Student Supports More progress urgently needed as colleges work to reduce student stress The University of Iowa is turning its student union hotel into a mental health center. North Carolina’s state colleges are expanding mental health and crisis services with about $8 million from Gov. Ray Cooper. Florida State University created a new course to train faculty and staff to spot and help students battling trauma. Courtney BrownApril 3, 2023
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
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 LauniusMarch 28, 2023
Student Supports Supporting student parents is much more than providing child care I wasn’t old enough to remember my mother carting me to campus at the University at Albany as an infant. When I asked her what it was like to be a young wife and mother in her senior year of college, she responded: “I never even told my professors that I had a baby.” Jasmine HaywoodOct. 3, 2022
Student Supports We agree with the Surgeon General on college mental health: It’s time to ‘blow it open.’ We’re having a moment in mental health, and we need to use it to challenge assumptions, push for sustainable funding, focus on preventative measures, and end the stigma of mental illness. Zainab Okolo, Jamie MerisotisSept. 19, 2022
Student Supports Today’s College Climb College wasn't built for today's students, because today's students are much more than students. Lumina Foundation teamed up with documentary photographer Rachel Bujalski to capture a candid, close-up look at the lives of five low-income students. Learn more about the circumstances students face in today's college climb. Rachel BujalskiJuly 29, 2022
Student Supports The Mental Health Crisis and Higher Education A new study conducted by Gallup and Lumina Foundation found that three-fourths of students in bachelor’s programs and two-thirds of adults seeking associate degrees have considered taking a break from college due to emotional stress. Dr. Zainab Okolo of Lumina discusses the growing mental health crisis across the country and explores how it is having… Dakota PawlickiMay 24, 2022
Student Supports Adults can return to college, finish, and thrive—with a little support Most adults who return to college can persevere and graduate—if they have enough time and financial support, a new report shows. Nearly three-quarters of the returning adults surveyed earned a postsecondary credential, and most who hadn’t still planned to do so. Frank Swanzy Essien, Jr.May 9, 2022
Student Supports The question we should be asking: “What don’t you want to major in?” Well-intentioned efforts to help students choose a college major actually make things worse for most students—especially the most valuable among them. It all starts with the probing, anxiety-inducing question, “What are you going to major in?” Chris MullinMarch 1, 2022
Student Supports New hope for college students with ‘stranded’ transcripts Ever started pulling at a string on a sweater and ended up with a fistful of yarn? That’s how I’ve felt while going into a deeper understanding of how and why holds are placed on a student’s transcript or enrollment and the impact that it has on students. But untangling these complexities is essential for… Terri TaylorDec. 8, 2021
Student Supports Student parents have the heart to succeed in college—let’s help them make it Parenting is hard—and even harder when trying to balance the pursuit of higher education and the demands of a job. That trifecta is enough to bring even the most ardent multitasker to a point of exhaustion. Zainab Okolo, Shauna DavisNov. 10, 2021
Student Supports Helping student-parents stay in college comes down to the basics - like food and shelter Nearly 1 in 4 college students today have children or care for dependents. Colleges and universities are often not set up to support parenting students. Nicole Lynn Lewis of Generation Hope, and Buffy Tanner and Janet Hubbard of Shasta College join us to talk about what is being done to support parenting students. Dakota PawlickiSept. 14, 2021
Student Supports Changing the narrative on borrowers of color Stark differences by race and ethnicity in student borrowing trends are well known, but real progress depends on setting up a different conversation. Dr. Amanda Tachine and Amanda Martinez offer insights on how we can better understand the experiences of Native and Latino student loan borrowers. Co-host Dr. Katherine Wheatle dives deep into truths v.… Dakota PawlickiJuly 20, 2021
Student Supports Millions of students need help navigating college; my sister — a single mom battling cancer — was one of them I don’t come from a college-educated family. My father started college at Butler University in Indianapolis only to stop, begin work, and never return. My mother started, too, but couldn’t get past college algebra. So, when it was our turn to go to college, they were determined to see their children do well and graduate. Chris MullinJuly 19, 2021
