Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
The day after federal agents shot and killed a protester during immigration operations in Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota released a statement from the president, Rebecca Cunningham, and other campus leaders. In it, they expressed grief over the death of Alex Pretti, a 2011 graduate of the university, and urged calm during a “complex and challenging moment.”
Online, the statement drew hundreds of comments. Some criticized Minnesota officials for speaking out. Others castigated the university for not condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The response to the university’s response reflects current dissension about whether colleges should enter broader public debates.
For decades, the American law school has served as a popular hedge against a cooling economy. When the “Help Wanted” signs disappear, the “J.D.” applications surge.
That’s what is happening now. But for this new wave of aspiring lawyers, the safety of the ivory tower comes with a steep entry fee and a shifting floor. Between new federal loan caps and the looming shadow of generative artificial intelligence, the legal profession’s newest recruits are walking into a high-stakes gamble that looks very different from the one their predecessors lost after the 2008 financial crisis.
Student parents at community colleges face an undeniable reality: only 37 percent complete a degree or certificate within six years, compared to 59 percent of students without children. Nearly three-quarters of student parents are women, and the majority are students of color, reflecting that parenting students often come from populations that have faced historical barriers in higher education.
What this statistic overlooks, however, is how the resilience, determination, and experiences of the millions of successful student parents are reshaping what success looks like in higher education.
Leading a higher education institution is often associated with big-picture ideas and high-level thinking. But jobs ranging from dean to president require hands-on management of a complex portfolio of tasks, and that portfolio has only grown in recent years.
During a standing-room-only panel at the annual conference of the American Association of Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., senior college officials offered attendees practical solutions and strategies to solve some of the day-to-day challenges that can slow leaders—and their institutions—down.
National data journalist Steve Kornacki, one of the country’s most trusted voices on data and trends, is joining Lumina Foundation for a special edition of its "Stronger Nation" webinar on Feb. 5.
Known for making complex numbers clear and compelling, Kornacki will break down the latest data on education attainment, workforce readiness, and economic opportunity—and what they reveal about where the country is headed next. Lumina's Courtney Brown and Jeff Strohl of the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce also will join this free webinar to discuss what the national data reveal about progress so far—and what it takes to turn progress into payoff for learners, employers, and communities nationwide.
Last October, Alycia Marshall became the seventh president of the Community College of Philadelphia. She stepped into her role at a critical moment for both the institution and higher education nationwide. The college went through some tumultuous times following leadership upheaval, funding challenges, and labor tensions.
In this one-on-one conversation with reporter Cherri Gregg, Marshall shares her approach to leadership, as well as why she believes community colleges serve as powerful gateways to higher education and economic mobility.
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