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.
For decades, colleges, policymakers, and advocates have sought to grow the number of Black men in higher education and improve their graduation rates. But now that the Trump administration has prohibited initiatives—and even research—aimed at individuals based on race or gender, closing equity gaps has become more difficult for institutions.
Despite the political backlash, some colleges are investing in new and proven interventions for Black men that build pipelines to college, establish a sense of belonging, and provide students with mentorship and peer support.
It’s high school graduation season—a time for caps, gowns, and celebration. But beyond the ceremonies, it’s also a significant moment of change. For many seniors, this time is filled with big decisions about what comes next.
In this interview, graduating seniors share how they are navigating this transition and whether they feel ready for what’s ahead. Their stories illustrate a generation thoughtfully considering college costs, making intentional choices for their futures, and relying on support systems that prepare them for life beyond high school.
Massachusetts parents are increasingly seeing community college, rather than a bachelor's degree, as the next step in their children's education, according to a survey by EdTrust and the MassInc Polling Group.
Forty-five percent of parents say their child is most likely to enroll in a bachelor’s degree after high school. That's down nine percentage points, from 53 percent, three years ago. At the same time, Massachusetts saw an uptick in families expecting their teens to pursue an associate degree. This shift follows the 2024 launch of free community college in Massachusetts and comes amid growing skepticism nationwide about the value of higher education.
At a recent convening of college presidents, philanthropic partners, corporate leaders, and scholars, Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America, asked two titans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities—Michael L. Lomax and Harry L. Williams—a deceptively simple question: what must an HBCU president get right before any serious investor—philanthropic or corporate—should be expected to make a significant bet on that institution?
The answers that followed provide HBCUs with a path forward as the federal government moves to gut funding streams and dismantle diversity initiatives.
Virtually every college student takes general education and introductory courses, often in their first year. And while they serve as an almost universal touchpoint in higher education, many of these courses do not often prioritize career readiness in their design.
A new report makes the case that career readiness belongs at the start of a student's college experience, not the end. The authors of The Career Readiness Imperative in Gateway Courses explain why in this interview.
Scientists and universities are sounding an urgent alarm over the Trump administration’s new efforts to control research in the United States. The administration announced in late May dramatic changes in how the government plans to distribute billions of dollars in federal research money every year.
Among the 400 pages of new regulations proposed by the Office of Management and Budget, political appointees—who may have no science background—will now have final say on all research proposals. Peer review by experts in the field, which has long guided the research process, will now be considered advisory.
