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.
Selecting a commencement speaker has become a high-wire balancing act for colleges and universities. For the past quarter century, institutions have vied to book celebrities and public figures to deliver messages of inspiration to soon-to-be graduates. Speeches settled into a predictable pattern. They were uplifting, motivational, and reflective—and apolitical.
Since 2020, however, two major shifts have upended the predictability of commencement speeches: the explosion of social media and a surge of public commentary about social issues.
As artificial intelligence continues reshaping classrooms, workplaces, and industries across the country, the president of Northwest Iowa Community College says colleges must balance technological advancement with human development.
In this interview, NCC president John Hartog discusses how AI is already influencing higher education and workforce preparation—and why he believes that while the technology may continue changing how education is delivered, it cannot replace the broader role colleges play in preparing students for careers and life.
As healthcare workforce shortages continue to strain communities nationwide, colleges and universities are stepping in to fill critical gaps in care. From mobile dental clinics in rural Tennessee to student-run rehabilitation services in Connecticut, institutions have expanded access for underserved populations—all while creating workforce pipelines and hands-on learning opportunities for students.
Here’s how four institutions are using healthcare education to strengthen communities and prepare the next generation of providers.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is doing less research and enrolling fewer graduate students as a result of federal actions, says the school's president, Sally Kornbluth. Federally funded research on campus is down more than 20 percent compared to this time last year, and the number of new federal research awards is also down more than 20 percent.
MIT’s loss is emblematic of the shrinking of American science caused by Trump administration actions that are affecting labs across the country, education experts say.
Next fall, St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont, plans to launch a new major in emergency services. The move reflects one of several strategies small colleges across the country are making as they revise their academic offerings amid declining enrollments in the number of traditional college-age students.
Saint Michael’s is betting that career-focused programs, such as emergency services, finance, and nutrition, along with lower tuition and hands-on training, can help extinguish years of enrollment declines while preserving its liberal arts identity.
Can a college degree behind bars change who walks out, and is the country willing to keep paying for it? Jonathan Roden has lived on both sides of that issue. He spent 23 years in Michigan prisons. While inside, he attained an associate degree from Jackson College. But he wanted more. After his release in August 2023, Roden began studying at Wayne State University. He graduated from the Mike Ilitch School of Business in December.
Today, Roden is back at prison—this time as a coordinator for Wayne State’s prison education program.
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