Dakota Pawlicki now leads the Talent Hubs work from CivicLab. He was previously a strategy officer at Lumina Foundation leading efforts focused on workforce education, particularly at community colleges.
Pawlicki’s prior work in designing and operating collaborative efforts to solve social challenges guides his work at Lumina. Serving in a dual role as director of strategic partnerships and projects, and as director of college access at Chicago Public Schools, he was responsible for developing and driving a city-wide vision of college access, support, and success for over 400,000 students. He also led the creation of the Chicago Higher Education Compact, an initiative with the expressed goal of increasing Chicago Public Schools’ four-year college graduation rate to 60% by 2025. Prior to that, he designed and implemented award-winning urban teacher preparation programs that place communities at the center, cultivating education talent through community partnership and immersion.
Pawlicki holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois State University and professional education license in K-12 music.
Hear insights from a nationwide movement. The live podcast includes real stories from the field illuminating how change happens—and where it’s heading.
This summer, the National Student Clearinghouse issued a new report with mixed news. While many states have made progress in re-enrolling people who have some college credit but have yet to earn their credential, the total population of U.S. adults in this group has grown. Now, over 43 million Americans have some college credit but stopped out before they could complete their first credential.
Twenty-four states allow community and technical colleges to issue bachelor's degrees. Podcast guests Dr. Debra Bragg, Jim Reed, and Sunaina Virendra talk through the pros and cons and discuss recent efforts to launch new community college baccalaureate programs.
Discover how higher education serves as a catalyst for climate solutions and societal progress in this live taping of Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Talent podcast from the 2025 SXSW Podcast Lounge.
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.
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.
