Brand-Building at Community Colleges
In an age of information overload, how do you tell the story of who your college is to students and your community? How do you take charge of your own narrative and showcase all that your college has to offer?
Featured Resources
Some highlights of Lumina's work
We're sharing tools and takeaways from our efforts to create a better-educated nation.
The Great Admissions Redesign
Lumina Foundation is seeking to work with states, higher education systems, and groups of colleges and universities ready to transform how potential students apply, enroll, and access their institutions.
A Stronger Nation
We're tracking America's progress toward the nation's 60% attainment goal.
Community College Challenge
The Million Dollar Community College Challenge team is shining a spotlight on the great work of community colleges around the country.
REACH Collaborative
We're supporting community colleges in six states to create short-term credential-to-degree pathways for adults who are Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Native American.
Changing the Narrative on Student Borrowers of Color
A collection of essays from student loan experts sets the record straight on borrowing among students of color.
Community Grants
Our community grants portfolio supports local organizations in our hometown of Indianapolis and around central Indiana.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Hear stories about how HBCU's help students thrive.
Tuition Reimbursement
Meet a few of the workers and employers participating in tuition reimbursement programs.
Lumina Impact Ventures
Lumina Impact Ventures is the Foundation's impact investing arm partnering with mission-aligned social enterprises.
Local Talent Handbook
A guide for local leaders to build talent pool in their communities.
I Want That Job!
A series from WorkingNation on promising career paths for early career workers
History of Federal Student Aid
A film series documenting the policy and the political origins of federal financial aid programs
Beyond Financial Aid
How colleges can strengthen students’ financial stability, leading to higher completion rates
State Strategy Labs
Lumina supports state leaders’ efforts to increase education levels by offering nonpartisan research, data, peer advice, and technical support.
Degree Qualification Profile
A learning-centered framework for what college graduates should know and be able to do to earn the associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Preparing Today’s Youth for the Jobs of the Future
Dec. 13, 2024
The United States is experiencing unprecedented investment in infrastructure, semiconductor, and climate careers, along with a surge in technological innovations and automation. It’s a turning point for the future of work; the careers of tomorrow will look vastly different from those of prior generations.
Recommendations for a Fully Funded and Transformed Workforce Development System
March 21, 2024
In an ever-evolving economy, where the skills needed to drive growth are continually changing, workers and employers alike need well-funded, agile, equitable, easily navigable, and effective skills development systems.
Engines of Opportunity
March 18, 2024
Colleges, universities, and academic medical centers play a vital role as engines of learning, innovation, prosperity, and opportunity in America’s cities. But they face growing tectonic stresses: declining public confidence in their programs and value propositions, weak completion rates, overly narrow and incremental research, threats to free inquiry, and unsustainable financial models.
Addressing College ROI, Labor Shortages, and Job Quality
March 6, 2024
In 2023, the Biden administration enacted the new Gainful Employment Rule, which mandates greater transparency and accountability about the value of college credentials. Rather than focusing on credentials themselves, this brief from the Urban Institute looks at occupations and the typical level of education they require to examine the degree to which they pay earnings…
Black Learners in IT Associate Degree and Credential College Programs
Oct. 11, 2023
Associate degrees and credentials in information technology (IT) can open up pathways to high-wage careers with opportunities for economic advancement. But Black learners and workers face structural barriers that limit their ability to access and complete IT programs, says this report from Jobs for the Future.
Scaling Dual Enrollment in Rural Communities
April 19, 2023
Dual enrollment is a powerful mechanism to support college readiness and success for high school students across the country, especially for students at rural schools.
Hidden Workers: Part-Time Potential
March 23, 2023
As employers continue to encounter major skills shortages, many qualified and willing workers remain unemployed or underemployed. These “hidden workers,” ignored by employers for a variety of reasons, represent a potential source of much-needed labor. This includes part-time workers.
Making the Bachelor’s Degree More Valuable
March 15, 2023
The bachelor’s degree is facing an identity crisis, according to a new report from The Burning Glass Institute. In the last year and a half, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Utah have stopped requiring a four-year degree for most jobs in their state governments. The private sector, too, is moving toward skill-based hiring, with Delta, General Motors,…
Apprenticeship Comes to Campus
Aug. 15, 2022
Tech industry workforce demographics reveal a need for increased diversity, and many employers have shown a desire to make their teams more diverse and inclusive.
No Dead Ends
Jan. 11, 2022
High-quality career and technical education programs can prepare young adults for both college and career success.
The Case for Degree Apprenticeships in Tech
Dec. 7, 2021
The Urban Institute is partnering with South Carolina State University to build a consortium of neighboring historically Black colleges and universities that offer apprenticeship as a career pathway into cybersecurity and information technology careers. This report provides details about the various roles and responsibilities of the key players in the program and shows how a…
Less Is More
Nov. 23, 2021
Current teacher talent pipelines are deficient to meet students’ and schools’ needs and demands, suggests a report from the American Enterprise Institute. Reforming teacher certification laws to allow and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds—with different work experience and community ties—to enter the teacher workforce can help address teacher shortages, the report states.
Aligning Opportunities in the Northeast Ohio Region
Nov. 17, 2021
A report from Team NEO charts job openings in three high-growth industries in northeast Ohio—computer and IT, health care and manufacturing—and provides insights into how to help workers build emerging high-potential careers.
Early College High School Is Changing Students’ Lives and Futures in Lawrence, Massachusetts
Nov. 12, 2021
Hundreds of students at Lawrence High School in Massachusetts are getting a head start on their college careers thanks to an innovative model that helps students prepare for and earn college degrees while in high school. This report from Jobs for the Future explains the early-college program and how why it deserves to be scaled.
Youth Apprenticeship Playbook
Oct. 29, 2021
Young people in registered apprenticeship programs earn money while they learn and develop skills for a rewarding career. Although successful youth apprenticeship programs are partnerships between high schools, private-sector businesses, and intermediary organizations, only one organization leads or sponsors the program. This report from the Urban Institute outlines an apprenticeship model where high schools are…
The Effects of Middle School Remediation on Postsecondary Success
Sept. 16, 2021
High school graduation rates in the United States are at an all-time high, yet many of these graduates are deemed not ready for postsecondary coursework when they enter college, according to a report from the American Institutes for Research. The study examines the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of remedial courses in middle school using…
Reimagining Transfer for Student Success
March 18, 2021
This report from the American Council on Education offers six concrete recommendations to help higher education leaders carry out more seamless and efficient transfer and award of credit on their campuses. The report comes at a time when college students are becoming more mobile, moving in and out as well as through multiple colleges and…
Homeless and Foster Youth, Racial Inequity, and Policy Shifts for Systemic Change
March 11, 2021
Given the economic benefits of a college degree, higher education can be particularly beneficial for homeless and foster youth. However, homeless youth are less likely to enroll in college, and nearly three quarters of foster youth who begin college do not complete a degree or certificate within six years. This policy brief from Ithaka S+R…
An Apprenticeship FAQ
March 1, 2021
Modern apprenticeships offer a talent development approach that onboards more diverse talent as well as internal infrastructure to create a learning culture. However, employer buy-in and awareness are major barriers to expanding and modernizing apprenticeships outside trades such as construction or electricians. This report from the Brookings Institution presents questions that employers who are new…
Innovative Strategies to Close Postsecondary Attainment Gaps
Oct. 29, 2020
A new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy offers insight into how the Chamber of Commerce in Nashville, Tennessee, is helping neighbors connect in order to promote college access and degree completion. As a result, area institutions, including Nashville State Community College, are seeing an increase in enrollment of students of color.