Northern Arizona University is attracting record enrollments with new policies that improve access and affordability—including strong partnerships with community colleges and free tuition for Native Americans.
Fayetteville State goes the extra mile to attract and retain military veterans and their families, who represent 30 percent of the student body.
Agnes Scott College, a private all-women’s institution, blends traditional academics with hands-on learning, career preparation, and leadership development.
Zipporah Sowell was preparing for her last year at Central Cabarrus High School near Charlotte, North Carolina, when she realized she was one credit short of meeting her graduation requirements. Her guidance counselor advised her to choose any course that piqued her interest.
In describing his path to a career in solar energy, Ted Kermes said much of his 20s was spent “meandering around, trying to figure everything out.”
SEATTLE — By the time she reached high school, Aisha Rashid was already anxious about climate change. As a child growing up in the environmentally conscious San Francisco Bay area, she was intimately familiar with warnings about unprecedented weather events—in her back yard and globally. “I was learning about global tragedies, the Syria crisis, and […]
Recalling her time as a college accounting major, Catiana “Cat” Beaver admits: “I was not about it. I ended up failing most of my classes because I just wasn’t into them.” These days, thanks to a program designed to help prepare California residents for construction jobs, the 22-year-old is firmly bonded to her new field of study: welding.
Jack Camp says he “grew up a bit rough”—quite an understatement for someone who was raised by drug-addicted parents and served 10 years in state prison. Today, at age 40, Camp has turned his life around. A state-funded program helped him earn a commercial driver’s license for free, literally putting him on the road to a productive future.
Jake Taber, an avid video gamer since his middle school years, always knew his future would be wired. He just didn’t know it would arrive so quickly. At 21, Taber has already earned an associate degree and built an impressive resumé as an IT professional, thanks to an innovative program offered by Michigan’s community colleges.
College success isn’t just an individual goal, or even one that can be confined to the campus. To maximize progress—and to ensure that success is shared by all segments of the population—it’s an issue that must also be tackled at the state level. Officials in Minnesota have taken that lesson to heart. Through a variety of public-private partnerships, they’re working to build a holistic approach—not just to increase degree attainment, but also to improve health and employment outcomes.