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.
As the spring semester got under way in January at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, a dozen military veterans waited for their GI Bill student benefit checks to show up. Then they waited, and waited some more, until the money finally arrived—in April. By that time, three had left.
Veterans who are just starting to feel the effects of federal cuts by the Trump administration worry things will only get worse. Others are also concerned about the potential for reduced scrutiny of the for-profit college sector, which critics contend has taken advantage of veterans’ tuition payments without providing the promised educational benefits.
The Opportunity College designation, a new classification from the American Council on Education and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, highlights schools like Ball State University and Central Michigan University that serve diverse student populations and prepare students not just for jobs but for meaningful roles in local economies and civic life.
As more families seek degrees that open real doors without closing others through debt, schools like Ball State and CMU are charting a path forward—showing that the best return on investment isn’t always measured in rankings, but in lives transformed, writes Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis in this op-ed on redefining value in higher education through opportunity.
Investments by colleges and universities in online non-degree credentials have more than doubled since 2018-19, with nearly 70 percent of public two-year colleges leading the way, according to a new report assessing online learning in higher education.
However, while overall online learning continues to grow, the pace could slow down among community colleges compared to four-year institutions. One in five of online leaders at community colleges expect to launch five or more new programs, compared to more than half of survey participants from public four-year institutions.
For Bridget and Marta, life in New York City as undocumented immigrants has been defined by hardship. The mother and daughter bounced between three friends’ and relatives’ apartments before landing in a homeless shelter in midtown Manhattan. Marta collected cans, making about $20 a day, and was often unable to afford food.
Now a student at ELLIS Preparatory Academy, Bridget is fearful that any wrong move could get them detained, separated, or deported. As for ELLIS educators, they are fighting to keep Bridget on track to college.
As college students across Texas return to classrooms and lecture halls this month, one website is sure to be in many bookmarks folders: ChatGPT.
With the seemingly inevitable rise of AI chatbots, will universities be able to use AI to enhance student learning while preventing the worst academic abuses? Julie Schell, assistant vice provost of academic technology and the director of the Office of Academic Technology at UT Austin, weighs in on the future of AI in higher education.
Michigan education leaders say many students are giving up on the idea of college, not because they aren’t interested, but because they don’t believe it’s an option. The conversation comes as the state works toward its “60 by 30” goal: getting 60 percent of working-age adults a degree or certificate by the year 2030.
Concerns about affordability, limited awareness of financial aid, and unmet basic needs continue to block access to higher education, particularly for students of color, immigrants, and students with disabilities, according to a recent roundtable discussion hosted by the Michigan College Access Network.
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