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# Lumina Foundation: Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. We work toward a system that prepares people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy.

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Pages
- [RSS Feed](https://www.luminafoundation.org/rss-feed/)
- [How do people understand the word “equity”?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/interactive-data-racial-equity/awareness-and-attitudes-about-racial-equity/how-do-people-understand-the-word-equity/)
- [How do people respond to an inclusive vision for our education systems?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/interactive-data-racial-equity/messages-about-racial-equity/how-do-people-respond-to-an-inclusive-vision-for-our-education-systems/)
- [Community Colleges](https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-institutions/community-colleges/): The first step after high school for many adults is an affordable community college.
- [Disparities in Higher Learning](https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/racial-justice-and-equity/disparities-in-higher-learning/): Policies, practices, and beliefs—rooted in history and yet still affecting people—keep many Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Native American people from receiving the education they need. These systems unfairly hold back students who are seeking a better life, regardless of family income or where they live, whether urban, rural, or suburban.
- [Associate Degrees](https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-credentials/associate-degrees/): Nearly 9 million people (about half the population of New York) are enrolled in community colleges, but only one-third of those who enter will complete an associate degree within three years. However, earning an associate degree can improve employment outcomes and boost lifetime earnings, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.
- [Awareness and Attitudes About Racial Equity](https://www.luminafoundation.org/interactive-data-racial-equity/awareness-and-attitudes-about-racial-equity/): People need to understand equity in order to care about it and take action to advance a more just and fair world. However, not everyone is familiar with the concept of equity, and those who are familiar define it in many different ways.
- [Your Experience with Lumina’s Grant Process](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resources/grants/grantee-resources/grantee-experience/)
- [Order Printed Back Issues](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resources/publications/order-printed-copies-and-back-issues/): Printed copies of Lumina publications are available at no charge.
- [Protecting Privacy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/index/privacy-policy/): This privacy policy is designed to help you understand how Lumina Foundation collects, uses, and shares your personal information, including personally identifying information, how tracking “cookies” are used; and other information collected.
- [Application](https://www.luminafoundation.org/admissions-redesign-archive/application/): Please remember to fill out this application during one session. Your work will be lost if you refresh the page.
- [Do non-white respondents describe themselves as “people of color”?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/interactive-data-racial-equity/preferred-racial-identifiers/do-non-white-respondents-describe-themselves-as-people-of-color/)
- [U.S. Education Levels](https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-students/education-levels/): To realize this level of education, business, community, education, and government leaders must rethink and restructure education and training systems.
- [Humanity AI](https://www.luminafoundation.org/our-work/humanity-ai/): The Humanity AI initiative recognizes that AI’s impact on our jobs, communities, and democracy will be shaped by our choices today. This effort is needed because AI will have enormous social and economic consequences.
- [Daily Headlines  Copy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news/subscription-confirmation/): Lumina compiles a daily digest of the best stories on topics like college affordability, quality assurance, state and federal policy, talent development, and work and learning.
- [Local Talent Handbook step 1: Create a cross-sector partnership committed to changing systems](https://www.luminafoundation.org/local-talent-handbook/create-a-cross-sector-partnership-committed-to-changing-systems/): “We can accomplish more together than we can alone.” That simple philosophy demands a new way of thinking. Talent-focused communities create strong systems and frameworks for scaling successful work—expanding on it, spreading it, replicating it—and for continuing that work regardless of particular individuals, organizations, or funders. Your goal is not another new program or initiative; it is a fundamental redesign of the work—a paradigm shift.
- [Events](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resources/events/): Lumina Convenings tackle the most pressing issues for today’s students. Join us for upcoming events.
- [Lumina Core Values](https://www.luminafoundation.org/about/people/lumina-core-values/): At Lumina, how we approach the work is as important as what we accomplish. Candor, collaboration, and connection are the organization’s core values, and everyone at Lumina strives to live these values through their words and actions.
- [Today’s Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-students/): Today’s students are more likely than in the past to be Black, Hispanic, Latino, or Native American. Many are from low-income families. These nontraditional students are in college or are pursuing training after high school.
- [Racial Equity Framework](https://www.luminafoundation.org/talking-about-racial-equity-and-racial-justice/racial-equity-framework/): Communicate about equity in an aspirational way that moves beyond buzzwords and invites new audiences to the conversation.
- [Charts and Graphs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/contact-us/brand-guidelines/brand-guidelines-charts-and-graphs/): Pie charts can also be used to convey parts of a whole, and as such, the data in the chart should all add up to 100 percent. They should be styled similarly to the doughnut chart, but will feature no white circle on top of the chart. Pie charts should be used when the chart would be so small that the ring of a doughnut chart would cause legibility issues. Pie sections should be organized starting at the top center (12 on a clock) and go clockwise around from greatest amount to least, as that is the easiest to read. Relevant labels can be placed to the right of the chart.
- [Higher education for a resilient, creative, and prosperous America](https://www.luminafoundation.org/our-work/higher-ed-for-what/): Addressing economic, political, and social influences helps us build a stronger, more democratic society. 
- [Philanthropy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/about/philanthropy/): Lumina Foundation works to create meaningful, long-term change that improves higher education for today's students.
- [Brand-Building at Community Colleges](https://www.luminafoundation.org/telling-a-better-story-about-community-colleges/brand-building-at-community-colleges/)
- [Use of Research and Other Lumina Content](https://www.luminafoundation.org/contact-us/permissions-creative-commons/): Lumina Foundation-produced content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- [Protected: Lumina State Attainment Collaborative](https://www.luminafoundation.org/our-work/public-policy/state-policy/): Members of the first cohort will get state-catered guidance, proven goal development tools, and a supportive network of peers—all focused on designing, measuring, and refining goals that drive real policy change. This is more than a group of states setting goals—it’s the beginning of a shared journey toward a prosperous future for students across your state.
- [How was Lumina Foundation founded?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/about/lumina-foundation-faq/how-was-lumina-foundation-founded/): Lumina was created in August 2000 with an initial endowment of $770 million in cash and stock. From the beginning, Lumina has been committed to working toward a better-educated country. We focus on learners who are Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American, the first in their families to go to college, or are from low-income families. Many attend community colleges, public universities, historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges.
- [Bachelor’s Degree Attainment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/our-work/higher-education-redesigned/bachelors-degree-attainment/)
- [Our Evaluative Approach at Lumina Foundation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/our-work/research/our-evaluative-approach/)
- [Work with Lumina Foundation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resources/grants/2021-rfps/): We are inviting ideas that advance racial equity and justice in pursuit of Lumina's mission of ensuring 60 percent of working-age adults have college degrees, certificates, industry certifications, and other credentials of value by 2025.
- [Our Strategic Plan](https://www.luminafoundation.org/about/strategic-plan-2020/): A commitment to racial justice deeply rooted in quality learning must continue to be the bedrock of all we do at Lumina. A lack of access to affordable learning after high school that offers strong academic, financial, and social supports has denied too many people of color the opportunities they need to advance economically and to fully participate in society.
- [The Million Dollar Community College Challenge](https://www.luminafoundation.org/telling-a-better-story-about-community-colleges/challenge/)
- [Local Talent Handbook step 2: Focus on increasing education attainment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/local-talent-handbook/focus-on-increasing-education-attainment/): The U.S. has made substantial progress recently in improving access to higher education: High school graduates are enrolling in college in record numbers, and first-generation students now make up a third of all college enrollees thanks to increased awareness and outreach, scholarships, and economic forces.

## People
- [Jamie Merisotis](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/jamie-merisotis/): Jamie Merisotis, an internationally recognized leader in higher education, human work, philanthropy, and public policy, has been Lumina Foundation’s president and CEO since 2008.
- [Erin Archer](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/erin-archer/): Erin Archer is a VP and chief financial officer for Lumina Foundation directing the investment strategies for Lumina’s nearly $1.4 billion endowment.
- [Courtney Brown](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/courtney-brown/): Courtney Brown oversees the foundation’s efforts in strategic planning, learning, impact, and effectiveness. She also leads Lumina’s international engagement.
- [Michelle Asha Cooper](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/michelle-asha-cooper/): Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized leader and advocate for college access, affordability, and value in higher education. With more than two decades of experience spanning policy, advocacy, institutional leadership, and philanthropy, she has dedicated her career to expanding opportunities for learning beyond high school and ensuring that education transforms the lives of all students, particularly those in communities poorly served by higher education.
- [Debra Humphreys](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/debra-humphreys/): Debra Humphreys, Ph.D., directs Lumina Foundation’s efforts related to student success in attaining high-quality four-year college degrees. She also oversees the foundation’s strategic communications team, working to influence national narratives about learning beyond high school.
- [Chauncy Lennon](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/chauncy-lennon/): Chauncy Lennon, Ph.D., is the New York-based vice president for learning and work and senior strategy advisor at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.  He leads Lumina’s community college strategy to equitably expand access to high-quality short-term credentials and associate degrees.
- [Linh C. Nguyen](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/linh-c-nguyen/): Linh C. Nguyen leads Lumina's racial equity efforts and works to embed equity in Lumina's grantmaking and operations and nurtures the foundation’s organizational culture to increase diversity, improve inclusion and belonging, and eliminate racial disparities.
- [Timothy P. Robinson](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/timothy-p-robinson/): Tim Robinson is the vice president, general counsel, and chief of staff at Lumina Foundation, where he brings 25 years of legal and investment management experience. Before Lumina, he was with PNC Wealth Management for 6 years, most recently as investment director for Indiana where he was responsible for implementing investment strategies for high-net-worth clients.
- [Alisa A. Miller](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/alisa-miller/): Alisa A. Miller is the chief AI officer and a board member at Aletheia Marketing & Media, a full-service marketing firm that uses behavioral and data science to help global brands communicate effectively.
- [Carmen Twillie Ambar](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/carmen-twillie-ambar/): Carmen Twillie Ambar is the 15th president of Oberlin College and the first African American leader in the institution’s 188-year history. Ambar came to Oberlin in 2017, after serving for nine years as president of Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
- [Joseph Boateng](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/joseph-boateng/): Joseph Boateng is the chief investment officer at Casey Family Programs, where he is responsible for managing the foundation’s $2.3 billion endowment.
- [Matthew Breitfelder](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/matt-breitfelder/): Matt Breitfelder is partner and global head of human capital at Apollo Global Management, a high-growth, alternative asset management and retirement services firm.
- [Justin Christian](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/justin-christian/): Justin P. Christian is the CEO and Founder of BCforward Corp., a global information technology consulting firm that provides outsourcing, system solutions, and workforce fulfillment services to clients.
- [Matt Goldberg](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/matt-goldberg/): Matt Goldberg is the CEO of Massachusetts-based Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform. He is formerly the executive vice president for global operations at The Trade Desk, a global advertising technology. Goldberg has more than 20 years’ leadership experience across the global media industry. Prior to joining The Trade Desk, he was the global head of mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances for News Corp., where he also led the online publishing, digital real estate, and data businesses in India.
- [Austan D. Goolsbee](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/austan-goolsbee/): Austan D. Goolsbee is president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. In this capacity, he serves on the Federal Open Market Committee—the Federal Reserve System’s monetary policymaking body—and leads the Chicago Fed, which conducts research and monitors local economic conditions to help formulate monetary policy, supervises and regulates banking organizations, and provides financial services to banks and similar institutions, as well as to the U.S. government.
- [Teresa Lubbers](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/teresa-lubbers/): Teresa Lubbers is president of the Sagamore Institute, an action-oriented think tank that advances practical and sustainable solutions to improve communities.
- [Pardis Mahdavi](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/pardis-mahdavi/): Pardis Mahdavi, Ph.D. is the professor of anthropology at the University of La Verne. Prior to this role, she served as president at the University of La Verne, provost and executive vice president at the University of Montana, as well as dean at Arizona State University and the University of Denver after serving in multiple roles at Pomona College.
- [Christine Pambianchi](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/christine-pambianchi/): Christine Pambianchi is a human resource executive with over 30 years of experience across leading Fortune 500 organizations. She specializes in employee hiring and skilling/reskilling, workforce pipeline development, leadership and technical talent development, and organization culture.
- [William Serrata](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/william-serrata/): William Serrata is president of the El Paso County Community College District, a position he’s held since 2012.
- [Kaye Vitug](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/kaye-vitug/): Kaye Vitug is the chief financial officer and senior vice president of Roche Diagnostics Corporation, a market leader that delivers novel diagnostic solutions that help improve patients' lives.
- [David Wilson](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/david-wilson/): David Wilson, president of Morgan State University, has led Maryland’s public urban research university since July 2010 and has spent more than 30 years in higher education administration.
- [Amy Bartner](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/amy-bartner/): Amy Bartner is the audience engagement editor at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. She leads Lumina’s digital and social media outreach.
- [Katie Berger](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/katie-berger/): Katie Berger is Lumina's strategy director for federal policy, developing Lumina's federal policy portfolio of grants to increase credential attainment and student preparedness for today’s global economy.
- [Donna Carlyle](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/donna-carlyle/): Carlyle provides administrative support to Lumina's strategic engagement team.
- [Tracy Chen](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/tracy-chen/): Tracy, director of media and video strategies, leads our efforts nationally to broaden news coverage of Lumina’s issues.
- [Micky Clymore](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/micky-clymore/): Micky serves as the human resources services and facilities manager overseeing the administration of Lumina’s benefit programs and supports talent acquisition
- [Kevin Corcoran](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/kevin-corcoran/): Kevin Corcoran leads Lumina Foundation's strategic communications team. Before assuming this role in late 2016, he spent eight years overseeing design and policy work that promoted development of new higher education business and finance models. His areas of expertise include competency-based learning, state authorization of online degree programs, and outcomes-based funding.
- [Patrick Crane](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/patrick-crane/): Patrick Crane, Ph.D., is the strategy director for state policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making learning opportunities beyond high school available to all. He leads the development and implementation of Lumina’s state policy strategy and oversees the portfolio of grants aimed at increasing credential attainment and value.
- [Jasmine Davis-Randolph](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/jasmine-davis-randolph/): Jasmine Davis-Randolph, Ph.D., is the strategy officer for research at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. She works across strategy areas, managing grants and synthesizing key learnings from our work to share internally and with the field.
- [Monique Crowell](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/monique-crowell/): As senior accounting officer, Monique oversees the data entry, reconciliation, and maintenance of all financial activity at the Foundation. From the general ledger to the annual audit, she ensures the resources are available for staff and grantees to do their work as we get closer to reaching the goal.
- [Joelle Deleveaux](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/joelle-deleveaux/): Joelle Deleveaux is Lumina's strategy officer for innovation and discovery. Deleveaux manages the foundation’s efforts to develop new strategies to respond to the increasingly common question, education for what? Through this work, she supports research, early-stage grantmaking, and incubation for Lumina's work connecting higher education to key societal issues, including democracy, civic engagement, and climate change. She also explores new topic areas, builds new relationships, and promotes systemic approaches to prepare people for human work in an increasingly complex, technology-mediated society.
- [Julie Peters Dillman](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/julie-peters-dillman/): Julie is the executive assistant supporting Lumina's finance and investments team. She also manages the workflow and scheduling for Lumina Impact Ventures. Julie brings over 20 years of experience in project management and graphic design.
- [Jonathan Dunn](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/jonathan-dunn/): Jonathan Dunn is the IT applications manager for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.  He oversees the foundation’s third-party and internally managed IT applications used to support business processes and services across the foundation.
- [Ernest Ezeugo](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/ernest-ezeugo/): Ernest Ezeugo is a strategy officer for federal policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.
- [Mandy Facer](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/mandy-facer/): Mandy leads Lumina’s digital and social outreach strategy and partnerships with nonprofit and public news organizations such as PBS NewsHour, The Texas Tribune, and Washington Monthly.
- [Courtney B. Francis](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/courtney-b-francis/): Courtney B. Francis, Ph.D., is the strategy officer for state policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis, committed to making learning opportunities beyond high school available to all.
- [Jasmine Haywood](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/jasmine-haywood/): Jasmine Haywood leads Lumina’s work to ensure that postsecondary credentials—particularly bachelor’s degrees—carry real and equitable value for students, employers, and communities.
- [Melanie Heath](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/melanie-heath/): Melanie Heath is strategy director for participation leading a portfolio of work designed to increase enrollment and re-enrollment of students in bachelor’s degree programs.
- [Beverly W. Hudson](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/beverly-hudson/): Beverly is responsible for the completion of financial closing procedures. This includes overseeing accounts payable, personnel expenses, the financial reporting process and the implementation and maintenance of accounting controls. These processes are essential to Lumina in maintaining accurate financial records. She is also responsible for administering payroll, in addition to the reporting/auditing of tax payments through electronic capabilities.
- [Matthew Jenkins](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/matthew-jenkins/): Matthew creates online content highlighting the work of the Foundation and its partners with a focus on illustrating the reality facing today's students and clarifying policy imperatives for a broad general audience with the goal of promoting a national sense of urgency for increasing postsecondary attainment.
- [Susan D. Johnson](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/susan-d-johnson/): Susan D. Johnson, Ph.D., is director of grants administration at Lumina Foundation, a private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.
- [Kermit Kaleba](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/kermit-kaleba/): Kermit Kaleba is the director of strategy director for credentials of value for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. Kaleba leads a portfolio designed to increase the number of occupational short-term credential and AA degree programs. 
- [Shyvon Lacy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/shyvon-lacy/): Shyvon Lacy is Lumina's Grants Management Officer. Shyvon brings experience in the areas of customer service, and project and financial management from her previous roles at Liberty Mutual Insurance, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Verizon Wireless.
- [Katy Launius](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/katy-launius/): Katy Launius, Ph.D., is a strategy officer for student success at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. She helps shape and drive Lumina’s community college success strategy.
- [Linh Le](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/linh-le/): Linh Le is Lumina's investment analyst. He researches and analyzes investment managers, asset allocation, risk, and liquidity to help manage the foundation’s endowment.
- [Wendy Lopez](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/wendy-lopez/): Wendy Lopez is the executive assistant for Lumina's Learning and Work team. Wendy brings extensive facilities and administrative experience having worked as an office manager at Veolia North America and real estate services coordinator at CBRE, a commercial real estate services firm.
- [Thomas Major Jr.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/thomas-major-jr/): Thomas Major Jr. serves as Lumina's legal lead on strategic and programmatic matters, private foundation tax issues, and matters involving employee benefits, employment, intellectual property, reputational risk and a broad array of general corporate matters.
- [Amie Michael](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/amie-michael/): Amie Michael is Lumina's grants management associate responsible for executing grantee payments, processing matching gifts, length of service awards and assisting in the grant and contract process.
- [Cristen Moore](https://www.luminafoundation.org/person/cristen-moore/): Cristen Moore is Lumina's strategy director of equity in higher education. She guides the foundation's overarching equity strategy to advance equitable outcomes in postsecondary education, leads our organizational equity learning journey, and manages relevant equity-centered grantmaking.

## Campaigns
- [Today’s Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/todays-student/): Too many Americans are failing to graduate college. Why? In part, because our assumptions about them are wrong.
- [Glossary](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-resources/glossary/): Child care subsidies help low-income parents afford the child care needed to go to work or school. The primarily federal funding stream is the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), but many states also use funding from the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and the TANF block grant. Eligibility levels are set by states, but federal funding is so limited that, nationally, only about one in seven eligible children receives subsidies. Subsidies may be paid directly to child care providers or through reimbursements to parents.
- [About BFA](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/about-bfa/): Postsecondary learning has never mattered more than it does right now—to individual Americans or to the nation. Labor experts and economists agree that 21st-century jobs that offer a family-sustaining income require elevated knowledge and skills, the type of learning acquired through high-quality education and training beyond high school.
- [Interpretation Guide: Strategy 1](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/interpretation-guide-strategy-1/): Interpretation guide
- [Strategy 1:  Know Your Low-Income Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/strategy-1-know-your-low-income-students/): The facts enumerated in the Introduction (and the Appendices) describe the challenges facing today’s students. While national data outline the nature and scope of the issues low-income students face, they smooth out variations that may exist across regions and states and between two-year and four-year institutions. Each college and university is unique in the composition of its students, services, and resources. Likewise, each institution varies in the specific makeup of its low-income students, the range of unmet needs, and the supports required to address their needs.
- [Making the Case for Supporting Low-Income Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/about-bfa/making-the-case-for-supporting-low-income-students/): The perception of the “typical” American college student – an 18- to 22-year-old who lives in a residence hall and studies full time in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree – is no longer a reality. Times have changed. The percentage of Hispanic college students is 240 percent higher than it was 20 years ago. During that period, while the percentage of white students increased 11 percent, the percentage of African-American students jumped 72 percent. Roughly 40 percent of today’s undergraduates are over 25 years of age, and only 13 percent live in on-campus housing. Forty percent of today’s students attend school part-time.
- [Solutions](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/todays-student/solutions/): Data gathered about students should represent the full spectrum of today’s students, not just first-time, full-time enrollees. Policymakers and students need actionable, useful information to make smart decisions about postsecondary education.
- [Technical Assistance FAQ](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/technical-assistance-faq/): The purpose of the program is to support state and local nonprofits' efforts to increase higher education attainment.
- [Beyond Financial Aid](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/): Beyond Financial Aid is a toolkit designed to help colleges and universities graduate students from low-income families at higher rates.
- [Strategy 1: Know Your Low-Income Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/strategy-1-know-your-low-income-students/): Assessment 2: Review Internal Processes and Organize Student Sponsors »
- [Strategy 2:  Review Internal Processes and Organize Student Sponsors](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/strategy-2-review-internal-processes-and-organize-student-sponsors/): Low-income students face many hardships outside the classroom that can undermine educational success. These hardships may include unreliable and inadequate access to food, shelter, transportation, health care and child care, and the inability to manage with limited incomes. Many postsecondary institutions provide a mix of on-campus services and off-campus services to assist low-income students beyond grants, scholarships, and loans. These services primarily help students build financial stability in the short term, and strengthen their skills to establish long-term self-sufficiency. When institutional practices and policies are created, they are created to fit specific conditions. However, unless practices and policies account for changing student needs and circumstances, what was designed as an appropriate intervention or support may become obsolete or have unintended negative consequences.
- [BFA: Its Purpose and Elements](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/about-bfa/bfa-purpose-and-elements/): BFA presents an expanded concept of support for low-income students that extends beyond financial aid. It is based on research and promising practices from initiatives in which institutions have demonstrated the ability to effectively serve and graduate low-income students. BFA is designed to guide action to increase the success of low-income students at all institutions by addressing the following questions:
- [Strategy 2: Review Internal Processes and Organize Student Sponsors](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/strategy-2-review-internal-processes-and-organize-student-sponsors/): Assessment 3: Build internal and external partnerships »
- [Interpretation Guide: Strategy 2](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/interpretation-guide-strategy-2/): These questions deal with engaging multiple stakeholders, aligning activities to institutional strategies, evaluating the impact of services, and engaging the student voice.
- [About](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/about/): Strategy Labs provides a network for leaders and influencers in all 50 states to share research, data, and professional experiences to increase student success.
- [More about today’s student](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-resources/more-about-todays-student/): For most of today’s low-income students, the impact of unmet financial need begins at home and ripples into the classroom. Indirect costs are estimated to make up 60 percent of the total cost of attending college, 44  and three critical cost items – food, housing, and child care – significantly threaten many students’ ability to persist in and complete college. Many students sacrifice necessities – including textbooks, computers, or other key supplies – to make ends meet. Some incur personal debt to pay for recurring expenses like rent and utilities. Some are hungry, homeless, or both.
- [Strategies](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/): Beyond Financial Aid (BFA) includes five core strategies based on emerging research from partners and institutions across the country. The basic premise of BFA is that, to meet student needs, campus leadership must clearly, intentionally, and consistently convey a clear vision about the importance of student success. Institutions should regularly and systematically analyze data with a focus on goals for improving the retention and completion of low-income students. Evidence-based supports should be organized and aligned around those needs. BFA is designed to support colleges and universities in that work.
- [Strategy 3: Build internal and external partnerships](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/strategy-3-build-internal-and-external-partnerships/): Assessment 4: Optimize student use of services »
- [Citations](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/todays-student/citations/): Here are the sources used to compile updated facts about today's student. For a richer understanding of the reality students face, explore these resources.
- [Assessments](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/): The BFA Institutional Self-Assessment Guide is designed to help your institution take stock of how low-income student concerns are being addressed. These questions are designed to spur thinking about how deeply integrated low-income student support services and approaches are, and about whether they have been implemented in ways that best serve the students who need them.
- [Apply for Technical Assistance](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/technical-assistance/): Consulting support and assistance funds are available to state leaders and organizations. Use this form to apply for funding in your state.
- [Campus-based exemplars for serving low-income students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-resources/campus-based-exemplars-for-serving-low-income-students/): Benefits Access for College Completion (BACC) was a $4.8 million, three-year initiative to increase college completion rates by improving students’ access to a range of public benefits to reduce financial barriers to college completion. Seven participating community and technical colleges developed practices to 1) systematically integrate benefits access into college processes and into existing college operations, and 2) strengthen partnerships with local and state human services agencies to better provide these integrated services.
- [Interpretation Guide: Strategy 3](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/interpretation-guide-strategy-3/): These questions explore the variety and nature of your institution’s relationships with community partners.
- [Strategy 3:  Build internal and external partnerships](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/strategy-3-build-internal-and-external-partnerships/): Collaborating with groups inside and outside the institution can complement current programming and fill gaps in services designed to assist low-income students. Given the increasing demands on today’s students, growing concerns about accountability for student outcomes, and shrinking postsecondary budgets, it is increasingly important that postsecondary institutions look for partners to address the challenges faced by low-income students.
- [Strategy 4:  Optimize student use of services](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/strategy-4-optimize-student-use-of-services/): Offering a full suite of on- and off-campus services is critical to address the financial hardships of low-income students. However, these services can only be effective if the students who need them actually use them.
- [From Analysis to Action](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-resources/from-analysis-to-action/): In a recent practice guide titled Learning from High-Performing and Fast-Gaining Institutions, the Education Trust identifies 10 analyses institutions might make – essentially, 10 questions to answer – that will prompt action to increase college completion among low-income and students of color.
- [Strategy 4: Optimize Student Use of Services](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/strategy-4-optimize-student-use-of-services/): Assessment 5: Create a culture of support »
- [Interpretation Guide: Strategy 4](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/interpretation-guide-strategy-4/): This question addresses the importance of clearly communicating the full cost of attendance.
- [Interpretations](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/): After your team has completed the BFA Self-Assessment, the next step is to identify opportunities for action in support of low-income students.
- [Affordability Benchmark](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/affordability-benchmark/): Experts suggest students should pay no more than 10% for 10 years + 10 hrs. of work per week for college.
- [Sign Up For E-mail Updates](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/barnacle-holder/old-bfa-subpages/bfa-newsletter-signup/): Want to stay up-to-date on BFA news, upcoming learning opportunities, and examples from the field? Sign up to receive periodic updates delivered directly to your inbox.
- [Interpretation Guide: Strategy 5](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-interpretations/interpretation-guide-strategy-5/): These questions reflect institutional commitment and related activities that foster a culture of support for low-income students. Identifying and rating a culture of student support is a tricky endeavor; the seven items included in the Self-Assessment attempt to operationally define the markers of such a culture.
- [Strategy 5:  Create a culture of support](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-strategies/strategy-5-create-a-culture-of-support/): Understanding the complex and difficult experiences of low-income students and addressing their needs for financial support is critical. However, steps to better support low-income students can’t be taken in isolation. Low-income students continue to trail their higher-income peers in attaining certificates and degrees. 38  The systematic, broad-scale implementation of what works to improve low-income student success remains, at best, uneven within and across institutions. 39  The current smorgasbord of discrete, disconnected programs at most institutions has manifest as “solution-itis” instead of a culture of support. 40  Increased support for low-income students needs to be strategic, integrated, and sustained as part of the broader institutional efforts to improve student retention, completion, and learning outcomes.
- [Borrowers of Color-now a page redirected HTT](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/campaigns-that-redirected-to-pages-on-old-site/borrowers-of-color/): A collection of essays from experts on Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American student borrowing sets the record straight on student debt.
- [Resources](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-resources/): Child care subsidies help low-income parents afford the child care needed to go to work or school. The primarily federal funding stream is the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), but many states also use funding from the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and the TANF block grant. Eligibility levels are set by states, but federal funding is so limited that, nationally, only about one in seven eligible children receives subsidies. Subsidies may be paid directly to child care providers or through reimbursements to parents.
- [Strategy 5: Create a Culture of Support](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/strategy-5-create-a-culture-of-support/): Next: Interpretation guide »
- [BFA implementation guide: The pros and cons of taking BFA individually or as a group](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/bfa-implementation-guide-the-pros-and-cons-of-taking-bfa-individually-or-as-a-group/): BFA implementation guide: The pros and cons of taking BFA individually or as a group As a group Pros Good learning opportunity Individuals may learn about existing institutional efforts of which they were not aware Additional epiphanies triggered by other responses Cons Time-consuming Groupthink may suppress individual voices Potential scheduling challenges Individually Pros Get purer baseline of knowledge Engage more individuals, especially those who may be less likely to speak in a larger group setting Efficient, time-wise Cons Each member may work under different definitions of terms/scale Individuals may not know if or how deep something is happening in an area where they are not involved
- [Sources](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/sources/): Back To Beyond Financial Aid
- [BFA implementation guide: Conduct the Institutional Self-Assessment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/beyond-financial-aid/bfa-assessments/bfa-implementation-guide-conduct-the-institutional-self-assessment/): Leadership and team composition are critical in developing strategies to support low-income students. Ideally, the president or provost should appoint one or two facilitators to shepherd the BFA Institutional Self-Assessment process and support the work of a cross-functional core team. The process will be more effective when led by someone in a position of influence with strong change-management skills.
- [2018 Promotional Toolkit](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/2018-promotional-toolkit/): Please upload the graphic you select first, then cut and paste the text you choose below into the social advertisement. Include this link: luminaprize.innovationchallenge.com.
- [Apply for investment capital](https://www.luminafoundation.org/campaign/apply-investment-capital/): The company must be focused on education and training after high school

## News & Views
- [Lumina initiates multi-state effort using higher ed to drive economic prosperity](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/lumina-initiates-multi-state-effort-using-higher-ed-to-drive-economic-prosperity/): Thirteen states are working to set new goals for better-educated, better-trained residents.
- [How states can aim higher—and prove the value of higher education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/how-states-can-aim-higher-and-prove-the-value-of-higher-education/): States need to help people complete credentials that pay off—in wages, career mobility, and community vitality.
- [America is slipping in higher education. The slide starts long before college.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/america-is-slipping-in-higher-education-the-slide-starts-long-before-college/): Once a global leader in higher education, the United States now finds itself spending more than nearly all of its peer nations while delivering outcomes that fall increasingly short of expectations.
- [Rebuilding trust in higher ed through value and purpose](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/rebuilding-trust-in-higher-ed-through-value-and-purpose/): Few aspects of modern life are as closely scrutinized as higher education, and no wonder: Though most Americans believe that a college degree leads to better jobs, many also think it costs too much and may not be worth the time and money.
- [Humanity AI: Putting people at the center of the AI revolution](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/humanity-ai-putting-people-at-the-center-of-the-ai-revolution/): The announcement today of Humanity AI marks one of the most ambitious philanthropic responses yet to the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence. Backed by an initial $500 million in commitments, this five-year collaborative seeks nothing less than to rebalance the trajectory of artificial intelligence development, shifting power toward the public good.
- [I did the hard work. I just didn’t know how to talk about it.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/i-did-the-hard-work-i-just-didnt-know-how-to-talk-about-it/): From campus to work: Why Lumina is investing in career-connected High-Impact Practices
- [Finding my footing as a SHEEO first-timer: What the shifts in higher ed reveal ](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/finding-my-footing-as-a-sheeo-first-timer-what-the-shifts-in-higher-ed-reveal/): Higher education is navigating unprecedented times marked by misinformation, public skepticism, and structural change.  The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) meeting is critical for uncovering important research and practical strategies to help institutions maneuver through this shifting landscape. 
- [What declines in reading and math mean for the U.S. workforce](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/what-declines-in-reading-and-math-mean-for-the-u-s-workforce/): U.S. employers and colleges are contending with more young people who are behind academically. Some are trying to make up where schools have failed.
- [Lumina supports project to reimagine how community colleges connect with adults](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/lumina-supports-project-to-reimagine-how-community-colleges-connect-with-adults/): Lumina Foundation, CollegeAPP, and StrategyForward Advisors have joined to launch the Rural Community College Adult Learner Engagement initiative, supporting a cohort of rural colleges in strengthening their outreach to attract and enroll adults.
- [Adult learners need more than tweaks, and here’s how some colleges are stepping up](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/adult-learners-need-more-than-tweaks-and-heres-how-some-colleges-are-stepping-up/): Colleges eager to help adult learners—especially Black, Hispanic and Latino, and Native American adults who have historically been left behind—know this goal requires more than surface-level tweaks. It demands deep, sustained, and mission-driven institutional change.
- [Democracy vs. technocracy: Why AI needs a moral operating system](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/democracy-vs-technocracy-why-ai-needs-a-moral-operating-system/): Artificial intelligence, the fastest-growing force of change in society today, has captured the imagination and concern of leaders in fields such as education, economics, defense—and even religion.
- [Lessons from a year of college admissions redesign](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/lessons-from-a-year-of-college-admissions-redesign/): Hear insights from a nationwide movement. The live podcast includes real stories from the field illuminating how change happens—and where it’s heading.
- [Progress and potential: Adults with some college, no credential](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/progress-and-potential-adults-with-some-college-no-credential/): 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.
- [Degrees of opportunity: Rethinking value in higher ed](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/degrees-of-opportunity-rethinking-value-in-higher-ed/): Colleges and universities are doing a better job lately explaining the value of their degrees, and increasingly they're getting important help in making that case.
- [Remapping higher ed: Here’s where innovation and equity are already taking root](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/remapping-higher-ed-heres-where-innovation-and-equity-are-already-taking-root/): Some of America’s most vital engines of post-high school learning and opportunity are overlooked and underfunded. Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs) and Predominantly Black Community Colleges (PBCCs) play an outsized role in connecting people to learning, credentials, and careers, especially in communities that traditional schools have long underserved.
- [Four-year degrees at two-year colleges: A growing trend](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/four-year-degrees-at-two-year-colleges-a-growing-trend/): 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.
- [Rethinking college: How more valuable degrees are closing America’s talent gap](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/rethinking-college-how-more-valuable-degrees-are-closing-americas-talent-gap/): Critics of higher education have a point: Average inflation-adjusted tuition has gone down, but remains too high. Degrees pay off, but too many grads struggle finding good jobs.
- [Millions pressed pause on college. We can help them hit play again.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/millions-pressed-pause-on-college-we-can-help-them-hit-play-again/): Forty-three million Americans have started college but left without earning a credential. That group, known as “some college, no credential,” or SCNC, is larger than the population of California. And it continues to grow.
- [Meaningful climate action is higher ed’s responsibility](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/meaningful-climate-action-is-higher-eds-responsibility/): 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.
- [Is America falling back in love with higher ed, or are we measuring the wrong things?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/is-america-falling-back-in-love-with-higher-ed-or-are-we-measuring-the-wrong-things/): Something strange is happening in America: confidence in higher education is creeping back up. And not just among the usual suspects. Republicans, independents, people with and without degrees, Black and Hispanic communities. We're seeing a thaw across the board.
- [‘I just never see the end of it’: real stories behind short-term credential seekers](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/i-just-never-see-the-end-of-it-real-stories-behind-short-term-credential-seekers/): Americans eager to gain new skills and energize their careers quickly and inexpensively are turning to increasingly popular short-term workforce programs.
- [Lumina Foundation launches FutureReady States to better gauge workforce credential value](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/lumina-foundation-launches-futureready-states-to-better-gauge-workforce-credential-value/): Twelve states will identify and support training policies that deliver real economic value for taxpayers and individuals.
- [12 states set out to define what makes a credential worth it](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/12-states-set-out-to-define-what-makes-a-credential-worth-it/): With growing skepticism and doubt about the value of a traditional college degree, many Americans are opting for short-term credentials that offer a quicker route to economic opportunity. But with more than a million certificate programs out there, how can students (or employers, for that matter) know which ones actually lead to better jobs and bigger paychecks?
- [Why college matters: for the love of learning—And democracy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/why-college-matters-for-the-love-of-learning-and-democracy/): In a time of tense scrutiny of higher education, it helps to be reminded why college matters.
- [May may be over, but mental health challenges on campus are far from it](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/may-may-be-over-but-mental-health-challenges-on-campus-are-far-from-it/): Last month, during Mental Health Awareness Month, posters went up on campuses across the country, and social media hashtags trended. Now we’re in June, and the conversation begins to fade—while students' struggles do not. 
- [Do Americans think college is worth it?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/do-americans-think-college-is-worth-it/): 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.
- [Fast lift or slow climb? How education moves us (or doesn’t)](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/fast-lift-or-slow-climb-how-education-moves-us-or-doesnt/): We often hear that a bachelor’s degree pays off, literally, long-term, but is that always true? And how do short-term credentials like certificates and training badges really compare?
- [What will make college truly affordable?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/what-will-make-college-truly-affordable/): Higher ed leaders and policymakers need to fundamentally rethink the system of who pays for college, and how.
- [America’s investment in education is lagging — and the workforce pays the price](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/americas-investment-in-education-is-lagging-and-the-workforce-pays-the-price/): America once led the world, but the global economy is evolving, and other nations are surging ahead. We must recommit to innovation and training.
- [Degrees of impact: Redefining the value of higher ed](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/degrees-of-impact-redefining-the-value-of-higher-ed/): At the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit, Lumina Foundation President and CEO Jamie Merisotis gave a LightningX keynote on increasing the value of higher education.
- [A look back: State partnerships pave the way for education and training](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/a-look-back-state-partnerships-pave-the-way-for-education-and-training/): This is a big year for Lumina Foundation: In 2025, we are marking Lumina’s 25th anniversary, looking back on our ambitious 15-year college attainment goal, and celebrating the launch of a new goal. It’s the perfect time to reflect on progress made and how Goal 2040 can help even more Americans learn and earn credentials of value.
- [AI is unable to outpace higher education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/ai-is-unable-to-outpace-higher-education/): 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.
- [A sure bet that lost me money—and what it says about undergrad degree earners](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/a-sure-bet-that-lost-me-money-and-what-it-says-about-undergrad-degree-earners/): Here’s why states betting on certificates to boost attainment might be a losing wager. A recent visit to the Santa Anita racetrack taught me a surprising lesson—not about horse racing, but about the seductive power of a “clever” idea.
- [No, college students aren’t being silenced: Most feel free, heard, and at home on campus](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/no-college-students-silenced-free-speech-campus-experience/): Despite the loud and pervasive national rhetoric that college campuses are ideological battlegrounds where free speech is stifled, most students say their experience is much different.
- [Whatever we call them, diversity efforts support fairness and shared prosperity](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/whatever-we-call-them-diversity-efforts-support-fairness-and-shared-prosperity/): Diversity and equity initiatives are increasingly under attack in statehouses, schools, and corporations across the country. But amid this rising rhetoric, a critical misunderstanding threatens our nation’s future—one that could erode our global leadership and economic prosperity.
- [Healthcare finance leader brings global expertise to Lumina Foundation board](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/healthcare-finance-leader-brings-global-expertise-to-lumina-foundation-board/): Kaye Vitug, a global healthcare and finance leader, has joined Lumina Foundation’s board of directors, which concluded its spring meeting today.
- [Community college isn’t a backup option: Rebranding higher ed’s underdogs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/community-college-isnt-a-backup-option-rebranding-higher-eds-underdogs/): Three years ago, we at Lumina Foundation became curious about the stigma surrounding community colleges. Americans saw them as the convenient, practical choice—but as a backup to something “better” and often not the first choice for serious students.
- [Higher education’s big test: Proving the value of college degrees](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/higher-educations-big-test-proving-the-value-of-college-degrees/): In response to falling public confidence, higher ed needs to deliver greater value and a clear return on investment.
- [What’s a primary driver of U.S. prosperity?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/whats-a-primary-driver-of-u-s-prosperity/): In this special edition, we have a conversation on how to drive economic growth, strengthen civic life, and equip individuals to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Experts from workforce, higher education and philanthropy will dive into how learning after high school cultivates a skilled workforce, fosters innovation, and improves quality of life for American communities.  This show was recorded live from the podcast lounge at SXSW. 
- [Weekly wisdom interview with Jamie Merisotis](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/weekly-wisdom-interview-with-jamie-merisotis/): Merisotis talks about Lumina’s new goal for a successful labor force, the value proposition of higher education, the importance of perceived equity, and the urgency for higher ed reform.
- [The cost vs. value paradox: what Americans really think about college](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/the-cost-vs-value-paradox-what-americans-really-think-about-college/): For years, the debate about higher education has centered on one question: Is college still worth it?
- [The gutting of the education department puts students at risk—Now what?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/the-gutting-of-the-education-department-puts-students-at-risk-now-what/): I have served at the U.S. Department of Education twice—once as a career civil servant and later as deputy undersecretary and acting assistant secretary. I took immense pride in serving students with dignity and purpose in both roles. I continue to be inspired by the unwavering dedication of the department’s career employees—public servants who have committed their lives to advancing educational opportunity in every corner of this country.
- [Do students and society still value higher ed?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/do-students-and-society-still-value-higher-ed/): Public confidence in higher education is slipping. You’ve probably heard it—maybe even felt it. But here’s the thing: While skepticism is rising, most Americans still believe in the power of a college degree. They see it as a ticket to career success, financial stability, and a better future for their families.
- [Mascots, marketing, and making moves](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/mascots-marketing-and-making-moves/): This episode dives into how schools are using SEO, branding, and mobile-friendly marketing to reshape perceptions and connect with their communities.
- [Lumina Foundation sets new national goal to expand and elevate higher education and workforce training by 2040](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/lumina-foundation-sets-new-national-goal-to-expand-and-elevate-higher-education-and-workforce-training-by-2040/): Lumina Foundation has announced a bold new goal to increase the number of Americans with education and training beyond high school: By 2040, 75 percent of working-age adults in the U.S. labor force will have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
- [A bold vision for a prosperous future](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/a-bold-vision-for-a-prosperous-future/): Seventeen years ago, Lumina Foundation set an ambitious goal: By 2025, 60 percent of working-age adults in the United States would have a degree, certificate, or industry-recognized certification. At the time, only 38 percent had one. Today, that number has risen to 55 percent, thanks to the dedication of students, educators, and policymakers who believe in the power of education and training beyond high school.
- [Black History Month matters—for everybody](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/black-history-month-matters-for-everybody/): Much of what makes America the envy of the world is its great diversity. That diversity cuts across many different lines: Income, geography, gender, ethnicity, race, and many other factors contribute to the nation’s economic strength and competitive ingenuity.
- [The resilience of first-generation students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/the-resilience-of-first-generation-students/): Four in five first-generation student participants from the “Is College Worth It?” report believe their degree will help them achieve financial goals and credit their college experience with expanding career opportunities.
- [Boosting civics lessons helps strengthen civil discourse—And democracy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/boosting-civics-lessons-helps-strengthen-civil-discourse-and-democracy/): We disagree so much in this country that it’s heartening to find an idea that nearly everybody supports—at least generally.
- [Yes, the country’s people are better trained and educated as we begin 2025](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/yes-the-countrys-people-are-better-trained-and-educated-as-we-begin-2025/): But our collective efforts must keep evolving until learning after high school prepares graduates to thrive economically.

## Grants
- [Education Strategy Group](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117301/): to provide wrap-up and sustainability support for states and colleges involved in REACH
- [HCM Strategists, LLC](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117326/): To provide direct and indirect consultative policy and strategy support to states, the field, and Lumina Foundation.
- [Georgetown University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117320/): To strengthen the alignment of postsecondary education and workforce via research and technical assistance.
- [Memorial Community Development Corporation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117309/): To provide general operating support for Our Times, a Black community newspaper in Evansville, Indiana.
- [Avivar Capital](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117292/): To provide impact investing advisory services, specifically portfolio monitoring, to Lumina Impact Ventures.
- [Washington Monthly Institute, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117303/): To support research on public policy solutions for local news sustainability.
- [American Academy of Arts and Sciences](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117278/): To support the Aspen Higher Education Forum with journalists' participation.
- [Fierce Outcomes](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117322/): To support Fierce Outcomes and Presence in the development of a new speech language paraprofessional track as part of the overall suite of services offered by Presence to their K-12 clients.
- [Protagonist](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117334/): To research strategic narratives about higher education and democracy in the United States advanced by nonpartisan and partisan media organizations.
- [The Indianapolis Foundation, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117337/): To support The Indianapolis Foundation's Center for Racial Equity and Economic Opportunity initiative.
- [Complete College America](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117317/): To advance higher education outcomes for learners of color and other marginalized groups by hosting a think tank of national leaders and creating a guidebook to elevate current issues and potential strategies for the post-secondary community.
- [hivve Ltd](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117329/): To identify ways to provide impact.
- [Sova Solutions](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2410-1117319/): To map the "value of postsecondary education" landscape.
- [Michigan State University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117247/): To support research on trusted messengers for local news in Indiana.
- [Society of Professional Journalists](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117299/): To support strategic planning for an organization that champions journalists' rights and ethics.
- [Media Impact Funders Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117288/): To support an executive search for a network that advances the work of media funders.
- [International Center for Journalists Inc](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117213/): To support a convening with international journalists to design an initiative on college campuses focused on advancing free expression and free press.
- [Michigan Community College Foundation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117287/): To support the organization Education for All in facilitating professional development across a broad range of community colleges across states.
- [Maryland Higher Education Commission](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117279/): To support The Maryland Higher Education Commission's statewide strategic planning.
- [Higher Education Strategy Associates](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117300/): To compile global case studies of government interventions and policies
lowering costs for students.
- [State Higher Education Executive Officers](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2409-1117267/): To build capacity among SHEEOs to advance equitable policy agendas.
- [Student Borrower Protection Center](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117176/): To conduct an analysis of companies that facilitate low-quality, high-cost education and training and a study exploring the implication of student loan debt on perceptions of the value of higher education.
- [Spitfire Strategies, LLC](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117252/): To promote journalism and share stories highlighting the need for more adults in the United States to earn credentials of value.
- [Hattaway Communications](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117237/): To support an approach for framing the importance of a better-educated country to mobilize audiences with diverse interests and perspectives.
- [The New School](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117199/): To support a design challenge around how community colleges in the South can become local news hubs.
- [Equity Research Cooperative](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117203/): To launch research projects and build coalitions to create actionable evidence for college affordability, including the free college and student debt relief movement.
- [The Schott Foundation for Public Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117159/): To provide operating support for the next iteration of the Executives' Alliance for Boys and Men of Color.
- [Three Frame Media, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117204/): To support PBS distribution and a national impact campaign for the documentary series "The Class."
- [Public Radio Exchange](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117215/): To support coverage of immigrants seeking education and training after high school.
- [Well Done Marketing](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117193/): To provide social media counsel, website strategy, social campaign and branded search support, media partner promotion, as well as stakeholder journey activation.
- [LB Strategic Advisory, LLC](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117234/): To develop a public-facing summary of key findings in five regions related to CHIPS and Science Act implementation, and to assist with planning of a proposed meeting in late 2024 to discuss findings.
- [Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117206/): To support a series of blogs on the value and quality of short-term credentials.
- [Washington Student Achievement Council](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117210/): To conduct research around the narrative surrounding higher education and its benefits and deliver new messaging to target audiences
- [National Education Opportunities Network](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2408-1117219/): Refresh the World Access to Higher Education Network website
- [Press Shop PR, LLC](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117181/): To promote the work and expertise of the media partners through targeted outreach campaigns.
- [Free Press](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2405-1117051/): To provide general operating support for a nonpartisan nonprofit that strengthens local news through public policy education.
- [The Urban Institute](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117144/): To support the development of a set of community impact measures that demonstrate community colleges' social value
- [JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117154/): to provide guidance and support to states on implementing Ability to Benefit
- [Scholarship America](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117143/): To enhance interagency coordination and preparation associated with the new FAFSA application among federal agencies administering financial aid programs
- [Regents of the University of California – Davis](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117109/): To map community college enrollment patterns and course offerings in California.
- [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117123/): Produce a series of case studies from across the globe of innovative approaches to promote employability and lifelong learning from HEIs,
governments, employers or a combination of them
- [Catalyst Education, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117172/): To support the Higher Education Equity Network (HEEN) to convene leaders, lead sector-wide dialogue and develop research on postsecondary outcomes for Black, Latino/a, and Indigenous students.
- [Institute for Higher Education Policy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117158/): To plan and design the programming and participant list for the the April 2025 Attainment Movement Convening.
- [Office of Research Administration](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2405-1117094/): To leverage existing and future data from the NSSE Career & Workforce Preparation topical module.
- [President and Fellows of Harvard College](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2405-1117082/): To help journalists understand and use research on higher education topics through The Journalist's Resource.
- [Deep South Today](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2406-1117118/): To support in-depth coverage of higher education issues in Mississippi.
- [Bellwether Education Partners, Inc.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2407-1117177/): To conduct a landscape analysis of federal higher education policy organizations.
- [Shaw University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2405-1117060/): To build the capacity to serve adult learners at HBCUs.
- [Johnson C. Smith University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2405-1117062/): To build the capacity to serve adult learners at HBCUs.
- [Winston-Salem State University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/grant/2404-1117028/): To build the capacity to serve adult learners at HBCUs.

## Looking Back
- [Chapter Six](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-six/)
- [Chapter Five](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-five/)
- [Chapter Four](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-four/)
- [Chapter Three](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-three/)
- [Chapter Two](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-two/)
- [Chapter One](https://www.luminafoundation.org/history-of-federal-student-aid/chapter-one/)

## Resources
- [College is still worth it, even with student debt.](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/college-is-still-worth-it-even-with-student-debt/): College remains a strong financial investment even after accounting for student loan payments: degree holders earn on average $8,000 more per year than similar non-completers when accounting for debt ($10,400 without accounting for debt).
- [Disaggregated Data Show the Asian American and Hispanic or Latino Students who Face the Greatest Affordability Gaps](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/college-costs-keep-rising-disaggregated-data-show-the-asian-american-and-hispanic-or-latino-students-who-face-the-greatest-affordability-gaps/): For many students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, college affordability concerns are not new. Generations of Asian American and Hispanic or Latino students have faced unmet need—the gap between what families can afford and what students must pay—that persists long after arriving in the United States. When broad averages mask differences within these groups, policymakers and researchers risk missing the nuances that shape the students who enroll, persist, and complete their degrees.
- [Press Release Guidelines, State Attainment Collaborative](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/press-release-guidelines-state-attainment-collaborative/): Press Release Guidelines for states participating in Lumina’s State Attainment Collaborative
- [Vanderbilt Unity Poll: Confidence in Higher Education Rebounds, Though Affordability and Political Bias Are Still Concerns](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/vanderbilt-unity-poll-confidence-in-higher-education-rebounds-though-affordability-and-political-bias-are-still-concerns/): Despite the Trump administration’s continued assault on colleges and universities, Americans’ confidence and favorability toward colleges and universities has increased from recent lows.
- [Education at a Glance, from OECD](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/education-at-a-glance-from-oecd/): Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances, and performance of education systems in OECD and partner countries.
- [Tracking Transfer](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/tracking-transfer/): This report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows little improvement in transfer rates for first-time college students. But it does offer insight on various factors that could contribute improved outcomes.
- [Lessons Learned from Year One of the Great Admissions Redesign](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/lessons-learned-from-year-one-of-the-great-admissions-redesign/): Faced with a steep demographic cliff and a growing chorus of questions about value, higher education is wrestling with a somewhat unfamiliar question: How can the college admissions process evolve from gatekeeper to gateway?
- [Testing a Lower Cost Model of Student Supports](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/testing-a-lower-cost-model-of-student-supports/): Community colleges and broad-access universities (those with minimally selective admis­sions policies) provide an opportunity for students across the United States to attain post­secondary degrees and achieve economic mobility. However, graduation rates from such colleges are often low and there are many obstacles that can be difficult to overcome, es­pecially for students who must balance work or family responsibilities, older students, stu­dents from low-income backgrounds, and students of color who face additional systemic barriers.
- [Using Data to Redesign Postsecondary Admissions](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/using-data-to-redesign-postsecondary-admissions/): This resource examines the role of stronger data systems in addressing challenges and barriers students must currently overcome to access postsecondary education, highlights efforts states and institutions are undertaking to streamline the admissions process, and identifies best practices that have emerged in the field.
- [Institutional Change for Adult Learner Success](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/institutional-change-for-adult-learner-success/): More than 82 million adults 25 years old and over have never enrolled in any postsecondary education, and another 43.1 million adults have some college credits, but no credential. Black, Hispanic, and Native American adults are disproportionately represented in both of these categories. But the fundamental structures and practices of colleges were not built with adult learners in mind, and particularly not adult learners of color.
- [Public strongly rejects presidential power over university enrollment, deportation without due process](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/public-strongly-rejects-presidential-power-over-university-enrollment-deportation-without-due-process/): Americans have much more confidence in public colleges and universities than in private ones, accorindg to a new survey by Vanderbilt University’s Project on Unity and American Democracy.
- [Supporting Adult Learners in Postsecondary Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/supporting-adult-learners-in-postsecondary-education/): This study sheds light on the motivations, challenges, and successes of the strategies and practices used by a set of postsecondary institutions that have enacted institutional change in support of adult learners of color.
- [Admissions Innovations at the State and System Level](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/admissions-innovations-at-the-state-and-system-level/): As the postsecondary landscape has changed, it is critical that the field develop a common language through the creation of a typology that can be used to describe the landscape of admissions innovations and the characteristics of each type as the basis to better understand their impact.
- [State Investments in Short-term Credential Pathways](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/state-investments-in-short-term-credential-pathways/): An analysis reveals the rapid growth of state investments in short-term credential pathways. Total investments now exceed $5.6 billion across 70 initiatives in 32 states.
- [Strategies for Expanding Dual-Enrollment Pathways for High School Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/strategies-for-expanding-dual-enrollment-pathways-for-high-school-students/): Getting a head start on college coursework in high school has become an even more important goal for high school students in recent years, due in part to the rising costs of obtaining traditional four-year college degrees coupled with the disruptions in learning for high school and college students because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- [Ousted From Opportunity: Eviction’s Adverse Impact on Parenting College Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/ousted-from-opportunity-evictions-adverse-impact-on-parenting-college-students/): One out of every five undergraduate students are caring for one or more children while enrolled in college. That amounts to just over three million undergraduate students, along with nearly a million graduate students with children. Many students, especially those with children, grapple with housing insecurity and homelessness.
- [College Affordability](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/college-affordability/): Latino students in Texas make informed, pragmatic choices to afford college, often shaped by state policy and institutional practice, says a new brief from Excelencia in Education.
- [2024 NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/2024-nacubo-tuition-discounting-study/): Private, nonprofit colleges and universities continue to significantly discount their published prices for undergraduates, according to a new study from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
- [Investing in Students Parents, Building Stronger Futures](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/investing-in-students-parents-building-stronger-futures/): What happens when student parents receive the financial, institutional, and emotional support they need to excel in college? They don’t just earn degrees—they lead, innovate, and uplift their communities.
- [The Case for Industry-Specific High Schools](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-case-for-industry-specific-high-schools/): The urgent need to build a strong pipeline of career-ready high school graduates is growing rapidly, just as more parents, students, and employers are questioning the value of traditional higher education.
- [For Many Student Loan Borrowers, Financial Security Feels Out of Reach](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/for-many-student-loan-borrowers-financial-security-feels-out-of-reach/): A new survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that more than half of student loan borrowers consider themselves financially insecure, with an overwhelming majority (74 percent) of borrowers saying they had experienced at least one negative financial event in the last 12 months—such as not being able to pay the full amount due on their mortgages or rents on time, overdrawing their checking accounts, or applying for public assistance programs.
- [The Student Voice Report 2025](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-student-voice-report-2025/): For years, experts have predicted that the number of 18-year-olds entering college will begin a long period of decline due to lower birthrates after the 2008 recession. Now, that period—the “enrollment cliff”—is here.
- [Student Mental Health on College Campuses](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/student-mental-health-on-college-campuses/): College students today often face a variety of challenges academic pressures, social and family stresses, financial/ economic hardship stresses, a rapidly shifting technological environment, an increasingly polarized political environment, and more.
- [Bridging the Middle-Skills Gap](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/bridging-the-middle-skills-gap/): The United States is facing shortages of middle-skills credentials (certificates and associate degrees) that provide pathways for early-career workers to secure jobs in occupations that are high-paying for workers without a bachelor’s degree.
- [How Faculty Members Influence Credit Transfer at Four-Year Institutions](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/how-faculty-members-influence-credit-transfer-at-four-year-institutions/): Transferring credits from a community college to a four-year institution remains a crucial strategy many students must use to obtain a bachelor’s degree. However, effectively implementing this strategy can be difficult. Despite state policies intended to streamline credit transfer, students face significant barriers to having their credits accepted and, more importantly, applied to degree requirements at four-year institutions.
- [Emergency Aid at Scale](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/emergency-aid-at-scale/): The four million student parents who make up the postsecondary education population in the United States face unique barriers to success that reach far beyond the high cost of tuition. Of these four million students, 43 percent are single mothers, nearly 10 percent of the undergraduate population. Single mothers with only a high school diploma in the United States are three times more likely to live in poverty than when they hold a postsecondary degree. The high cost of postsecondary education, combined with the added expenses of raising children, makes it difficult for many student parents to afford continuing their education.
- [The Economic Case for Emergency Student Aid](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-economic-case-for-emergency-student-aid/): A growing body of evidence suggests that financial instability is one of the most common barriers to college completion and that, in many cases, students drop out due to relatively small, unexpected expenses. These findings have sparked interest in a promising solution: emergency aid programs. These micro-grants or short-term financial interventions are designed to help students weather temporary financial crises and stay on track to graduate. Though still limited in scope and uneven in implementation, emergency aid has the potential to deliver a high return on investment—for both students and society—by ensuring that financial setbacks do not become permanent derailments.
- [Emergency Aid, Enduring Impact](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/emergency-aid-enduring-impact/): Across the United States, millions of students are derailed from completing their college degree not by academic challenges, but by unexpected financial emergencies and the overwhelming costs of balancing education with basic needs. This is especially student parents. More than one in five undergraduates are student parents, with single mothers representing 43 percent of this population alone. All too often, however, financial struggles get in the way of student completion—a recent student financial wellness survey reports that more than half of respondents (58 percent) experienced basic needs insecurity, including difficulties accessing food, housing, or other fundamental resources essential for academic success.
- [Some College, No Credential (SCNC) Student Outcomes](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/some-college-no-credential-scnc-student-outcomes/): This report shows the “some college, no credential” (SCNC) population—former students who stopped out without earning a credential—is up 3.6 percent from a year earlier while fewer SCNC students returned and completed a credential. This suggests there’s an increasingly missed opportunity for states and institutions to reengage SCNC students.
- [The Congressional Risk-Sharing Proposal Creates New Incentives and Uncertainty for Postsecondary Institutions](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-congressional-risk-sharing-proposal-creates-new-incentives-and-uncertainty-for-postsecondary-institutions/): The House reconciliation bill outlines a new risk-sharing formula that would have colleges pay back a portion of their students’ unpaid student loan bills. The share of unpaid debt varies primarily based on program graduates’ earnings, relative to tuition paid, and on the program or institution graduation rate.
- [Four Things We Need to Know About Community College Noncredit Workforce Programs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/four-things-we-need-to-know-about-community-college-noncredit-workforce-programs/): A recent survey found that, for the first time, a majority of Americans believe that a 4-year college education is not worth the cost. In addition, skills-based hiring—that is, recruiting and screening job candidates based on skills, rather than academic degrees—is becoming more common. At the same time, the U.S. Congress has been considering legislative proposals to make some short-term and noncredit workforce training programs eligible for federal financial aid, notably Pell Grants.
- [Defining the Part-Time Student and Identifying Promising Practices](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/defining-the-part-time-student-and-identifying-promising-practices/): MDRC researchers share practices likely to support part-time student success.
- [How State Policy Can Transform Career Navigation for Young People](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/how-state-policy-can-transform-career-navigation-for-young-people/): Few young people have access to the essential career navigation services they need to make informed decisions about their education and career options after high school. Without this guidance, many are left uncertain about what to pursue next, unable to support themselves and their families and unsure of which paths to take to reach their goals.
- [Lumina @ 25](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/lumina-25/): The national higher education policy landscape and state-level attainment have changed significantly since 2008, with Lumina playing a leading role.
- [Who’s Feeling It? The Real Faces of College Admissions Anxiety](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/whos-feeling-it-the-real-faces-of-college-admissions-anxiety/): Feelings of anxiety related to college searches and admissions applications align with key socio-demographic markers of wealth and status, according to this report from the Art & Science Group. Specifically, students from underrepresented backgrounds report more stress around the process than their higher-income peers.
- [The State of Higher Education 2025](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-state-of-higher-education-2025/): Since 2020, Lumina Foundation and Gallup have partnered to produce the State of Higher Education study, an annual survey of thousands of U.S. adults without a college degree or credential.
- [Microcredentials Impact Report 2025: Insights from Students and Employers](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/microcredentials-impact-report-2025-insights-from-students-and-employers/): Students and employers overwhelmingly view microcredentials as critical to career readiness. According to a new report from Coursera, 85 percent of students who have earned a microcredential say it improves job prospects, and 91 pecent believe it will help them succeed once employed.
- [Policy Blueprint to Modernize & Expand Apprenticeship Nationwide](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/policy-blueprint-to-modernize-expand-apprenticeship-nationwide/): The U.S. labor market is at a crossroads. Despite unemployment holding steady at around 4.2 percent, many sectors and their employers face a persistent struggle to fill positions. This challenge is driven by several interconnected factors: an aging population, lagging labor force participation, and a widening gap between our education/training system and labor market demand that leaves many workers unprepared for good jobs.
- [2025 EDUCAUSE Teaching and Learning Workforce in Higher Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/2025-educause-teaching-and-learning-workforce-in-higher-education/): As institutions navigate the evolving higher education environment to position themselves for long-term success, understanding how teaching and learning professionals perceive and respond to these shifts is essential for identifying the support they need to thrive in their roles and effectively serve students.
- [A Policy and Practice Guide to Supporting Bachelor’s Programs at Rural Community Colleges](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/a-policy-and-practice-guide-to-supporting-bachelors-programs-at-rural-community-colleges/): When local community and labor market needs call for a new bachelor’s program, community colleges can welcome new students with a range of life and work experiences to pursue this degree and meet community needs, states this report from New America.
- [Supporting Young People’s Food Security](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/supporting-young-peoples-food-security/): The transition from high school to early adulthood is a time when students must learn how to handle elements of daily life independently, and it is a particularly challenging time to experience food insecurity. Students who previously had access to food benefits in high school, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may have trouble retaining that support, particularly if they move away from home and must re-apply on their own. Eligibility rules that apply only to college students may also present another barrier. Connecting more young people to the public benefits they’re eligible for may help them to succeed in college or their early careers.
- [Top Public Policy Issues Facing Governing Boards in 2025-2026](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/top-public-policy-issues-facing-governing-boards-in-2025-2026/): Concerns about the Trump administration’s plans for higher education are the basis of this report by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, which outlines the top public policy issues facing higher education governing boards.
- [The Effects of Ohio’s EdChoice Voucher Program on College Enrollment and Graduation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-effects-of-ohios-edchoice-voucher-program-on-college-enrollment-and-graduation/): More than a million U.S. students now participate in private school choice programs because of recent growth in vouchers, tax credit scholarships, education savings accounts, and tax credits. Given the rapid expansion in these programs, it is important to understand how they affect the students who participate in these programs and the students who remain in public schools.
- [State-Level Policies Develop Skilled Workforces Through Registered Apprenticeship Programs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/state-level-policies-develop-skilled-workforces-through-registered-apprenticeship-programs/): A new report from Urban Institute explores how state-level policies shape the effectiveness and quality of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the United States. Through interviews with the Office of Apprenticeship and four state apprenticeship agencies, the research examines policies on supervision, hiring, recordkeeping, wages, and Equal Employment Opportunity.
- [The Reality of Free Speech on College Campuses](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-reality-of-free-speech-on-college-campuses/): Despite national debates suggesting that students face suppression of their views on college campuses, the latest Lumina Foundation-Gallup study tells a different story.
- [Which Community College Awards Are Likely to Prepare Students for Post-Completion Success?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/which-community-college-awards-are-likely-to-prepare-students-for-post-completion-success/): If community colleges are to build back enrollment after more than a decade of declines and address concerns about the value of a college education, they must ensure that their workforce and transfer programs are worth completing in that they prepare students to secure good jobs or transfer successfully.
- [2025 State of the Graduate Report](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/2025-state-of-the-graduate-report/): Today’s job market is constantly evolving, and today’s graduates are entering it with both confidence and conviction.
- [Supporting Online Learners](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/supporting-online-learners/): In the fall 2022 semester, more than half of college students took at least one online course, and approximately 20 percent of public four-year college students and 32 percent of community college students engaged exclusively in online education. This makes understanding how to effectively support online learners is critical. While research suggests that some forms of online learning do not have a negative impact on students, online learners are less likely to stay enrolled than their in-person peers.
- [Transfer Playbook 2.0](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/transfer-playbook-2-0/): National surveys continue to show a significant gap between community college students’ aspirations and their bachelor’s attainment. Only 16 percent of community college students earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of entry—far fewer than the 80 percent who enter college with that goal. Yet, proven models nationwide demonstrate it doesn't have to be this way.
- [Lumina Fact Sheet](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/fact-sheet/): Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy.

## Focus Articles
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2011/presidents-message/): For Americans to thrive individually and for the United States to compete in today’s global economy, our citizens must be committed to learning—rigorous, relevant, college-level learning.
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2018/presidents-message-fall-2018/): If you’re like most Americans, when you hear the term “college student,” a picture comes to mind: A young person—late teens or early 20s—walking across a leaf-strewn quad with a backpack slung across one shoulder. It’s an evocative image—iconic, even. It’s also wrong.
- [Research program puts freshmen in the field, literally](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2025/research-program-puts-freshmen-in-the-field-literally/): First-year Adams State University student Natrielle Shorty, clad in a pair of hip-length rubber waders, swayed in the rapids of North Crestone Creek, fighting to keep her balance—and her dignity.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2022/presidents-message/): In social science textbooks—and often in our minds—life happens in stages. Many of us see it as a logical sequence of predictable steps: childhood to adolescence to adulthood … school to college to career … love, then marriage, and then parenthood.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2019/presidents-message-summer-2019/): There are at least two ways to look at everything, including innovation. One way—let’s call it the radical approach—was aptly expressed by Charles F. Kettering, the early 20th century engineer who invented the first electric cash register and later co-founded Delco. Kettering said this:“If you’ve always done it that way, it’s probably wrong.”
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2018/presidents-message-2018/): We’ve heard it for years from the nation’s employers—in CEOs’ speeches and op-ed pieces, in companies’ annual reports, even in advertisements: “At XYZ Corp., our single greatest asset is our people.”
- [Video: Ditching class at Adams State University](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2025/video-ditching-class-at-adams-state-university/): Video: Meet Natrielle Shorty and Matthew Reno, biology majors at Adams State University, a public institution that turns its students loose in southern Colorado’s high country to do on-site research. As one administrator puts it: “The mountain ranges are our labs.” And that’s true even for first-year students such as Shorty, who spent hours wading in mountain streams with her freshmen classmates, collecting and studying macroinvertebrates. Reno, a third-year student, sees huge value in the field trips. “It makes the in-class work more meaningful,” he said. “It’s one thing to take notes, but applying research to a lesson made me realize, ‘Oh, there’s a reason we’re learning this!’”
- [Institutions tackling student record reform](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2015/institutions-tackling-student-record-reform/): As colleges and universities all over the nation consider how they might create a more comprehensive student record, a group of institutions is embracing the idea in earnest, aided by a $1.5 million project supported by Lumina Foundation.
- [Grant program gives California residents skills they can truly build on](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2023/grant-program-gives-california-residents-skills-they-can-truly-build-on/): 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.
- [Higher ed’s building a workforce with the savvy and skills to confront climate change](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2023/higher-eds-building-a-workforce-with-the-savvy-and-skills-to-confront-climate-change/): The alarm bells are ringing on climate change—and higher education is responding.
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2017/presidents-message-winter-2018/): Lumina President and CEO Jamie Merisotis cherishes the memory of his own college experience, yet he knows it's being shared by fewer and fewer of today's students.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2021/presidents-message/): The nation’s Indigenous peoples—infinitely varied in their cultures and scattered all across the continent— have at least one thing in common: Essentially, they’re forgotten. Overlooked. Invisible. Whether they live on a faraway reservation, along a suburban street, or in the high-rise condo unit next door, we non-Natives don’t see them. Not really.
- [Organizations that help student veterans](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2013/organizations-that-help-student-veterans/): American Council on Education — ACE offers a wealth of online services for colleges and universities that want to improve their service to student veterans, including a Toolkit for Veteran-Friendly Institutions American Legion — This national organization’s Veterans Education Center offers a wealth of education-related information and support. The Jed Foundation — This site offers resources for educators and students who seek to understand and support the emotional health of student veterans. Make the Connection — This site is a platform for shared experiences and also offers support for veterans pursuing education beyond high school. Operation College Promise — This national policy and research organization supports the transition and success of student veterans. It also provides colleges and universities with a comprehensive resource guide: Creating an Environment for Student Veteran Success on Campus RealWarriors.net — For resources related to educational and vocational counseling and making the transition to academic life. Student Veterans of America — This site offers a wealth of resources for student vets and can help them connect with SVA chapters on their campuses. VA GI Bill Website — This government site provides information on all educational benefits provided by the VA. It offers with tools and resources to help Veterans pursuing college degrees, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or non-college degrees programs. Veterans of Foreign Wars — The VFW recently launched a new initiative called 1 Student Veteran aimed at helping student veterans cut through red tape and obtain their VA and GI Bill benefits.
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2018/presidents-message-winter-2018-2/): Even in today’s digitized, algorithm-driven world, there’s a lot to be said for the do-it-yourself spirit. That drive—to blaze a trail, to shape a new tool or a work of art, to devise a unique solution for a particular problem—is deeply human, part of who we are.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2019/presidents-message/): If you’re of a certain age—or if you just haven’t thought much lately about career preparation—you likely hold a simple, two-track view. Let’s call it an either-or view: Blue-collar or white. Working with your hands or with your head. College-educated or … not.
- [Dedication Speech (2009)](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2015/dedication-speech-2009-by-jacob-barnett/): By Jacob Barnett
- [Video feature on Utah State University’s Aggies Elevated program](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2020/video-feature-on-utah-state-universitys-aggies-elevated-program/): Aggies Elevated is a two-year program at Utah State University that is designed to serve students with intellectual disabilities well – not merely by providing opportunities for learning, but also by helping students land competitive, “real-world” employment after they graduate. The staff-intensive Aggies Elevated program typically serves about 15 students at a time. As of a few weeks after the 2019 class graduated, 93 percent of its graduates had found jobs.
- [Links](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2014/links/): Rick on the Road - Kinder Caminata 2014 video. !Ad​elante! Club at Santa Ana College The Community Education Coalition is a partnership of education, business, and community leaders in Columbus, Indiana. Say Yes to Education Buffalo brings together the Buffalo Public School District, the District Parent Coordinating Council, the Buffalo Teachers Federation, the Buffalo Association of Administrators and Supervisors, and the City of Buffalo. Watch their video.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2021/presidents-message/): Ask anyone who attended college more than 10 years ago to name their student advisor, and you’ll likely be met with a blank stare. Ask them what that advisor did for them, and the response is no less predictable—something like: “He told me where to register,” or “She helped me drop a class.”
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2019/presidents-message-fall-2019/): We’ve all heard the phrase “flyover country,” the dismissive term often used by coastal elites to describe the vast middle parts of the nation that they tend—or choose—to ignore. Those two words encapsulate a troubling view—the idea that the nation’s less populated areas are somehow less important or less valuable, that the people there can rightly be overlooked. No idea could be more wrong—or more dangerous to America’s future.
- [A list of helpful links](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2014/a-list-of-helpful-links/): MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership Time magazine story on the power of “coaching” Infographic: facts about the College Advising Corps (PDF)
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2013/presidents-message/): “BE QUICK, BUT DON’T HURRY.”
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2017/presidents-message-summer-2017/): We have a saying at Lumina Foundation that’s become something of a mantra: “It’s all about the learning.”
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2016/presidents-message/): America has always been billed as the land of opportunity, the setting for second chances. Even centuries before the founding of the Republic, people were drawn to the New World because it was just that: new. This has always been the place to start fresh … to break the mold … to build a different, better life.
- [Outside the college classroom and off the charts: These days, learning has legs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2025/outside-the-college-classroom-and-off-the-charts-these-days-learning-has-legs/): Colleges and universities categorize learning outside the classroom in multiple ways. Some call it project-based learning. Others use terms such as place-based, community-based, or work-based. Some refer simply to student internships.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2024/presidents-message/): Four-year colleges are taking a lot of flak these days. In poll after poll, Americans are questioning the value of the bachelor’s degree, with growing numbers saying the credential fails to provide sufficient return on investment. The findings come as tuition and student debt continue to climb, and as certificate programs and other alternatives emerge as gateways to well-paying jobs. With public confidence in college eroding, it’s understandable that more students choose these alternative paths.
- [President's Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2016/presidents-message-spring-2016/): That song lyric, a snippet from the Dire Straits hit Brothers in Arms, surely wasn’t written with a college campus in mind. But the sentiment fits. Many of today’s students—most notably, African-American males—can feel isolated or out of place. Although they share a physical space with their white, generally more privileged peers, they don’t share the same experience.
- [Spring 2025](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2025/): Today's college students gain vital lessons beyond classroom walls. In this issue, you'll meet several students who are benefiting from the trend back toward hands-on learning.
- [President’s Message: Short-term programs boost careers and enrich lives](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2023/presidents-message/): If adversity is a great teacher, the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly one of the biggest learning opportunities in decades. Among other lessons, it taught us the “essential” nature of the workers we often ignore or take for granted—not just nurses and other health care professionals, but delivery drivers and IT workers, garbage collectors, and grocery clerks.
- [President’s message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2013/presidents-message/): These days, we’re often urged to “support the troops” — and rightly so. The men and women who have chosen to serve this nation, to protect us all as Americans, certainly deserve our gratitude and support.
- [Amarillo College accepts ‘No Excuses’ in pursuing its anti-poverty mission](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2018/amarillo-college-accepts-no-excuses-in-pursuing-its-anti-poverty-mission/): Amarillo College President Russell Lowery-Hart has made it his mission – and that of his college – to help low-income students succeed. The key ingredient in his formula? Love. “When you love the students you have rather than the students you wish you had, and when you build your college around their needs, you can actually ensure that they complete what they’ve started,” he says.
- [Hoop Dream Shattered, but His Success is Still a Slam Dunk](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2016/hoop-dream-shattered-but-his-success-is-still-a-slam-dunk/): Not long ago, Evan Snelling was one of the top high school basketball prospects in Georgia – a likely Division 1 recruit with dreams of NBA glory. In his senior year, a devastating injury ended those dreams. But it didn’t derail his future. Now, as a mentor to dozens of young black men at Georgia Highlands College, Snelling revels in assisting others.
- [Honoring a sacred trust for those who came before us](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2021/honoring-a-sacred-trust-for-those-who-came-before-us/): Editor’s note: For this issue of Focus, Lumina relied on an experienced team of Native American journalists led by award-winning writer and producer Suzette Brewer, a member of the Cherokee Nation. This is her take on the project: its challenges,
- [P-TECH in Brooklyn](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2013/p-tech-in-brooklyn/): Not that he doesn’t appreciate a shout-out from the leader of the free world, but Rashid Davis plays the presidential card lightly when describing his innovative urban school, Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P- TECH). In fact, Principal Davis barely mentions Barack Obama’s praise for P-TECH in the 2013 State of the Union address and took in stride the president’s highly publicized late October visit to the Brooklyn, N.Y., school. He also discounts recent visits by CNN and the Chinese state news service, and he all but ignores the fact that P-TECH’s unique dual-enrollment approach will soon be scaled up and used at 16 other sites throughout New York state.
- [Always racing to connect students with success](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2019/always-racing-to-connect-students-with-success/): Melvin Hines Jr. is an entrepreneur on a mission. As a teen in Albany, Georgia, Hines was disturbed by the high dropout rate among his high school classmates. That unease persisted when he went to college and saw scores of his fellow students hampered by economic and social inequities. It took a while, but Hines did something to address his concerns. Once he earned three degrees of his own, Hines and a partner founded a Texas-based educational software firm called Upswing. Today, Upswing’s online products are helping more than 80 colleges and universities boost students’ success by connecting them to peer tutoring, intensive advising, and other services.
- [Powerful Partnerships Fuel Detroit’s Rebirth](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2018/local-partnerships-fuel-detroits-rebirth/): From his downtown office, Detroit Regional Chamber President Sandy Baruah has an expansive view of his city’s recent renaissance. Just five years after declaring bankruptcy, the Motor City has shifted gears and turned itself around. Now recognized as a Talent Hub, Detroit is working hard – and in an intensely collaborative way – to ensure its residents have the education and training they need to succeed in today’s economy.
- [In rural America, too few roads lead to college success](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2019/in-rural-america-too-few-roads-lead-to-college-success/): Here’s a surprising fact: Students from America’s rural communities graduate from high school at rates higher than the national average. Fully 80 percent of them finish 12th grade, just a shade below the 81 percent who graduate from more prosperous suburban schools. Making up about 14 percent of the school-age population, rural students also score better on the National Assessment of Educational Progress than do students in cities.
- [At Eastern Connecticut, ‘dual advising’ keeps students singularly focused](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2021/at-eastern-connecticut-dual-advising-keeps-students-singularly-focused/): Jean Rienzo is something of an anomaly at Eastern Connecticut State University. She’s a 32-year-old single mother who lives off campus and has a demanding full-time job—certainly not the typical student at a public liberal arts university in New England. Still, Rienzo found her place—and succeeded—with the help of a caring, kindred spirit: her advisor.
- [New ways to measure student learning](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2011/new-ways-to-measure-student-learning/): Layla Quinones, a bright, vivacious 19-year-old, has an unusually impressive Web page. She has posted an attractive photograph of herself, an engaging biography, and a personal statement about her passions and interests. She’s included a page of modern artwork that she likes, with insightful observations about each piece. She has the requisite headers and links. Yet there are elements noticeably missing from this page. There are no photos of her family, no shots of herself mugging for the camera, no “friending” requests from hopeful correspondents. That’s because this is not Quinones’ Facebook page; it’s her academic portfolio—a cross section of the work she has done, and an assessment of what she has learned, as an education and physics major at LaGuardia Community College in New York City.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2015/presidents-message/): Michael Feldman has captivated public radio listeners for years by mining the comedic potential of one simple question - the question posed in the title of his popular quiz show, Whad’Ya Know?
- [Explore more resources on learning with developmental disabilities](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2020/more-about-learning-with-developmental-disabilities/): Additional reading from Fall 2018 issue of Focus Magazine: ‘Learning without limits‘ which is on learning with developmental disabilities.
- [Hands-on programs give Kentuckiana students a leg up on good jobs](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/winter-2019/hands-on-programs-give-kentuckiana-students-a-leg-up-on-good-jobs/): LOUISVILLE, Ky.—As this city climbed out of the 2008 Great Recession, KentuckianaWorks, its regional workforce-development agency, took a new approach to training employees for local businesses: It started teaching people specific skills and awarding them credentials showing that they were superior candidates for entry-level work.
- [Extras](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2015/extras/): Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program pays tuition for lower-income, higher-performing Indiana residents. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) keeps the American dream alive for undocumented students brought to America as children. MorningStar Solar Home is a 100% renewable energy powered home.
- [Purdue Tech engineering student Uriel Lopez earns while he learns](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2014/purdue-tech-engineering-student-uriel-lopez-earns-while-he-learns/): Web extra video from Focus Magazine. Purdue Tech engineering student Uriel Lopez earns while he learns.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2014/presidents-message/): The success of any college student is always a group project. No one crosses that stage to accept a degree or certificate unless there are people offstage — instructors who inspire, family members who care and cajole, friends who share and support. Role models are crucial, particularly for students who are unfamiliar with the college- going process or face other barriers to postsecondary success.
- [President’s Message](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2025/presidents-message/): When it comes to learning—substantive, deep, lasting learning—there’s no substitute for hands-on experience.
- [CVS / An Rx for Workers’ Success](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/spring-2018/cvs-workers-success/): National drugstore chain CVS Health gives low-income workers a leg up on the career ladder – and fills a pressing need – through an innovative apprenticeship program. The program, now in its 14th year, prepares low-income job seekers for careers as pharmacy technicians. Workers learn while they earn, and their initial jobs often lead to management positions in the company’s nearly 10,000 retail stores. In 2017, CVS employed 4,600 apprenticeship-trained pharmacy techs and managers in 12 states.
- [Fall 2024](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2024/): Four-year colleges are finding new ways to help students succeed. In this Focus, you’ll visit three very different colleges that are transforming the four-year experience to benefit today’s students.
- [At HBCUs, student parents have long been part of the family](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/summer-2022/at-hbcus-student-parents-have-long-been-part-of-the-family/): When it comes to meeting the needs of student parents, the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always been in the forefront—in part because they seek to create a supportive, family-type atmosphere. “Historically, we have had to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers,” explains one well-known expert on the history and culture of HBCUs. “It’s no coincidence. It’s not serendipitous. It’s because we care.”
- [Georgia women’s college sheds the white gloves, grabs diversity with both hands](https://www.luminafoundation.org/focus-magazine/fall-2024/georgia-womens-college-sheds-the-white-gloves-grabs-diversity-with-both-hands/): Agnes Scott College, a private all-women’s institution, blends traditional academics with hands-on learning, career preparation, and leadership development.

## Events
- [2025-10-08—From Campus to Career: Advancing Career-Connected High-Impact Practices](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/from-campus-to-career-advancing-career-connected-high-impact-practices/): What if every student left college with the skills, experiences, and confidence to thrive in today’s workforce? Career-connected High-Impact Practices (HIPs)—such as internships, undergraduate research, study abroad, service learning, and capstone projects—are powerful tools to make that vision real. These experiences not only deepen learning and boost degree completion, but when intentionally aligned with career pathways, they also help ensure all students are prepared for meaningful careers. 
- [2025-09-30—Q&A webinar: Great Admissions Redesign—Eligibility & Requirements](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/qa-webinar-great-admissions-redesign-eligibility-requirements/): Join us for a live podcast Wednesday, September 4, at 1 p.m. EST to hear what we’ve learned in the Great Admissions Redesign work.
- [2025-09-04—Live Podcast: Great Admissions Redesign](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/live-podcast-great-admissions-redesign/): Join us for a live podcast Wednesday, September 4, at 1 p.m. EST to hear what we’ve learned in the Great Admissions Redesign work.
- [2025-07-10-FutureReady States: A project to improve the value of workforce credentials](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2025-07-10-futureready-states-a-project-to-improve-the-value-of-workforce-credentials/): Lumina will announce its new FutureReady States initiative, which supports 12 states in aligning education and workforce systems to identify, improve, and scale credentials of value—helping more adults gain meaningful opportunities in a fast-changing economy.
- [2025-04-22-Insights from The Million Dollar Community College Challenge](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/insights-from-the-million-dollar-community-college-challenge/): Hosted by our partners at StrategyForward Advisors and featuring select winners of the MDCCC to talk about their projects
- [2025-03-11-Meaningful Climate Action is Higher Education’s Responsibility](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/meaningful-climate-action-is-higher-educations-responsibility/): 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.
- [2025-03-11-AI is Unable to Outpace Higher Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/ai-is-unable-to-outpace-higher-education/): This SXSW podcast session explores the interplay between higher education and artificial intelligence, delving into how academic institutions respond to AI's proliferation in the workplace and economy.
- [2025-03-03-A Primary Driver of U.S. Prosperity is Higher Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/a-primary-driver-of-u-s-prosperity-is-higher-education/): Join us to explore higher education’s role in America’s economic and social prosperity.
- [2025-03-07-Reimagining Higher Ed: A Democracy Pillar in Perilous Times](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2025-03-07-reimagining-higher-ed-a-democracy-pillar-in-perilous-times/): In a world increasingly threatened by authoritarianism, inequality, and political divisiveness, higher education's role in safeguarding democracy has never been more critical. This fireside chat conversation will explore how higher education can evolve to address these existential threats. We'll discuss how higher ed can counter negative public narratives, foster equity, and empower citizens to be actively engaged in democratic processes. By reshaping its purpose, higher education can shore up American democracy—driving economic success and a more just and equitable society.
- [2025-03-06-Do Students & Society Still Value Higher Ed?](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2025-03-06-do-students-society-still-value-higher-ed/): SXSW Networking Reception. This session is part of 2025 Crossover Day. Attendance is open to all SXSW EDU registrants as well as all SXSW registrants. As always, SXSW strongly believes in the power of mixing creative communities.
- [2025-03-06-The Higher Ed Headlines that More Americans Need to Read](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/the-higher-ed-headlines-that-more-americans-need-to-read/): This session is part of 2025 Crossover Day. Attendance is open to all SXSW EDU registrants as well as all SXSW registrants. SXSW strongly believes in the power of mixing creative communities.
- [2025-01-30-Building a Stronger Future: Celebrating Progress in Education Attainment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2025-01-30-building-a-stronger-future-celebrating-progress-in-education-attainment/): Lumina Foundation will share the country’s progress toward 60 percent of working-age adults with college degrees and high-quality certificates and industry-recognized certifications.
- [2024-10-08-The Colleges That Can Save America](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2024-10-08-the-colleges-that-can-save-america/): Join New America and the Washington Monthly virtually on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 3-4:30 p.m. ET for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities highlighted in Washington Monthly’s 2024 College Guide and Rankings.
- [The Social Media Institute](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/the-social-media-institute/): Join us for a comprehensive four-part webinar series designed to elevate your social media strategy, connect with potential students, and engage community members effectively.
- [2024-05-07-Unlocking Potential: Enhancing Community College Services for Immigrant and Refugee Students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2024-05-07-unlocking-potential-enhancing-community-college-services-for-immigrant-and-refugee-students/): Join us as we highlight a qualified yet often hidden talent pool in communities across America. Panelists will share insights from recent research on the vital role of community colleges in connecting immigrant and refugee students to credentials and career opportunities while championing workforce inclusion efforts.
- [Stronger Nation 2024 data update webinar](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/stronger-nation-2024-data-update-webinar/): Lumina Foundation will share the country’s progress toward 60 percent of working-age adults with college degrees and high-quality certificates and industry-recognized certifications.
- [2023-10-23-Equitable College Completion](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2023-10-23-equitable-college-completion/): Join Lumina Foundation and Complete College America on October 26 at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT for a virtual discussion, “Equitable College Completion: Discussing Support for Predominantly Black Community Colleges and Historically Black Community Colleges.”
- [2023-9-12-The Great Admissions Redesign Informational Webinar](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2023-9-12-the-great-admissions-redesign-informational-webinar/): Now is the time to fundamentally reimagine admissions, enrollment, and financial aid systems to serve today’s students better. Lumina Foundation is launching the Great Admissions Redesign and 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. Learn more about the Great Admissions Redesign and how to apply at this informational webinar.
- [2023-05-11-Bouncing Back From the Enrollment Plunge](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2023-05-11-bouncing-back-from-the-enrollment-plunge/): College enrollment rates are lower now than before the pandemic, and perhaps even more concerning, undergraduate credential completions fell for the first time in a decade in the 2021-2022 academic year.
- [2023-01-24-New U.S. Data on Education Levels: A Stronger Nation Update](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/new-us-data-on-education-levels-a-stronger-nation-update/): Lumina Foundation will update the country’s progress toward more working-age adults with college degrees and certificates and industry-recognized certifications.
- [2022-09-21-Designing Student-Centered Websites](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-09-21-designing-student-centered-websites/): This workshop will explore a process that helps colleges put students at the center, creates a more meaningful digital experience, optimizes available resources, and delivers measurable results.
- [2022-09-21-Today’s College Climb](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-09-21-todays-college-climb/): You are invited to a reception to unveil the Today’s College Climb Photo Gallery. The exhibition features photo essays on the lives of today’s college students by award-winning documentary photographer Rachel Bujalski. Hosted by Northern Virginia Community College and Lumina Foundation, this unique event will feature a welcome from NOVA President Anne Kress, a brief documentary screening, remarks from Jamie Merisotis, Lumina Foundation president and CEO, and a student panel.
- [2022-10-26-Analyzing and Optimizing Your College Website for Results](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-10-26-analyzing-and-optimizing-your-college-website-for-results/): Creating websites that work better for the actual people we want to reach is critical to expanding access and meeting the mission and vision of your college. No matter your resource level, making data-informed decisions that support your strategic goals and optimize available resources is important. 
- [2022-04-05-Our Nation’s Enrollment Plunge](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-04-05-our-nations-enrollment-plunge/): Citing January’s National Student Clearinghouse data, higher ed enrollment has been on the decline for a while and took a major downturn over the last two years.  Lumina’s aim in hosting this virtual convening is to bring together experts to discuss the decline's long-term implications for individuals, especially for those populations who have been hit the hardest (e.g., Hispanic, Native American, adult, and community college students), as well as for society in general if enrollment and completion do not just bounce back but exceed pre-pandemic numbers.
- [2022-01-27-Human Work and National Security](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-01-27-human-work-and-national-security/): Join leaders and authors Admiral Stavridis and Jamie Merisotis for an engaging discussion on how human work and national security can help create paths that help a lot more people—diverse in every way—to learn, earn and serve others, with the aim of empowering our economy, strengthening our democracy, and advancing equity and justice for every American.
- [2022-02-14-Father James Martin](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-02-14-father-james-martin/): Join Father James Martin, S.J., and Jamie Merisotis at 1 p.m. EST, Monday, Feb. 14, for a virtual discussion on human work, spirituality, and empathy.
- [2022-02-07-State Policy: Student Financial Aid](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-02-07-state-policy-student-financial-aid/): During webinar 2, we’ll learn together from state policy leaders and experts in the field as they share state policy insights and promising practices on student financial aid.
- [2022-03-08-State Policy-Designing for Racial Equity: Inclusive Pathways for Adults](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-03-08-state-policy-designing-for-racial-equity-inclusive-pathways-for-adults/): Join us for our third of three webinars focused on helping states achieve racial justice and equity.
- [2022-01-11-State Policy Student-Centered Funding](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2022-01-11-state-policy-student-centered-funding/): Join us for the first of three webinars focused on helping states achieve racial justice and equity.
- [2021-10-04-HBCU Adult Learner Initiative Kick Off](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2021-10-04-hbcu-adult-learner-initiative/): HBCUs are continuously encountering obstacles that make it difficult for them to build capital, develop organizational capacity, and remain sustainable. Lumina seeks to partner with HBCU’s to address these obstacles through targeted capacity building related to institutional sustainability and student success particularly for working adult students.
- [2021-08-31-UpSkilling Detroit: The Kelly Certification Institute](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2021-08-31-upskilling-detroit-the-kelly-certification-institute/): Employers need a highly skilled workforce, and workers need more skills to grow their careers. The Kelly Certification Institute is meeting this demand by providing education and training to those looking for economic opportunity connected to today's and tomorrow's labor demand. Join us for a conversation about how this program is serving adults in the Detroit region, how it connects to broader movements to improve the region's learning system, and how others might work collaboratively to ensure people have the credentials they need to participate in the workforce and sustain themselves.
- [2021-08-17-Stronger Nation](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2021-08-17-stronger-nation/): Join us for a first look at the new Stronger Nation searchable data tool. Together, we’ll explore where the nation, states, and even counties are in the country’s quest to help more people secure valuable education and training after high school.
- [2020-09-23-Navigating the Work of the Future with LinkedIn and Microsoft](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2020-09-23-navigating-the-work-of-the-future-with-linkedin-and-microsoft/): It’s time to spark a shift in America’s postsecondary education system—to make learning more accessible, equitable, and applicable. Join us for our second virtual Convening—a discussion with Microsoft and LinkedIn on human work, labor market outcomes, credentials, and digital skills needed in a COVID-19 economy.
- [A Discussion on Race, Learning and Culture with the Smithsonian](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/2020-09-10-a-discussion-on-race-learning-and-culture-with-the-smithsonian/): During this time of upheaval, it’s more important than ever to have thoughtful—and thought-provoking—discussions around today’s most critical issues. Join the Smithsonian Latino Center and Lumina Foundation for a virtual roundtable on race, learning, and culture in higher education.
- [2020-10-21-Virtual State Policy Retreat 2020](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/planning-for-a-more-equitable-future/): In this time of upheaval, state leaders face unprecedented social and economic challenges. They must work to spark a shift in our education and talent development systems to ensure they are equitable to all. Join us for our Virtual State Policy Retreat—two days of in-depth talks, breakouts and networking time—where we will take on these issues and more.
- [2021-02-16-How 2020 Changed the Way Americans View Higher Education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/how-2020-changed-the-way-americans-view-higher-education/): Attitudes on America’s colleges & universities have been changing for a long time. But everything we thought we knew before 2020 has changed dramatically, as COVID-19 upended our world and higher ed system this past year. Luckily, several organizations conducted public opinion research mid-pandemic to track students’ & voters’ perceptions of higher ed over the last year, and what shifting attitudes mean for the long-term sustainability of the sector.
- [2020-12-10-Embracing Prior Learning Assessment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/embracing-prior-learning-assessment/): Not all learning takes place in the classroom. Students often gain valuable knowledge and applicable skills on the job, during military service, through certifications, or from life experiences. The Recognition of Learning, also known as Prior learning assessment (PLA) makes it possible for students to earn academic credit for nontraditional learning. Eight out of ten U.S. higher education institutions offer one or more PLA options to students, but it’s still not always easy for students to earn credits for a variety of reasons. Those that are able to earn credits thanks to PLA often finish degrees that they otherwise would not have.
- [2020-10-06-Virtual Book Launch](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/virtual-book-launch/): Join us for a virtual book launch with Lumina Foundation President and CEO Jamie Merisotis as we celebrate the October 6th release of his second book, Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines. Jamie will be joined by thought leaders to discuss his book's key theme—human work as the work of the future. Be sure to follow @LuminaFound and @JamieMerisotis on Twitter for more updates, and use the hashtag #HumanWork to join the conversation!
- [2020-07-01-A Stronger Nation Webinar: Counting Short-Term, Industry Certifications](https://www.luminafoundation.org/events/a-stronger-nation-webinar-counting-short-term-industry-certifications/): Courtney Brown and Jeff Strohl discuss the importance of high-quality industry certifications. This is the first year that our ‘A Stronger Nation’ data tracker measures certifications in postsecondary education attainment, and we’re excited to recognize this critical pathway for skills development and recognition.

## Teams
- [Office of the President](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/office-of-the-president/)
- [Executive Team](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/executive-team/)
- [Bachelor’s Attainment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/bachelors-attainment/)
- [Chief of Staff](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/chief-of-staff/)
- [Communications](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/strategic-communications/)
- [Convenings](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/stakeholder-engagement/)
- [Finance and Investments](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/finance-and-investments/)
- [Grants Management](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/grants/)
- [Impact Investing](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/impact-investing/)
- [Impact and Planning](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/strategic-impact/)
- [Information Technology](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/information-technology/)
- [Innovation and Discovery](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/innovation-and-discovery/)
- [Learning and Work](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/future-of-learning-and-work/)
- [Legal](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/legal-team/)
- [Public Policy](https://www.luminafoundation.org/people/team/public-policy/)

## Authors
- [Amber Garrison Duncan](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/amber-garrison-duncan/)
- [Courtney Brown](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/courtney-brown/)
- [Danette Howard](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/danette-howard/)
- [Debra Humphreys](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/debra-humphreys/)
- [Dewayne Matthews](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/dewayne-matthews/)
- [Haley Glover](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/haley-glover/)
- [Holly Zanville](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/holly-zanville/)
- [Jamie Merisotis](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/jamie-merisotis/)
- [Jesse O'Connell](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/jesse-oconnell/)
- [John Duong](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/john-duong/)
- [John Strauss](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/john-strauss/)
- [Scott Jenkins](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/scott-jenkins/)
- [Susan D. Johnson](https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/author/susan-d-johnson/)

## Focus Topics
- [Adult students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/adult-students/)
- [Black male student success](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/black-male-student-success/)
- [Community partnerships](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/talent-hubs/)
- [Competency-based education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/competency-based-education/)
- [Comprehensive student records](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/comprehensive-student-records/)
- [Earth-friendly careers](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/earth-friendly-careers/)
- [Economical instruction](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/economical-instruction/)
- [Employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/employer-sponsored-tuition-reimbursement/)
- [Fall 2024](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/fall-2024/)
- [Learning assessment](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/learning-assessment/)
- [Mentoring](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/mentoring/)
- [Native American students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/native-american-students/)
- [Non-degree credentials](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/non-degree-credentials/)
- [Prison education](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/prison-education/)
- [Quality assurance](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/quality-assurance/)
- [Rural students](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/rural-students/)
- [Short-term credentials](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/short-term-credentials/)
- [Struggles of Today's Student](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/struggles-of-todays-student/)
- [Student supports](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/student-supports/)
- [Student veterans](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/student-veterans/)
- [Students with Development Disabilities](https://www.luminafoundation.org/sb_focus_topic/students-with-development-disabilities/)