Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
Starting this academic year, graduate students will face new federal borrowing limits, driving some to private lenders and leaving others without a way to finance their education. But several bipartisan lawmakers and policy experts believe they have a solution to this funding gap: outcomes-based financing. Now, they’re looking to pass a bill that would make it possible.
In this interview, Ethan Pollack, senior director at Jobs for the Future, discusses how these loans work, why they matter now, and how they might address today’s challenges while preparing students and colleges across the country for the years ahead.
In its latest push to overhaul federal research funding, the Trump administration recently stated its intention to divert research grants away from universities and toward “individual researchers.” The 123-page report, “Science: A New Golden Age,” crystallizes President Trump's vision for the American scientific enterprise, breaking away from the decades-old university research system in favor of private companies, independent projects, and artificial intelligence-driven research.
Many researchers, however, are more than skeptical that the shift would accelerate scientific discovery. They’re also unconvinced that the White House’s vision for science aligns with the realities and needs of American researchers.
Community colleges are serving students with increasingly diverse needs. Many students balance jobs, caregiving responsibilities, financial pressures, and educational goals that rarely follow a traditional path. They are also navigating commuter lifestyles, technology gaps, challenges with basic needs, and educational systems that can feel fragmented and difficult to access.
At the same time, many campus libraries still reflect an earlier model built around physical collections and quiet study. As student expectations evolve, institutions have an opportunity to rethink what a library can be, says Marko Blagojevic of HMC Architects in this perspective piece.
Over 325 leaders from more than 50 Historically Black Colleges and Universities recently convened in Maryland for the 16th annual HBCU Philanthropy Symposium, hosted by Delaware State University.
The symposium’s tone was forward-looking, with a message that HBCUs cannot control every disruption around them. It also underscored HBCUs' vital role in higher education and emphasized collaboration, shared strategies, and collective advocacy for future sustainability.
When people think about college admissions, they often picture a high school senior staring at a college application, wondering what comes next. Maybe they're imagining the future they want, comparing colleges, or debating whether to hit "submit." For many high school students, one question sits at the center of that experience: Will I get in?
Meanwhile, adult learners considering higher education are likely to arrive with a different set of experiences—and a different question: How do I go?
The leader of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System says he plans to entice more young Louisianians to pursue workforce training by opening a charter school that allows high school students to attain credentials alongside their diploma.
Richard Nelson took office in January after previously working as Louisiana’s revenue secretary and a state representative. In this Q&A, Nelson discusses his top priorities—including a focus on high-value credentials, apprenticeships, targeted programs and support services for adult learners, and additional education and training to help the state's incarcerated population.
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