Today's Students, Tomorrow's Talent

States across the country are re-examining higher education laws, policies, and regulations to better serve the needs of Today's Students .  Scott Jenkins , Lumina Foundation's strategy director for state policy, talks about Lumina's state policy agenda , the flaws with current state funding for higher education, and how he and his colleagues are supporting policymakers around the country.  Commis...

Join us as we wrap up the major higher ed news from 2021 with Danielle Douglas-Gabriel of the Washington Post, Elissa Nadworny of NPR, and Katherine Wheatle of Lumina Foundation.  Together, we talk about the important and sometimes strange stories inside higher education, and consider themes to watch for in 2022. 

Lumina's Fall 2021 issue of Focus Magazine, titled Native Excellence , relied on an experienced team of Native American journalists and photographers.  Suzette Brewer and Hondo Louis join us to talk about their process, reporting during the pandemic, and about the importance of Native American representation in journalism.

Nearly 1 in 4 college students today have children or care for dependents. Colleges and universities are often not set up to support parenting students. Nicole Lynn Lewis of Generation Hope, and Buffy Tanner and Janet Hubbard of Shasta College join us to talk about what is being done to support parenting students.  To learn more about student parents, check out the following resources: Who are Tod...

Short-term credential programs are rapidly expanding around the country, and the trend is likely to continue through new federal and state investments in workforce development. Yet concerns about racial and gender inequity, and concerns about program and credential quality surround this growing postsecondary option. We talk with experts, policymakers, and practitioners on today's show to understan...

Stark differences by race and ethnicity in student borrowing trends are well known, but real progress depends on setting up a different conversation. Dr. Amanda Tachine and Amanda Martinez offer insights on how we can better understand the experiences of Native and Latino student loan borrowers. Co-host Dr. Katherine Wheatle dives deep into truths v. tropes of borrowers of color. Learn more by vis...

Innovation is a buzz word we can't get away from.  But with so much "innovation" happening in higher education, how do we know what is truly unique and impactful?  Professor Youngbok Hong, journalist Paul Fain, and president Dr. David Wilson share their ideas on how institutions can use what they have to make what they need. [00:01:54] Professor Youngbok Hong [00:25:15] Paul Fain [00:47:57] Dr Dav...

We talk to president and CEO of Lumina Foundation Jamie Merisotis about his new book Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines. Archived from Inquiring Minds podcast

"I think it's fantastic that we are seeing equity creep into conversations about what higher education policy should look like. But, I'm really concerned that I'm already seeing it creep on out," Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Jesse O'Connell, and Amanda DeLaRosa offer their optimism and concerns about higher education in 2021.

The GI Bill provides education, housing and other supports to veterans, but not everyone benefits equally.  On this Veterans Day show we talk with veterans, historians, and advocates focused on improving education opportunities for those who have served. Hear from Joe and Joey Cyrus, a father and son duo that served in the US military and used their benefits to earn higher education while balancin...

Authors Jeff Selingo, Melissa Korn, and Jennifer Levitz join Dakota and expert commentator Andre Phillips in a discussion about what's working, what's broken, and what's illegal in college admissions. This episode aired live on August 18, 2020.

To understand the impact of COVID-19 on communities across the nation, we talk with three guests responsible for responding to student needs and preparing for recovery.  Guests include: Cathy Longstreet, a high school counselor from Hastings, Mich.; Chancellor Juan Salgado who leads the City Colleges of Chicago; and Dr. Harrison Keller, the Commissioner for Higher Education in Texas.

Education in the United States uses time as a measurement for learning. My guests talk about changing this paradigm to value knowledge, skills, and abilities over how long it takes to learn. Dr. Charla Long of the Competency-Based Education Network , Natalie Schwartz of Education Dive, and Dr. Zainab Okolo of Lumina Foundation discuss the current state of competency-based education.

37 million adults in the United States have some college credit but have yet to earn a degree.  The first step in re-engaging these adults is to listen and learn from them. On today's show, I am joined by Johnathan Williams and Charletta Thomas, two people who returned to school to complete their degree.

College affordability, education for justice-impacted populations, the continued growth of mega-universities and the closure of small institutions are some of the issues likely to dominate education policy and generate headlines in 2020.  Jesse O'Connell, strategy director for federal policy at Lumina Foundation, shares his six higher ed predictions for 2020.  

For over half a century, the SAT has been used by colleges and universities in admissions decisions. A lawsuit filed in December 2019 against the University of California system challenges this long held practice, calling the use of SAT scores in admission decisions illegal, discriminatory, and unconstitutional. On today's show, we are joined by Elissa Nadworny , reporter and editor for NPR's Educ...

Chambers of commerce can be a champion in education and business, and a growing subset of the roughly 4,000 chambers across the United States are doing just that.  Today we talk with David Rattray of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Paola Santana at Lumina Foundation about the growing movement of chamber-led education initiatives.  On segment two of the show, our recurring guest Jesse O'Con...

Three new reports highlight what's going well and what we need to fix to meet tomorrow's education and workforce needs.  Joe Parilla from the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program discusses how economic development organizations can catalyze education and workforce training programs around the country.  Julie Ajinkya and Leanne Davis from the Institute for Higher Education Policy share...

Service members leave the military with substantial training and education, but very little of that knowledge and experience counts in higher education.  Our guests today include Navy veterans who shared their experiences and advice in navigating higher education, and leaders of organizations focused on improving outcomes for service members and veterans across the country.  Guests: Lauren Runco,...

Marc Morial, President and CEO of the  National Urban League , believes that community-based education providers are critical to America's success.  Morial shares his thoughts on how greater attention and investment in community-based programs can address structural racism and produce the talent America needs.  Also joining this episode is  Dr. Jasmine Haywood , who shares lessons from the field o...

Lumina Foundation's President and CEO Jamie Merisotis returns from sabbatical with fresh ideas and reflections about America's future.  We talk about what he learned while abroad, what climate change can teach us about talent development, and whether we are talking about the right issues in the 2020 election.

Pop culture permeates our lives—whether it's music blaring from car windows, billboards we see or watching Netflix in the evening. Professors can use the information their students are exposed to as a way to meet students where they are and make learning relevant. I'm joined by  Dr. Katherine Wheatle , Lumina's strategy officer for finance and federal policy, and  Bridget Yuhas , director of stude...

On the job training is a billion-dollar industry, yet many employer-based training programs fail to deliver results.  This episode features employers that have designed effective programs that serve the individual, the company, and society.  We begin with Jon Kaplan , former Chief Learning Officer of Discover Financial, who describes national trends of employer supported learning.    Rob Lauber ,...

37 percent of today's college students are 25 or older.  Nearly two thirds of college students work. Half of today's students are on their own financially with many supporting family members and children of their own. Helping today's students requires a different kind of college experience then what we see in movies; one that supports more than academic needs.  We feature two successful programs w...

In this second part of our series, we explore college closures from the perspective of those in the industry.  Laura De Veau  talks about her recent  blog  and experience closing Mt. Ida college.  Jamienne Studley, president of  WSCUC , discusses her role as an accreditor and how their role must shift to better support their members. And  Brad Kelsheimer , Vice President and CFO of Lumina Foundati...