For high school students, this year has been anything but normal. Many have taken their classes remotely or in hybrid configurations, leaving some students unengaged and unmotivated. 

Potential learning loss from this past year has been at the center of debates around schools reopening across the country. But for higher education, the question is more narrow: Will students enter college less academically prepared than previous semesters? And if so, what can institutions do to help?

Workforce automation has ramped up dramatically because of COVID-19. By 2030, 17 million U.S. workers will need to transition occupations in the post-COVID economy, according to projections by the McKinsey Global Institute. The disruption will disproportionately affect younger, less educated, and lower-wage workers from communities of color.

To ensure a more equitable future of work, Tania LaViolet of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program says higher education leaders must intensify efforts to improve bachelor’s degree attainment for community college students.

This May, the University of South Florida will hold its 2021 commencement ceremonies at Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team plays. Graduates will be recognized in groups as large as 2,000 and spread out among the stadium’s 43,000 seats.

Smaller commencement ceremonies, socially distanced seating, and even drive-through gatherings are among the ways that colleges are modifying graduation events this spring to meet students’ desire for a traditional celebration while managing public-health risks. It's also a chance for institutions to test their capacity for larger gatherings in anticipation of a return to in-person courses this summer or fall.