Daily Lumina News 040921

Podcasts have been helping high school senior Maggie Borgen cope with stress during the pandemic. So she decided to make her own, sharing her advice and reflections on the student experience. One big theme of Borgen's Second Semester Seniors podcast: the "new" college search process.
EdSurge connected with Borgen, asking her about the unexpected realities for students applying to colleges in the pandemic, what seems different this year, and how schools can help students cope.

Last week, the Biden Administration put forth the American Jobs Plan, a pro-worker proposal aimed at helping America build back better from the pandemic. The proposal calls for significant investments in 21st century industries like clean energy and advanced manufacturing plus billions of dollars for initiatives to help Black communities and communities of color.
With about 10 million Americans out of work—more than 40 percent of them for more than six months—these investments are crucial for unleashing the country’s economic potential and putting workers on more solid footing.

So, what are you? Can I touch your hair? You should smile more. You’re not like other Black people. You’re so articulate.
It’s the build-up of slight, everyday microaggressions like these that take a heavy emotional—and physical—toll on people of color and women, says Dr. Teysha Bowser, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. That’s why Bowser is on a mission to ensure her students, many of whom will become future counselors, understand just how much such comments can damage a person’s mental health.

Students could soon face a new prerequisite to attend college: a COVID-19 vaccination. At least 10 colleges have announced plans requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester, with the University of Notre Dame joining the list earlier this week.
In some states, colleges may find themselves constrained by state lawmakers. That's already happening in Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order Monday prohibiting public or private entities that receive public funding from denying service or entry to a “consumer” due to COVID-19 vaccination status.