Daily Lumina News 041124

Like many rural Americans, the people living in Hazard, Kentucky, are place-bound, their educational choices constrained by geography as much as by cost. With family and jobs tying them to the region, and no local four-year option, many settle for a two-year degree, or skip college altogether.
Spurred by concerns that low college attainment is holding back this rural southeastern swath of the state, Kentucky is exploring ways to bring baccalaureate degrees to the region.

Dual enrollment has become a major part of the school day in American high schools. National research shows that about 88 percent of high schools offer dual enrollment.
This episode of Future U takes a deep dive into the world of dual enrollment: its rapid growth, potential benefits, and emerging challenges. John Fink of the Community College Research Center joins the conversation to discuss various dual enrollment arrangements, concerns around course quality and rigor, and the implications for high school and college experiences.

President Joe Biden released details this week on his new student loan debt forgiveness plan, which would affect nearly 30 million people and target groups facing hardships repaying their loans.
Biden administration officials say they could begin handing out some of the debt relief—including the cancellation of up to $20,000 in interest—as soon as this fall if the new effort moves forward after the required, months-long comment period.

Every weekday for the past 10 years, Viviana Mitre has driven back and forth from her home in Juárez, Mexico, to the University of Texas at El Paso to work toward her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
While alone in her car each time she makes the crowded border crossing—which can take as long as three hours—Mitre carries with her the dreams of her mother and grandmother. In this video, Mitre shares her story of becoming the first member of her family to graduate from college and how she hopes to guide others on their own journeys.

Even as manufacturing grows in the United States, finding and retaining workers with advanced digital skills remains a concern, according to a report from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute.
The industry could need as many as 3.8 million additional workers between now and 2033, notes the report, which calls on employers to invest in worker training now or see a labor shortage get bigger.

Baton Rouge Community College and ExxonMobil are joining forces to bring training and employment opportunities to North Baton Rouge residents.
The North Baton Rouge Industrial Training Initiative provides fast-tracked, no-cost workforce training in high-demand areas to qualifying participants. The collaboration, which began in 2011, lifts two barriers many residents face: time and money.