Hundreds of thousands of students who graduated from high school last spring veered off the path to higher education, diverted by the pandemic. Now, high schools and colleges are trying to set them back on track.

Identifying and contacting those former students, and selling them on the benefits of going to college, can be a daunting task: Some moved, lost access to their high-school email networks, or got full-time jobs and don’t want to give up their income. And the longer they are away from formal education, counselors warn, the harder it could be to bring them into the fold.

Colorado is poised to enact legislation that will allow four-year institutions to offer associate degrees to students who have dropped out despite making significant progress toward a bachelor’s degree. 

The initiative, a switch-up on the growing number of community colleges offering four-year degrees, is part of wider efforts to support students and workers who were dealt a blow by the pandemic. Advocates also hope the move will encourage students to re-enroll and complete their bachelor’s programs.

The demographics of America are profoundly changing, including significant shifts in higher education. One university is at the forefront of efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for students of all racial and ethnic identities and walks of life.

In this interview, Freeman Hrabowski and Katharine Cole of The University of Maryland, Baltimore County discuss their work to build equity and diversity in higher ed—particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.