Photo: Shawn Spence

Ted Kermes, 32, found his niche in solar energy—and a good job at MN Solar near Minneapolis—by a roundabout route. After earning an associate degree in film and a bachelor’s in history, he worked in customer service and as a substitute teacher before finding his career path.

More students are discovering the potential benefits of green degrees or certifications—and with good reason. These programs represent some of the fastest-growing and financially rewarding occupations in the country.

Photo: Erik Petersen

For more than 33 million people living in education deserts, college-going can be a challenging and difficult experience. In addition to long commutes, homesickness, and culture shock, many rural students arrive to college underprepared in key subjects like math and science.

That’s why these students need a little extra help both adjusting to and staying in school. It's also why they need someone like Julie Pettitt-Booth who understands what they’re going through as they adapt to college and the big city for the first time.

Illustration: The Chronicle

College presidents across the country are taking fierce criticism for their untimely—or complete lack of—responses to the violence in Israel and Gaza. 

George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia, about 20 miles outside Washington, D.C., is one of the most diverse colleges in the state. Almost a quarter of its students come from impoverished families. This makes its responses to national and global issues even more crucial, say college leaders there.