Daily Lumina News 111622

For a half century, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been portrayed as deficient. Things are changing. Today, HBCUs are touted as engines of economic mobility, a refuge for Black students, and the apex of Black culture.
Many HBCU leaders are now openly questioning how long the media blitz will last, if they can adequately exploit the moment, and if the uptick in attention will turn into enough philanthropic and political support to meet their growing needs.

Many community college students face an array of challenges on their path to and through higher education, from juggling family and jobs to financial issues.
A new City Colleges of Chicago-One Million Degrees partnership aims to help by automatically enrolling thousands of students into the OMD program, giving them access to coaching, mentoring, and financial assistance. Project leaders envision the initiative as a national model for scaling student support.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court Justices asked, among other things, about college-application essays in a case that could end race-conscious college admissions. If the court’s ruling (which is expected next summer) forbids consideration of an applicant’s race, what would that mean in the context of an essay dealing with the author’s race?
Students, an admissions official, and essay experts offer their thoughts.

Safe walking paths, study spaces, nearby horse trails, and a garden are just a few of the amenities available at the John Irwin House, housing for previously incarcerated students attending California State University, Fullerton.
This kind of housing option is rare for students with an incarceration experience. But thanks to Project Rebound, Jimmie Conner has been able to call the John Irwin House home for nearly three years as he works toward his bachelor’s degrees in sociology and business.

Today's higher education system is data rich, but information poor. Many students and families are missing key information when trying to choose which college to attend and policymakers lack the data necessary to provide insight into a complete picture of higher education outcomes when making decisions about student supports and funding.
In this video, Janiel Santos of the Institute for Higher Education Policy shares why better postsecondary information matters.

A new report provides a roadmap for community college leaders seeking to re-enroll adult learners who earned academic credits but left college without a degree or credential.
The report, from InsideTrack, also includes tips for tailoring marketing materials to adult learners, such as highlighting other credentials offered beyond degrees and emphasizing the connection between education and economic mobility, among other strategies.