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June 18, 2025

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How NSF Funding Helps My College Educate for the Present and Future of Work

Daniel Phelan, New America

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In today’s economy, the pace of technological change is relentless, and the demand for a skilled, adaptable workforce has never been greater. For community colleges like Jackson College in Michigan, the challenge, and the opportunity, is clear: to educate and prepare students not just for the jobs of today, but for the careers of tomorrow, especially in light of a national focus on reshoring manufacturing, technology, and other industries.

 

The National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program plays a vital role in helping to meet this challenge.

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To Protest Budget Cuts, Young Scientists Try Letters to the Editor

Jacey Fortin, The New York Times

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As a scientist, Erin Morrow’s focus is cerebral—literally. She studies the brain, investigating the interplay of memory and stress.

 

Morrow, 24, from Powder Springs, Georgia, is one of hundreds of people who wrote to their hometown newspapers as part of a national campaign spearheaded this spring by graduate students and scientists who are just starting their careers. They're writing to defend their research, as the Trump administration drastically reduces science funding.

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Rokita First State AG to Threaten Private Colleges Over DEI, Echoing Trump With Harvard

Cate Charron, Indianapolis Star

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Over the past month, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has sent letters to the University of Notre Dame, Butler University, and DePauw University questioning the legality of their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and floating a potential legal challenge.

 

Rokita is the first state attorney general in the country to publicly threaten legal challenges using a university's nonprofit status over differences on "culture war" issues—following the lead of President Donald Trump's feud with Harvard University.

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Research Program Puts Freshmen in the Field, Literally

Steve Giegerich, Focus Magazine

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First-year Adams State University student Natrielle Shorty, clad in a pair of hip-length rubber waders, swayed in the rapids of North Crestone Creek, fighting to keep her balance—and her dignity.

 

It is an initiation of sorts, but don’t be mistaken. Adams State doesn’t toss its freshmen into the water as a hazing ritual. It’s all part of the curriculum. Call it immersive learning.

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Poll: Strong Majority of Americans View International Students as Beneficial to US

Walter Hudson, Diverse Issues in Higher Education

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Nearly three-quarters of American voters believe international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities benefit the country, according to a new poll that highlights enduring public support for educational exchange amid heightened immigration enforcement.

 

The survey found that 74 percent of respondents view foreign students as "a good thing" for America, while only 17 percent consider their presence detrimental. The findings emerge as the Trump administration intensifies its scrutiny of international students, particularly those from China, and as universities grapple with visa restrictions affecting their diverse campus communities.

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The Handwriting Revolution

Johanna Alonso, Inside Higher Ed

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In Melissa Ryckman’s world history survey, an introductory class that consists mostly of non-history majors, she asks her students to complete a brief 100-word assignment every Friday based on what they learned over the previous week. The questions are not based on rote memorization but rather ask students to think critically about the material, exploring, for example, whether they would rather be hunter-gatherers or farmers.

 

It’s an attempt to get students both to engage with the lessons and to avoid ChatGPT.

HUMAN WORK AND LEARNING

Non-Degree Credentials Are Booming—But Do They Work?

Mark Schneider and Matt Sigelman, American Enterprise Institute

Understanding Persistence in Adult Undergraduates: The Power of Motivation and Satisfaction

Naima Wells, The EvoLLLution

EQUITY IN EDUCATION

Can This Myanmar Student Still Realize U.S. College Dreams Under a Trump Travel Ban?

Mansee Khurana, NPR

Education Leaders Discuss the Future of Tribal Education

Kaeden Lincoln, Idaho Education News

Trump Administration Attempts to Rush Changes to Civil Rights Regs

Johanna Alonso, Inside Higher Ed

Opinion: The Hidden Bias in College Admissions Tests: How Standardized Exams Can Favor Privilege Over Potential

Zarrina Talan Azizova, Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, and Jeongeun Kim, The Conversation

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

Brace Yourself: This Is Exactly How Much You Should Have Saved for Your Kid’s College by the Time They’re 5, 13 and 18

Venessa Wong, MarketWatch

Missouri Lawmakers Create Pathway for Free Career-Tech Education

Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent

South Carolina More Than Doubles College Scholarships for National Guard Members

Jessica Holdman, South Carolina Daily Gazette

Status of Texas’ In-State Tuition Leaves El Paso Colleges, Students off Balance

Daniel Perez, El Paso Matters

STATE POLICY

IU Professors: Line in State Budget Bill May Widen Gap Between Administration and Faculty

Andrew Miller, The Herald-Times

Louisiana Provides $7.5 Million for Research to Replace Federal Government Losses

Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator

If Any Higher Education Merger Happens in Sarasota, USF Wants to Take the Lead

Kerry Sheridan, WUSF

Schools Can’t Find Teachers. Do States Need More Credential Rules or Fewer?

Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge

NEW REPORTS AND EVENTS

Student Mental Health on College Campuses

The Steve Fund

Virtual Forum: How to Set the Right AI Rules for the Campus

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Webinar: The Trouble Between Trump and the States on Education Policy

Brennan Center for Justice

luminafoundation.org
Daily Lumina News is edited by Patricia Brennan.

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