Faculty and Administration: Inspiration for Higher Education

building wall focused on the word university

Administration and faculty members at institutions of higher education work with today’s students day in and day out. They are on the front lines working to provide students with high-quality education programs and see first-hand the needs of today’s students. Insights & Outlooks spoke with administration and faculty members about their inspiration for working directly…

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Champions Network: Inspiration for Higher Education

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Drawing on diverse personal backgrounds, views, and work experiences, Higher Learning Advocates’ Champions Network members are united in advancing solutions to better serve today’s students. They bring to bear cutting-edge policy ideas and hands-on solutions to the discourse around national higher education policy and improving student outcomes. This month, Insights & Outlooks is highlighting the…

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Policy Experts: Inspiration for Higher Education

Many have made it their mission to advocate for today’s students and propose policies that will better serve their needs. These policy experts and policymakers dedicate their careers to today’s students by leading research centers, working with higher education organizations, and advocating in front of Congress on students’ behalf. Insights & Outlooks spoke with a…

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Members of Congress: Inspiration for Higher Education

Congress building blue sky background

Members of Congress represent thousands of constituents and introduce legislation to better serve them, including today’s students. Many of today’s students are parenting, working full-time or part-time, and financially independent and require updated legislation that speaks directly to their needs. This month, a few Members shared their inspiration for higher education with Insights & Outlooks,…

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Today’s Students: Inspiration for Higher Education

Today’s students are more diverse across multiple areas than any previous generation of college students. Students represent various ages, income levels, and races. They’re more mobile and may not live on campus. Most participate in the workforce, either full-time or part-time. Work and family responsibilities beyond the classroom—whether that is on-campus or online—often compete with…

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Using a Latino Lens to Reimagine Financial Aid

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Financial aid has not kept pace to serve today’s students. Historically, the majority of financial aid recipients had a similar profile. Today, financial aid recipients are significantly more diverse. The profile of today’s college students continues to evolve, and at Excelencia in Education, we are focused on a significant part of this evolving student profile—Latinos.…

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Reforming Federal Work Study to Support Today’s Students

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Legislative action around the Higher Education Act is heating up. Senator Alexander has dropped a pared down version of HEA and the House just introduced their HEA reauthorization bill. As Congress considers reauthorization of the law that governs all student aid programs, they should consider reforming Federal Work Study (FWS), a program failing to live…

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Student Voice: The Pell Grant Gave Me a Second Chance

silhouette of man gazing out the window

I was sitting on the edge of my cot surrounded by thick concrete and rusted paint-chipped bars that kept me caged in like an exotic pet. My cell was the size of a parking spot. If I stretched out my limbs, each would extend to the corners of my confined living quarters. I could barely…

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From the State House to the Beltway: Truth Talk about State Financial Aid

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The federal role in financial aid policy tends to dominate the conversation around reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). However, rethinking financial aid cannot occur without the participation of one of the primary providers of student financial aid: states. Despite the major role that states can play in the financial aid system, they can…

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Students Need New Models for Higher Education—and Aid Policies to Match

two people using a laptop

Three out of four college students today have at least one “non-traditional” characteristic. They didn’t enroll in college immediately after high school. They’re working adults and aren’t living with mom and dad. In fact, a quarter are parents themselves. Yet our higher education systems are built for an 18-year-old attending full-time. This is especially true…

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