Prior to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, little focus was put on promising practices to support military and veteran students in their pursuit of higher education. With the passage of this comprehensive benefit in 2009, administrators at colleges and universities throughout the country began the mad dash of trying to find ways to best support…

Insights & Outlooks: As a first-generation high school and college graduate, what comes to mind when you think about the idea of putting students first? Michele Siqueiros: My mother comes to mind—she was always my higher education champion. She did not have the opportunity to attend college, but she encouraged my success early on. Though&hell...

Kernels of wisdom from some of Michale McComis’ favorite 1980s movies From the Karate Kid’s lessons on persistence to Ferris Bueller’s cautionary tale about student choices and the Princess Bride’s rollicking tale of love and rebellion, the 1980’s represent a marquee period of movie classics. Many offer axioms that can offer surprisingly ...

Millions of our nation’s students have accumulated significant college credit but have no credential to recognize their hard work. Roughly 4 million of these students are considered near-completers, meaning they have completed at least two years of coursework—often enough to earn an associate’s degree—and in many cases are just a few credit...

When I was eight years old, I became a ward of the court, joining 600,000 other children in the foster care system. Over the next few years, I lived in several foster homes and attended six different schools. Fortunately, I was a good student and I graduated knowing I wanted to go to college. But…

Can a simplified repayment process strengthen student financial outcomes? The problems around college affordability and student debt in the U.S. are well-documented: federal student loan debt is approaching $1.5 trillion, and about 1 of every 5 American adults have student loan debt. Many of today’s students do reach the milestone of earning thei...

It’s been almost nine months since Complete College America launched our newest Game Changer, A Better Deal for Returning Adults. In that time, I’ve had the opportunity to deliver the “Better Deal Stump Speech” dozens of times. In each presentation, I frame the issue by talking about workforce needs, postsecondary attainment goals and the i...

The world of higher education and workforce is changing. But is federal policy keeping up? Across the country policymakers, practitioners and employers are working together toward the 21st-century system of higher learning today’s students deserve. Their expertise, knowledge, and insights are critical to informing federal policy changes. That’s...