Daily Lumina News 020922

A new national grant competition from Lumina Foundation aims to help community colleges engage their communities in creative and targeted ways that encourage more adults to earn a credential.
Up to 10 colleges will receive technical assistance to support brand building and strategic marketing efforts. And one institution will receive $1 million to amplify its message for today's learners. For more information, click here.

Students walk to and from classes with books in hand. Some stand around the yard, discussing philosophical concepts from their latest assigned readings.
The scene looks similar to that on any campus quad—except these students are gathered in a prison yard, and the college is located in San Quentin State Prison.

The U.S. Department of Education released updates this week to its College Scorecard, making the tool more useful for students and families weighing college options.
In addition to providing increased visibility into workforce outcomes, the updates shine a spotlight on colleges that are closing gaps in completion rates among students of color compared with white students.

Paying for college is one of the biggest financial decisions students and families will ever make. But the complexities of that decision can often leave many people with more questions than answers.
Ron Lieber, New York Times financial columnist and author, joins this episode of Future U for a discussion on college costs, value, and how colleges can better answer the question: Are they worth it?

Holly Rodriguez, a single mother of two, is reckoning with her decisions from two decades ago. She's now getting a divorce. She's also in default on her student loans—and the two issues are more related than it may seem.
A short-lived program in the early 2000s allowed married couples to consolidate their student loans for a lower interest rate. The problem comes when trying to separate loans in the case of divorce or domestic violence. The program has no way to disentangle the debts.

Rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion (born Megan Pete) is no stranger to accolades. Her rise to stardom includes a 2021 Best New Artist Grammy.
These days, the Houston native can claim another achievement: college graduate. Now, the rapper’s journey to earn her health administration degree at Texas Southern University has new and returning students looking into her alma mater.