Daily Lumina News 042624

A decision to leave Howard University after a mental health crisis in the middle of his freshman year caused Durmerrick Ross to encounter major barriers to continuing his education. Now he’s on a mission to help others in the same situation.
His crusade comes at a time when youth mental health issues are at an all-time high, with college students coming to campus counseling centers with higher rates of trauma and reporting increased social anxiety. Meanwhile, colleges are trying to meet the moment with new mental health and wellness initiatives, virtual therapy, and beefed-up counseling center staffs.

Rural communities are often overlooked, facing limited resources and systemic barriers to success in education and work.
The Education Design Lab aims to help address the needs of rural learners with the launch of the Rural College Design and Data Academy. As part of the project, 13 rural higher ed institutions across 11 states will work together to reimagine postsecondary education and the workforce landscape.

At a time when higher education leaders are facing relentless criticism over their handling of free speech and political protests, 10 universities, all large and public, are tying their museum exhibitions into the 2024 elections and the broader issue of extreme political polarization in the United States.
The exhibitions, which focus on racial justice, the climate crisis, democracy, and other timely issues, aim to get students more engaged and to explore differences and disagree in ways that are sustainable and civil. Access to the participating museums, all on college campuses, is free.

Next month, schools in New York—including Columbia and New York University—are set to welcome thousands of students, their families, and faculty for graduation ceremonies.
But as they prepare, another reality is looming: a specter of disruption from student-led protests on those campuses and others across the country.

Studying the data, intentional collaboration, and asking students what they need are keys to improving outcomes.
That's the consensus of college leaders, access experts, and others who joined the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute for Higher Education Policy to share insight and personal stories on raising the bar for advising and student support, as well as getting students to and through college.

There are more than 15 million working Texans right now, but while the state boasts steady growth and record high levels for jobs and the labor force, there are always unknowns on the horizon.
What will the jobs of the future look like in Texas? Will oil and gas continue to dominate? And what education and training will these new jobs require? College counselors weigh in.