Daily Lumina News 043024

Nolan Cook and Will Shafer have a lot in common. They both grew up in Weston, Missouri, a rural town with a population of just under 1,800 people. They’re both 18 years old and about to graduate from high school. And they've both been shaped by living and working on farms and by families who value education and set them up for success.
Yet these two classmates, who’ve known each other since they were young boys, are heading in two very different directions after graduation—both in terms of where they’re going to college and the reasons why.

Aneesh Sohoni, CEO of One Million Degrees, leads an organization committed to boosting college completion rates and accelerating community college students' economic mobility.
Sohoni's own journey from classroom educator to transformative leader underscores his dedication to unlocking every student’s potential. In this interview, he shares his perspective on effective strategies for fostering equitable opportunities for all learners and how policymakers can continue to invest in college completion.

Rosanna Jackson, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, knows firsthand the stigma of childhood trauma and the consequences of not talking about one's pain.
Ultimately, that silence can be lethal, Jackson says. Now an adult who has dedicated her life to helping her tribal members be more resilient, Jackson is leading the effort to create the nation’s first suicide helpline staffed by and designed for Native youth.

Pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses across the country have upended the lives of many students. Some are jumping into protests for the first time, while others are watching on the margins as bucolic campuses transform into ideological battlegrounds.
Here are the stories of six students in the middle of a spring of upheaval.

When the U.S. Department of Education announced last summer that federal Pell Grants would become available to incarcerated college students, lawmakers and state corrections agencies scrambled to adjust statutes and step up potential partnerships with universities.
But nearly a year later, colleges and agencies are recognizing the steep administrative challenge of winning approval from the U.S. Department of Education. So far, just one new program eligible for the federal financial aid grant—in California—has gotten off the ground.

Since 2015, California has invested more than $3 billion to expand career and technical education in high schools, making it a leader nationwide. That money has translated to state-of-the-art robotics labs, welding shops, film studios, and other career-preparation programs intended to spur the economy and offer students more options for their futures.
More students are taking advantage of these opportunities. Enrollment in career pathways rose from 18 percent of all students six years ago to 23 percent last year. Native American, homeless, and low-income students have the highest rates among student groups.