Daily Lumina News 051822

Despite being a highly educated state, Colorado has large gaps in which Coloradans hold a degree. The gaps are greatest for students of color and those from rural communities.
The tiny town of Fowler, Colorado, is bucking that trend.

Studies show that students from low-income communities are three times less likely to earn a postsecondary degree.
The OneGoal-Chicago program is working to close this degree divide through holistic interventions and supports that help more students from Chicago Public Schools get to and through college. A new report documents the program's success.

Recruiting faculty members of color is a challenge that many colleges have been trying to solve for years. But some campuses are grappling with a new question: Once those individuals are hired, how do you get them to stay?
The Advance program at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor has come up with some answers.

Representatives from the aviation and aerospace industry recently made their case with lawmakers on how apprenticeships developed in partnership with community colleges could help to replenish the aviation and aerospace workforce pipeline and build diverse next-generation talent.

COVID-19 forced college leaders to adapt quickly when it first disrupted in-person education. Virtual teaching rapidly became a necessity, with 44.7 percent of students enrolled entirely online in 2020, compared to 17 percent in 2019.
Now, traditional in-person colleges face decisions about returning to the pre-pandemic status quo or incorporating more digital-first methods going forward.

Challenges on the path to higher education exist in every community, but they are often far greater in rural areas. These communities are typically poorer, underserved, and have lower college completion rates compared to urban areas.
The president of Southwestern Community College explains what his school is doing to improve access, student success, and equity for rural residents.