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Last month, Amazon announced a plan to spend $1.2 billion by 2025 to expand its employee education and training offerings. The move means more than 750,000 operations employees will be eligible for fully funded college tuition, including cost of classes, books, and fees.
On this podcast, Amazon’s Ardine Williams discusses the company’s new investments, as well as its relationship with colleges and universities.

In March, 50-year-old Thomas Urioste was released from federal prison after serving nearly 10 years. Like many former prisoners, getting a fresh start would not be easy. Then, U.S. Rubber Recycling, strapped for workers, gave him a chance.
As companies across the nation struggle to fill open positions, many employers are turning to the approximately 20 million Americans who have past felony convictions. Some experts believe this could create a lasting impact.

Big changes are coming to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The overhaul is intended to fulfill a “largely unmet” promise to wipe away the student debt of teachers, military service members, and others working in the public sector.
Most of the reforms are temporary, but they’ll still help hundreds of thousands of borrowers chart a renewed path toward loan forgiveness.

The Biden administration has released a 200-plus-page proposed rule to try to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The effort has been subject to legal challenges for nearly the entirety of its decade-long existence.
In this interview, Alison Kim and Amy Marcalle of Swarthmore College describe what it means to live and study as an undocumented college student.

Congress is still debating the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package, which includes a tuition-free community college plan called America’s College Promise (ACP).
While the plan could be a game-changer in federal-state partnerships in higher education—one estimated to help millions of historically underserved students if all states participate—some experts and advocates warn it might not go far enough.

The fall college-tour season is here once again. And for many prospective students—especially those who are first-generation and unable to travel—that means scouring institutions’ websites and social media to find the right fit. It also means taking virtual tours.
First-generation students weigh in on what they like and dislike about existing virtual tools. Their answers reveal a need for more human interactions, real-time Q&A opportunities, insights into the surrounding community, virtual sessions spotlighting clubs, and translation services.