Daily Lumina News 102921

For years, Marisol Garcia was known as inmate number 341916. Garcia spent more than 15 years of her life either in prison, on parole/probation, or under community supervision after making an impulsive decision that spun her through the cycle of mass incarceration.
Today, Garcia is known as Trinity College student, Class of 2022. In this op-ed, she writes about the power of prison education programs to provide second chances for incarcerated men and women.

Food insecurity among college students has become a pressing issue on campuses everywhere. Research shows that more than half of all students—52 percent—used off-campus food banks during the pandemic, and 30 percent used them once a month or more.
Now, Swipe Out Hunger and the College and University Food Bank Alliance are joining forces to help.

Is getting a degree in the arts a good idea? Are universities taking advantage of students by offering programs in lower-paying fields such as film, journalism, and social work?
This episode of The Key explores the wisdom of pursuing degrees in these and other fields, whether economic outcomes are the best way to judge the value of such programs, and the prospects for driving down program costs.

Many college-access advocates describe the CSS Profile—the online financial aid form that students must complete to apply for institutional aid at many prominent colleges—as a barrier for students who tend to need the most help with the admissions process and who have great financial need.
Recently, Lafayette College announced that it would be doing something entirely different with the Profile. The school's president, Nicole Hurd, explains in this interview.

Across the country, community colleges are experiencing dramatic enrollment losses. But the numbers don’t tell the full story.
In some states like Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia, colleges are seeing success with state-subsidized programs focused on career-oriented credentials.

The college admissions process has always seemed opaque and confusing for many students and families. The pandemic only further complicated the issue, especially after many colleges and universities stopped requiring the SAT or ACT for admission.
Students are now wondering what qualifies as the most important aspect of the application process: essays, extracurricular activities, grades, or their backgrounds? Several experts offer their thoughts.