Articles of Interest

Welcome to our archive of news and studies! At the Guarini Institute, we do our best to stay informed on what's happening in higher & international education, the job market, and economic mobility, and we'd like to share what we've found based on weekly searches.

June 2022

Economic Mobility

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New Report Shows College Degree Continues to Provide Better Employment Prospects and Higher Income

The latest report from the  on the status of education in the United States shows that individuals with a college degree continue to enjoy both better employment prospects and greater annual earnings than those with lesser levels of education.

How to Make Higher Education the Engine of Opportunity, Mobility and Racial Justice

In 1953, while the Supreme Court was considering the school desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan., Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson, who opposed overturning the court’s 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal†doctrine, died of a heart attack. Quipped Justice Felix Frankfurter, this was the first evidence he had seen to prove the existence of God.

Recent College Graduates Are Expressing Buyer’s Remorse

Many recent college graduates report feeling confused and lacking confidence about the value of their education and readiness for their careers. That’s one of the main takeaways from , a survey of 1,000 graduates who completed a degree or non-degree program in the last 12 months.

Often Overlooked In Rankings, Hispanic-Serving Colleges Embrace A New Metric For Success

Which schools deserve to top lists of the best colleges in the U.S.? That depends on what you mean by “best.â€

Gainful Employment Change Could Harm For-Profits

New study shows that twice the number of for-profit colleges could fail under potential changes to gainful employment by the Biden administration than would have under the old rules.
Economics Needs More Socioeconomic Diversity

It is well known that the field of economics has a race and gender problem, with treasury secretary (and former Fed chair) , Fed chair , and former Fed chair  among the many senior figures advocating for change.

Hispanic-serving universities provide most economic mobility, report says

A number of colleges and universities whose student populations are at least a quarter Hispanic have been the most successful in providing students with economic mobility, according to a from the Third Way, a Washington-based think tank. 

 

Economic Mobility

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The Upward Mobility Problem

Most Americans earn less than their parents did. Can community colleges bridge the gap?

A Clearer Path Back to College May Yield More Degrees

Too many obstacles block students who left college from returning to get degrees they were close to earning, according to a new report on an initiative to get those students over the finish line.

Hispanic Federation and Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo Announce New Partnership to Advance Digital Equity Among Latino Communities Nationwide

The  (HF), in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo, announced the launch of the Latino Digital Equity Centers Initiative to strengthen workforce development and digital training programs in the Latino community. This will help increase digital equity for thousands of Latinos, who make up 14% of the workforce yet represent 35% of workers with no digital skills.

Stop asking how to pay for free college and account for the unjust, wasteful spending of not doing so

The United States can afford to make college free. It can’t afford not to.

Many Americans believe higher education is an engine of social mobility, especially for Black and Latino people. Researchers, policy advocates, and elected officials often wrongly assert that “college is the â€ or those with a bachelor’s degree will earn  more in their lifetime than someone with just a high-school diploma. 

Tech Trends: N.J. investors react to news that state had excellent year for venture funding

By now, most members of the Â鶹´«Ã½ tech ecosystem have heard the phenomenal news that Â鶹´«Ã½ ranked in the Top 10 in the nation for venture capital invested in 2021.

Latest Numbers Show College Student Transfers Continuing Steep Decline

The number of college students who transferred in spring 2022, dropped 6.9% compared to the prior year, according to the latest  report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC). 

How the Cost of College Hurts Students and Institutions

The cost of higher education, and confusion around the financial aid system, is proving to be both a burden to students and to institutions, according to Dr. Phillip Levine in his new book, .

College Still Matters, Now More Than Ever

A three-word phrase has recently entered into America’s discourse: “college doesn’t matter.†This is anathema to many Americans who grew up in the mid to late 20th century, but it has increasingly gained attention. Why? 

Higher Ed Is at a Turning Point

Hundreds of thousands of students have either dropped out of college or turned away from pursuing a college degree. The reasons are endless — the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the lure of today’s job market, family members having to take a step back and care for parents or children, and a lack of affordable childcare for non-traditional students.

New Education Policy Roadmap Aims to Ensure High School Graduates in Every State are ‘Future-Ready’

Parents and educators agree that a key goal of K-12 education is to ensure that students are “future-readyâ€â€”with the knowledge, skills, and drive to navigate their careers and lives.

The $6 trillion in wealth created by the housing boom will help homeowners send their kids to college, launch businesses, and grow their wealth even more

If you own a home in the US right now, chances are your net worth has gone up in the last two years — and you could tap your equity to access some extra cash.

The Morgan Stanley Equity in Education and Career Consortium Launches Multi-Year Program Supporting Community College Students from Underserved Communities in Partnership with College Possible and CUNY ASAP

The Morgan Stanley Institute for Inclusion’s (IFI) Equity in Education and Career Consortium, focused on supporting high school and college students in achieving stronger career and financial outcomes, today announced the launch of a multi-year program in partnership with the Morgan Stanley Foundation to support Community College students from low- to moderate-income communities with an investment of $5.5 million to College Possible and CUNY ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs). 

NJDOL Announces $7 Million in Apprenticeship Grants

To support the creation and expansion of apprenticeships throughout the state, the Â鶹´«Ã½ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) yesterday announced a total of $7 million in available funding under the Growing Apprenticeship In Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS), Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE), and Youth Transitions to Work (YTTW) grant programs. 

 

Economic Mobility

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American Student Assistance Announces Intention to Invest Up To $125 Million to Increase Access to Career Readiness Learning Opportunities for Today's Youth

American Student Assistance® (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way middle and high schoolers learn about careers and navigate education-to-career opportunities, announced today its intention to invest up to $125 million over the next four years in mission-aligned funds and private companies.
What can more financial support do for higher ed? Raise completion, for one. The percentages of college completion are often difficult for those in the sector to discuss, but higher education leaders made them crystal clear during a recent webinar hosted by  (TICAS) and the  (SHEEO).

How The 'Great Rethink' in the Business of Education is Creating a More Competitive Workforce

The pandemic caused leaders across industries to reevaluate standard processes, procedures, and expectations—and many of them were found to be ineffective in our “new normalâ€. After all, work, education, and even our personal lives look different now than they did before. 
NJ's High-Tech Hubs

Garden State cities are lightning rods for innovation, maintaining the state’s history of being on the cutting edge of technology.

Encina Lender Finance Provides $105MM Senior Credit Facility to Stride Funding

 announced its partnership with  (ELF) and other top-tier credit funds to increase financial support for students pursuing high-impact boot camp and certificate programs across the US. The $105 million senior credit facility will enable Stride to fund thousands more students pursuing alternative education in high-growth technology and trade fields.

Governor Murphy and Treasurer Muoio Announce Launch of NJ FinLit - a Free Financial Wellness Platform - to Help Â鶹´«Ã½ Residents Rebuild from the Pandemic, Plan for the Future

As part of National Financial Literacy Month, Governor Phil Murphy announced during  event today that the Â鶹´«Ã½ Department of the Treasury has launched , a free financial wellness platform for all adult state residents, this afternoon.

CSIT to Open Two Voucher Programs to Help Accelerate R&D Statewide

The  today announced plans to open applications for the newly-created Catalyst Research & Development (R&D) Voucher Pilot Program and Round 2 of the state’s Clean Tech R&D Voucher Program. 

NJEDA Approves Creation of NJ Innovation Evergreen Fund

The Â鶹´«Ã½ Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board today approved the creation of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Innovation Evergreen Fund (NJIEF), a new tool to increase access to strategic resources and venture capital in the state.

Google’s $15.49 Billion Economic Impact on NJ

Google released its 2021 Economic Impact Report for Â鶹´«Ã½, revealing that it helped provide $15.49 billion of economic activity in 2021 to tens of thousands of Â鶹´«Ã½ businesses, publishers, nonprofits, creators, and developers who used Google products to increase their online presence and connect with the people and communities they serve.

Are college degrees keeping Black talent on the sidelines? A new nonprofit says yes.

For HBCU students who are lower-income or the first in their families to go to college, closer relationships with corporate recruiters and mentors also could help offset the advantage long enjoyed by wealthier counterparts who can network their way to jobs.
Collaboration Announced for NJ’s First Offshore Wind Cable Manufacturing Facility Rise Light & Power (Rise) and Delaware River Partners LLC (DRP) announced a historic partnership to position Â鶹´«Ã½ as a leading manufacturing hub in the growing offshore wind industry.
MakerUSA Launches to Build Pathways Into Maker Careers and Entrepreneurship MakerUSA, a new organization incubated within the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), launched today in conjunction with NACCE’s annual make/SHIFT conference.
First-generation college students face unique challenges Â鶹´«Ã½ 40% of UC-Santa Barbara students represent the first generation in their family to attend college—something my university is proud of. Often, first-generation students come from low-income backgrounds, but are they really all that different from other students who grew up in poverty but are not the first in their families to attend college?
What stops students from finishing college? Surprise—it’s high cost and high stress Most people see the value of college, but the high cost of tuition makes college inaccessible for many, including people with household incomes greater than $240,000, according to a new study by Gallup and Lumina. 
How Higher Ed Institutions Are Meeting the Demand for Student Devices Proactively addressing student device and connectivity needs can boost enrollment and inspire success in college and beyond.
While Biden wavers on loan forgiveness, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. students say they don’t think they’ll ever pay off their debt While President Biden  without taking decisive action on debt forgiveness, many college students are losing hope he’ll ever follow through with his campaign promises.
Funding opportunities for undergraduate entrepreneurship Congressman Vicente Gonzalez announced that the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), within the U.S. Department of Commerce, created a program designed to support entrepreneurship for undergraduate students who are enrolled in eligible minority-serving institutions of higher education.
NASA Launches Plans to Support Minority-Serving Institutions The National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently launched an  with steps to offer more resources and opportunities to faculty members and students at minority-serving institutions.

International Education

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Ellis raises $5.6M to pave the way for international students

Almost anyone who has moved to a new country knows that setting up the basics, like a bank account, are the hardest tasks to do. That’s why  was created for international students planning to study in the U.S.

High STEM grad retention in US, research shows

Over the past five years, approximately 77% of international STEM doctoral graduates from American universities had remained in the US post-graduation, research has found.

Economic Mobility

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Will adding a social and economic mobility metric to Carnegie Classifications drive colleges' behavior?

At its annual meeting, the American Council on Education articulates a vision to enable broader recognition for institutions.

The profound costs of global learning loss, and what can be done about it

Since the start of the pandemic, educators and scholars have been ringing the alarm about  and the long-term effects it will have on students and society at large. But as we contemplate this issue — one so colossal that it is difficult to fully grasp — many of us are probably not considering the education that’s been lost worldwide, and what that has to do with us.
Is a college degree still worth the price tag? A college degree costs substantial time and money. There is strong evidence, however, that college is well worth the investment.
Nonprofit provides skills to tackle youth unemployment As a result of school closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of young people have become disengaged from education at potentially high costs for their futures. 
Interstride Study Shows International Students See ‘Value Gap’ in U.S. Higher Education International students wholeheartedly recommend studying in the United States but are more skeptical that an American education will pay off in their careers, according to a recent survey.
Student Voices: John Rice, Centering Racial Equity in Leadership Positions America’s current system is broken. Only 1% of Fortune 500 company CEOs are African American. Only 2.5% and 3.4% are South / East Asian and Latinx, respectively. The organizations, public and private, are seldom run by individuals who look like me and my peers of color.

The Reality and Potential of Certifications to Support Workforce and Economic Mobility: New Report Series Reveals How Versatile Certifications Can Be

A new series of reports co-published by Workcred, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, and the George Washington Institute of Public Policy serve as a resource to help policymakers, practitioners, employers, and funders better understand the characteristics of certifications—and their potential as tools—to help people enter the labor market, obtain a career goal, or reskill for a new career.

Biotech Firm Gilead Plans Expansion in NJ

Global biotechnology company Gilead Sciences, Inc., which purchased Morris Plains-based Immunomedics for $21 billion at the end of 2020, plans to create a corporate hub in Northern Â鶹´«Ã½. 

CSM Cabinet Conversations: The Purpose of The Community College in A Changing Academic Landscape

In 1901 the nation’s first two-year college, Joliet Junior College, was established through a shared vision to create a path to higher education for all citizens, which differentiated it from the more elitist patriarchal institutions designed for the upper-class only.

Educational Results Partnership Proposes New Architecture to Improve Post-pandemic Educational and Economic Productivity

Educational Results Partnership (ERP), a non-profit leader in intersegmental collaboration and data science, has convened a diverse group of national thought leaders to begin developing a new architecture for educational and economic productivity in the United States. 

Citi Foundation Announces $50 Million Community Finance Innovation Fund to Support the Growth of Community Development Financial Institutions Across the U.S.

The Citi Foundation (the "Foundation") today announced the launch of a new $50 million Request for Ideas (RFI) to support the next level of growth for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) across the United States. 

 

The Promises and Perils of New Technologies to Improve Education and Employment Opportunities

Digital technologies are rapidly developing and transforming the way individuals work, learn, and participate in civic life.

Making Higher Ed More Accountable for Student Job Outcomes

Many colleges claim to help students find good jobs—but Texas State Technical College takes that to a new level.

The multi-campus community college has a unique mission and funding structure. It’s not designed to help students study the liberal arts or transfer to four-year universities; instead, it prepares people to work as power linemen and dental hygienists.

Early College is delivering; let’s build on it

As he advocated for public K-12 education in the 19th century, Horace Mann called it “the great equalizer.†Unfortunately, today, that’s no longer true. But a 21st-century educational innovation, Early College, can help equalize opportunity, and it’s time for a similarly broad public commitment. 

NJEDA Partners with Four NJ Universities to Advance State’s Offshore Wind Learning And Research Efforts

The  announced plans to provide a total of more than $1 million to Rutgers University, Rowan University, Montclair State University, and Â鶹´«Ã½ Institute of Technology (NJIT) to advance academic research and investment in offshore wind workforce training.