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Having just arrived to Wisconsin a couple months ago, I’ve already seen first-hand some of the activities that have brought so much national attention to the state. Here’s another example. A program which allows the children of illegal immigrants to pay in state tuition at University of Wisconsin colleges will end July 1st. 

Please pass the DreamAct.

CNN-Money shares a simple but telling graphic regarding the increase cost of a college education and median income. According to the article  “…if incomes had kept up with surging college costs, the typical American would be earning $77,000 a year. But in reality, it’s nowhere near that.” 

This is particularly disheartening for low-income students – they’re literally getting priced out of college. I understand the rising costs are caused by numerous factors including budget cuts, infrastructure, salaries, etc. However, for whatever the reasons, the fewer people have access to higher education the more our workforce will suffer.  

The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) just unveiled an excellent resource aimed at helping parents and families prepare for college. The intuitive visual media content is meant to help Spanish speaking parents navigate the overly complex college system – from beginning to end.

Bravo NCFL!

The New York Times has an excellent piece regarding the emergence of multi-racial students. 

…the number of applicants who identify themselves as multiracial has mushroomed, adding another layer of anxiety, soul- (and family-tree-) searching and even gamesmanship to the process.  The new options have forced colleges to confront thorny questions, including how to account for various racial mixes in seeking diversity on campus…

While focused on colleges, the article is also relevant to businesses, non-profits, or anyone interested in knowing what the future workforce will resemble. Organizations will gain from some awareness of how the needs of multiracial individuals might be distinct from those who self-identify as a “single race.” This type of awareness can help leaders to change organizational cultures and to help them in serving an increasing population of people.

Just came across this fantastic program aimed at supporting Latino men through the educational pipeline. Project MALES aims to create and cultivate a support network for Latino male students at UT-Austin, within local school districts, and throughout the surrounding community.

While all Latinos need support, it is especially true of young Latino men who are showing a widening educational gap as compared Latinas’ educational progress. Kudos to the research team at UT Austin for establishing this great program in cooperation with Austin schools and the surrounding community.

Check them out when you have a chance.

Ouch. Ronald Brownstein describes the situation for the class of 2011. Money quote:

Students now finishing their schooling—the class of 2011—are confronting a youth unemployment rate above 17 percent. The problem is compounding itself as those collecting high school or college degrees jostle for jobs with recent graduates still lacking steady work. “The biggest problem they face is, they are still competing with the class of 2010, 2009, and 2008…”

Obtaining a doctorate was something I never dreamed of growing up. Neither was attending college for that matter. As many other Latinos, my goals were limited by my perceptions and social environment so education was not high on my list – work was. It wasn’t shared directly, but the consensus from those that knew was – I wasn’t “college material.”

It took many years to overcome that perception, and ironically, it’s a perception that impacted me in other areas during my career . It wasn’t until I obtained my doctorate a couple of years ago that I was SHOCKED to discover the microscopic number of Latinos who have earned a Ph.D or Doctorate. I realize I was not alone in carrying these perceptions, that I wasn’t good enough, and it’s the same perceptions many young Latinos still carry today.  

As I review the graph below (via NewsTaco and Villescas Research), it does make me realize the significance of being part of a small number of Latinos with this title. And while I’m proud of my educational accomplishment, it’s also a bitter-sweet reminder of the uphill road we as a community still have to climb.

Let’s change those perceptions for all Latinos – anything is possible.

A couple of reports that provide some insight about perceptions and realities in regards to Latinos and other U.S. demographic groups. The first report is from Ninth Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll which examined Americans’ views of economic opportunity in a time of demographic transformation.  A lot of juicy tidbits that reflect distinct demographic perspectives in the United States. According to Allstate news which help sponsor the poll:

The results also show that Americans of all backgrounds believe that economic divides between rich and poor are the most significant contributor to disagreements on important issues – a greater wedge than ethnic, racial, or cultural divides.

Cue the reality report! Indeed, when it comes to providing opportunity to an affordable education, low-income students still face a significant challenge. According to a report by the Education Trust, the vast majority of colleges and universities are still, at least financially, out of the reach for those that need it the most:

Nationwide, nearly 1,200 four-year colleges and universities have comparable data on what low-income students pay for college. Of these, only five institutions demonstrate success in three key areas:

 • They enroll a proportion of low-income students that is at least as high as the national average.   • They ask these students to pay a portion of their family income no greater than what the average middle-income student pays for a bachelor’s degree.  • They offer all students at least a 1-in-2 chance at graduation.

It is noteworthy that none of the highly profitable, for profit college companies, well-endowed public flagships, or private nonprofits appears among this list of five. Moreover, many of the public flagships and private non-profit institutions that do manage to keep costs relatively low for students of modest means enroll far too few of these students. The data in this study show that, increasingly, financial aid policy choices—at the national, state and institution levels—benefit affluent students more than those exhibiting the greatest financial need.

Sara Goldstein has fast become one of my favorite bloggers when it comes to educational reform and minorities. She “gets it” in her latest piece regarding internships for credit:

There are loads of problems with the majority of current internship-for-credit schemes. First, they are largely confined to four-year colleges and universities, and so exclude the neediest young Americans, those who don’t proceed beyond high school or community college. Second, colleges often require classroom hours in addition to on-the-job time in order for a student to earn credit for an internship, which makes it difficult for the student to work a paying job simultaneously, further limiting access for less-affluent kids.

A lot of talk over the last few weeks regarding the value of a college education. Here’s one graphic that’s been knocked around and interpretted differently by several bloggers and articles.