Tag: college

Personalizing Network Events for College Student by Strengths

One of the challenges for students entering the workforce is identifying how their experiences in and outside the classroom have prepared them for careers. A 2023 survey by Cengage found that one-third of recent graduates felt underqualified for entry-level roles, and only 41 percent believed their program taught them the skills needed for their first job.

Focused career development opportunities that address unique learner populations, such as working or neurodiverse students, can help bridge the gap between lived experiences and their application to the world of jobs.

Inside Higher Ed compiled various initiatives that increase career readiness for specific student populations.

Neurodiverse Learners

Beacon College in Leesburg, Fla., primarily serves students with learning disabilities, including ADHD and dyslexia. Last year the college established a career fair designed for these learners, which introduces them to employers looking to develop a neurodiverse talent workforce.

Survey Says

Just under half of college students believe their college or university should focus more on helping students find internships and job possibilities, according to a May 2024 Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab.

This spring’s event, Internship Careers and Neurodiversity (ICAN), featured two dozen national and local employers. Success coaches were on site to support students and employers as they engaged with one another, and students could visit the Zen Den if they needed a quiet and private space to process.

ICAN “is designed to remove barriers and reduce anxiety often associated with large-scale ‘convention center’ type events, so Beacon College can empower neurodivergent college students and help increase their participation in networking events elsewhere,” according to an April press release.

Student Athletes

Student athletes have packed schedules while they’re in season, making it difficult to balance athletics, coursework and extracurricular activities, which can sometimes push career development opportunities to the background.

To help student athletes build their confidence in professional settings, Kennesaw State University created a “networking scrimmage” with employers so learners could practice introducing themselves, relay their academic and athletic accomplishments, and discuss career interests in a low-stakes environment, according to a university press release.

Students also heard from three former student athletes who shared their stories of transitioning from sports into the workforce, as well as advice on how to navigate postcollege life.

Adult Learners

In 2023, the University of Phoenix created a digital tool that allows working adult learners to identify skills and goals that will guide them on their career journey.

Students can access Career Navigator through the student portal. The tool allows them to build out demonstrated and self-attested skills and explore job features, including daily tasks and salary range, as well as identify skill gaps they may have when pursuing their desired career.

Student Veterans

After leaving military service, many veterans enroll in college to build career skills and gain further education, but connecting their military experience to civilian life can be a challenge.

The University of Colorado, Denver, provides a one-year cohort program for student veterans, Boots to Suits, to aid their journey, providing personalized academic and career-development resources. Program participants receive job search strategies and career coaching, as well as advice on networking and building their LinkedIn profile and résumé.

Major Programs

While general career fairs and networking opportunities can give students visibility into employers or roles they may not otherwise have considered, tailored events can connect students of a particular discipline to employers looking for their expertise.

Staff at Villanova University identified a problem at their career fairs: The number of employers looking for early-career civil engineers far overshadowed the number of students interested in such jobs. In response, staff created a new event specifically for civil engineering students, allowing employers to connect with potential interns earlier in their college career while also ensuring that students who were interested in other fields were able to engage with organizations that better fit their career goals.

The University of Maryland hosts a Visual Arts Reverse Career and Internship Fair, a flipped model of the career fair in which employers visit a student’s table or booth to engage with their portfolio of work. This allows students to display graphic design, video production and immersive media skills in an engaging way that better reflects their learning and accomplishments.

Do you have a career-focused intervention that might help others promote student success? Tell us about it.

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May 20, 2025
Chat Bot Passes College Engineering Class With Minimal Effort

Since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, instructors have worried about how students might circumvent learning by utilizing the chat bot to complete homework and other assignments. Over the years, the large language model has enabled AI to expand its database and its ability to answer more complex questions, but can it replace a student’s efforts entirely?

Graduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s college of engineering integrated a large language model into an undergraduate aerospace engineering course to evaluate its performance compared to the average student’s work.

The researchers, Gokul Puthumanaillam and Melkior Ornik, found that ChatGPT earned a passing grade in the course without much prompt engineering, but the chat bot didn’t demonstrate understanding or comprehension of high-level concepts. Their work illustrating its capabilities and limitations was published on the open-access platform arXiv, operated by Cornell Tech.

The background: LLMs can tackle a variety of tasks, including creative writing and technical analysis, prompting concerns over students’ academic integrity in higher education.

A significant number of students admit to using generative artificial intelligence to complete their course assignments (and professors admit to using generative AI to give feedback, create course materials and grade academic work). According to a 2024 survey from Wiley, most students say it’s become easier to cheat, thanks to AI.

Researchers sought to understand how a student investing minimal effort would perform in a course by offloading work to ChatGPT.

The evaluated class, Aerospace Control Systems, which was offered in fall 2024, is a required junior-level course for aerospace engineering students. During the term, students submit approximately 115 deliverables, including homework problems, two midterm exams and three programming projects.

“The course structure emphasizes progressive complexity in both theoretical understanding and practical application,” the research authors wrote in their paper.

They copied and pasted questions or uploaded screenshots of questions into a free version of the chat bot without additional guidance, mimicking a student who is investing minimal time in their coursework.

The results: At the end of the term, ChatGPT achieved a B grade (82.2 percent), slightly below the class average of 85 percent. But it didn’t excel at all assignment types.

On practice problems, the LLM earned a 90.4 percent average (compared to the class average of 91.4 percent), performing the best on multiple-choice questions. ChatGPT received a higher exam average (89.7 percent) compared to the class (84.8 percent), but it faltered much more on the written sections than on the autograded components.

ChatGPT demonstrated its worst performance in programming projects. While it had sound mathematical reasoning to theoretical questions, the model’s explanation was rigid and template-like, not adapting to the specific nuances of the problem, researchers wrote. It also created inefficient or overly complex solutions to programming, lacking “the optimization and robustness of considerations that characterize high-quality student submissions,” according to the article.

The findings demonstrate that AI is capable of passing a rigorous undergraduate course, but that LLM systems can only accomplish pattern recognition rather than deep understanding. The results also indicated to researchers that well-designed coursework can evaluate students’ capabilities in engineering.

So what? Based on their findings, researchers recommend faculty members integrate project work and open-ended design challenges to evaluate students’ understanding and technical capabilities, particularly in synthesizing information and making practical judgements.

In the same vein, they suggested that faculty should design questions that evaluate human expertise by requiring students to explain their rationale or justify their response, rather than just arrive at the correct answer.

ChatGPT was also unable to grasp system integration, robustness and optimization over basic implementation, so focusing on these requirements would provide better evaluation metrics.

Researchers also noted that because ChatGPT is capable of answering practice problems, instruction should focus less on routine technical work and more on higher-level engineering concepts and problem-solving skills. “The challenge ahead lies not in preventing AI use, but in developing educational approaches that leverage these tools while continuing to cultivate genuine engineering expertise,” researchers wrote.

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May 19, 2025
Steps Toward Creating a More Accessible and Inclusive College Classroom – Faculty Focus
Preparing the next generation of graduates in a 21st-century, diverse, and international classroom requires a pedagogical shift to recalibrate one’s practice. A faculty vision of inclusive pedagogy informed by equity and social justice transcends bias and makes diversity functional and beneficial to all students. Creating a classroom in the service of social justice (The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, 2008) requires a profound understanding of the impact of human diversity on teaching and learning (Cushner et al., 2024). Enacting equity pedagogy as an essential component of multicultural education (Banks & Banks, 1995) requires instructors to become change agents. It is important to understand inclusive pedagogies as practices where we discern the nuance between general multicultural education or culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive practices that specifically address the ability/disability continuum and the health dimension. In this article, we will examine ability/disability as a characteristic of human diversity in education as illustrated by Cushner et al. (2024) in their diversity framework. Approaches to creating an inclusive classroom are presented.

Start here…
- Adopt an asset-based approach for all students.
- Recognize that disability is often defined by the environment in which an individual exists.
- Ensure you are not making ableist statements that reinforce stereotypes (ex: “turn a blind eye,” “fall on deaf ears;” using phobia to mean discrimination, ie “transphobia”).
- Avoid negative descriptions of disability (ex: “suffers from a condition,” “confined/bound to a wheelchair”).
- Use person-first language rather than deficit-first language (ex: “student with a learning disability,” not “learning disabled student”), unless an individual discloses that they prefer to use identity-first language (for example: some individuals on the autism spectrum may prefer to call themselves “autistic” rather than “a person with autism”; someone may identify as part of the Deaf community). Refer to people how they refer to themselves.
- Realize that impact matters, regardless of intention.
- Assume that students are capable and possess knowledge and skills.
- Support colleagues with disabilities.
- Tell a colleague that you are committing to the work of becoming a more inclusive educator. When they ask what this means, share these suggestions!
Beginning
- Add literature/resources from neurodivergent, disabled, and diverse authors to assigned course readings and class activities.
- Replace and/or supplement outdated readings.
- Provide electronic files of reading, resources, presentations, and other materials.
- Provide multiple sources and access points for assignment requirements and expectations (written descriptions, presentations, instructional videos, examples, rubrics).
- Be open and welcome student questions.
- Understand that all behavior is a function or indicative of something else; ask if students need support rather than punish them.
- Update course syllabi to include statements from the campus disability/accommodations resource office, a statement on academic diversity, religious observant policies, and campus mental health resources.
- Create community guidelines for discussions that include intention and impact/anti-bias language.
- Immediately address ableist/biased remarks in the classroom through discussion.
- Update course syllabi to include a statement of classroom environment that encourages regard for others and respects free speech while not tolerating hate speech.
- When presenting a visual/image, also provide a description of the image (alt text).
- Provide Closed Captioning on posted videos (lectures, resources, etc.).
- Incorporate the impact of and perspectives of groups of diverse abilities in policies of the past and present.
- Encourage students (and ourselves as faculty) to analyze research and articles to ensure they represent the perspectives of marginalized groups; follow up with questioning why and providing additional resources to promote self-advocacy.
- Revise course syllabi to include Student Learning Objectives, Essential Questions, and Course Descriptions related to self-reflection/advocacy/inclusion/preparing students to be agents of change.
- Examine course syllabi to make sure policies (late work, absence, participation grades, etc.) do not indirectly or directly target students with disabilities OR demonstrate bias toward neurotypical students (for example: a “cameras on” video policy in an online course may disproportionately punish students who require accommodations or have diverse learning needs; deductions for late work may punish students who need flexibility due to medical or mental health needs; requiring students to disclose personal details in order to receive extensions or incompletes disrespects students’ privacy of health and disability needs)
- Be willing to adjust your expectations through flexibility.
- Re-examine assignments and assessments for bias and exclusionary practices.
- Consider changing assessments from high-stakes timed tests to projects, homework, open-note/open-book take-home tests.
- Ask a colleague to audit your syllabi for readings/topics/policies as listed here.
- Collaborate with colleagues in accessibility services to better understand and integrate the services and supports available.
- Discuss the need to broaden participation and opportunities for people with disabilities in your department/college.
- Examine courses to make sure provided resources are organized and labeled clearly.
Advanced, all the previous steps plus…
- Advocate for (or lead!) professional development opportunities on inclusion.
- Participate in on- and off-campus events that promote disability acceptance and inclusive practices.
- Inform students of community opportunities they can take part in promoting disability acceptance or inclusive practices.
- Model examination/reflection on your own privilege (if neurotypical and able-bodied) or experience as a person with(out) a disability.
- Consider multimodal access to course participation (for example, HyFlex courses have in-person, video and asynchronous options for all students).
- Ask a colleague to informally observe your teaching and provide constructive feedback on your work of being an inclusive teacher.
- Invite guest speakers with disabilities to speak with your students about their experiences.
- Collaborate with an ADA coordinator to educate students and colleagues about accessibility on your campus.
- Collaborate with administrators and faculty who may be working toward DEI or inclusion initiatives on your campus.
- Seek input from resources such as the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and Think College for postsecondary education program guidance for individuals with disabilities.
We believe that the responsibility of anti-oppressive work in higher education belongs to all and that making education accessible for individuals with disabilities advances freedom for all groups of people. These universally designed teaching practices, while necessary to increase access for individuals with disabilities, are beneficial for all individuals, regardless of identity status. Thank you for your work towards broadening access to higher education!

Laura N. Sarchet is an autistic self-advocate and Assistant Professor of Special Education at Niagara University who uses her experience as a neurodivergent person to raise awareness about autism and disability through research and practice.

Haoua M. Hamza is an associate professor in the Middle and Adolescence Education Department in the College of Education.

Rachel Bailey Jones, Professor of Education at Nazareth University, focuses their research and teaching on working for educational justice for LGBTQ+ students through an intersectional lens.

Jennifer E. Hartman is an Instructor-ABD in the Special Education Department at Niagara University.

Dennis P. Garland, Ph. D. is Associate Professor and Chair of the Special Education Department at Niagara University.

Maria R. Nader is passionate about providing equitable education for all students and supporting educators to achieve this goal. She serves as a Faculty Fellow in the Special Education Department at Niagara University and has held teaching and administrative roles at the local, state, and university levels in New York, Ohio, and Hawai’i.

References

Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (2004). Handbook of research on multicultural education. 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass.

Coughlin, M. (2021). 10 things faculty need to understand about autism. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/10/20/lessons-teaching-students-autism-spectrum-opinion

Cushner, K., McClelland, A., Safford P., & Cushner, H. (2024). Human diversity in education. McGraw Hill.

The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. (2008). Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. New York State Education Department.

Sarchet, L. N. (2021). Faculty and staff: Training and outreach. University of Rochester Office of Disability Resources, adapted with permissions. https://www.rochester.edu/college/disability/assets/pdf/more-accessible-classroom.pdf

Waitoller, F. R., & King Thorius, K. A. (2016). Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability. Harvard Educational Review, 86(3), 366–389. https://doi.org/10.17763/1943-5045-86.3.366
Source link
May 19, 2025
Steps Toward Creating a More Accessible and Inclusive College Classroom – Faculty Focus
Preparing the next generation of graduates in a 21st-century, diverse, and international classroom requires a pedagogical shift to recalibrate one’s practice. A faculty vision of inclusive pedagogy informed by equity and social justice transcends bias and makes diversity functional and beneficial to all students. Creating a classroom in the service of social justice (The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, 2008) requires a profound understanding of the impact of human diversity on teaching and learning (Cushner et al., 2024). Enacting equity pedagogy as an essential component of multicultural education (Banks & Banks, 1995) requires instructors to become change agents. It is important to understand inclusive pedagogies as practices where we discern the nuance between general multicultural education or culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive practices that specifically address the ability/disability continuum and the health dimension. In this article, we will examine ability/disability as a characteristic of human diversity in education as illustrated by Cushner et al. (2024) in their diversity framework. Approaches to creating an inclusive classroom are presented.

Start here…
- Adopt an asset-based approach for all students.
- Recognize that disability is often defined by the environment in which an individual exists.
- Ensure you are not making ableist statements that reinforce stereotypes (ex: “turn a blind eye,” “fall on deaf ears;” using phobia to mean discrimination, ie “transphobia”).
- Avoid negative descriptions of disability (ex: “suffers from a condition,” “confined/bound to a wheelchair”).
- Use person-first language rather than deficit-first language (ex: “student with a learning disability,” not “learning disabled student”), unless an individual discloses that they prefer to use identity-first language (for example: some individuals on the autism spectrum may prefer to call themselves “autistic” rather than “a person with autism”; someone may identify as part of the Deaf community). Refer to people how they refer to themselves.
- Realize that impact matters, regardless of intention.
- Assume that students are capable and possess knowledge and skills.
- Support colleagues with disabilities.
- Tell a colleague that you are committing to the work of becoming a more inclusive educator. When they ask what this means, share these suggestions!
Beginning
- Add literature/resources from neurodivergent, disabled, and diverse authors to assigned course readings and class activities.
- Replace and/or supplement outdated readings.
- Provide electronic files of reading, resources, presentations, and other materials.
- Provide multiple sources and access points for assignment requirements and expectations (written descriptions, presentations, instructional videos, examples, rubrics).
- Be open and welcome student questions.
- Understand that all behavior is a function or indicative of something else; ask if students need support rather than punish them.
- Update course syllabi to include statements from the campus disability/accommodations resource office, a statement on academic diversity, religious observant policies, and campus mental health resources.
- Create community guidelines for discussions that include intention and impact/anti-bias language.
- Immediately address ableist/biased remarks in the classroom through discussion.
- Update course syllabi to include a statement of classroom environment that encourages regard for others and respects free speech while not tolerating hate speech.
- When presenting a visual/image, also provide a description of the image (alt text).
- Provide Closed Captioning on posted videos (lectures, resources, etc.).
- Incorporate the impact of and perspectives of groups of diverse abilities in policies of the past and present.
- Encourage students (and ourselves as faculty) to analyze research and articles to ensure they represent the perspectives of marginalized groups; follow up with questioning why and providing additional resources to promote self-advocacy.
- Revise course syllabi to include Student Learning Objectives, Essential Questions, and Course Descriptions related to self-reflection/advocacy/inclusion/preparing students to be agents of change.
- Examine course syllabi to make sure policies (late work, absence, participation grades, etc.) do not indirectly or directly target students with disabilities OR demonstrate bias toward neurotypical students (for example: a “cameras on” video policy in an online course may disproportionately punish students who require accommodations or have diverse learning needs; deductions for late work may punish students who need flexibility due to medical or mental health needs; requiring students to disclose personal details in order to receive extensions or incompletes disrespects students’ privacy of health and disability needs)
- Be willing to adjust your expectations through flexibility.
- Re-examine assignments and assessments for bias and exclusionary practices.
- Consider changing assessments from high-stakes timed tests to projects, homework, open-note/open-book take-home tests.
- Ask a colleague to audit your syllabi for readings/topics/policies as listed here.
- Collaborate with colleagues in accessibility services to better understand and integrate the services and supports available.
- Discuss the need to broaden participation and opportunities for people with disabilities in your department/college.
- Examine courses to make sure provided resources are organized and labeled clearly.
Advanced, all the previous steps plus…
- Advocate for (or lead!) professional development opportunities on inclusion.
- Participate in on- and off-campus events that promote disability acceptance and inclusive practices.
- Inform students of community opportunities they can take part in promoting disability acceptance or inclusive practices.
- Model examination/reflection on your own privilege (if neurotypical and able-bodied) or experience as a person with(out) a disability.
- Consider multimodal access to course participation (for example, HyFlex courses have in-person, video and asynchronous options for all students).
- Ask a colleague to informally observe your teaching and provide constructive feedback on your work of being an inclusive teacher.
- Invite guest speakers with disabilities to speak with your students about their experiences.
- Collaborate with an ADA coordinator to educate students and colleagues about accessibility on your campus.
- Collaborate with administrators and faculty who may be working toward DEI or inclusion initiatives on your campus.
- Seek input from resources such as the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and Think College for postsecondary education program guidance for individuals with disabilities.
We believe that the responsibility of anti-oppressive work in higher education belongs to all and that making education accessible for individuals with disabilities advances freedom for all groups of people. These universally designed teaching practices, while necessary to increase access for individuals with disabilities, are beneficial for all individuals, regardless of identity status. Thank you for your work towards broadening access to higher education!

Laura N. Sarchet is an autistic self-advocate and Assistant Professor of Special Education at Niagara University who uses her experience as a neurodivergent person to raise awareness about autism and disability through research and practice.

Haoua M. Hamza is an associate professor in the Middle and Adolescence Education Department in the College of Education.

Rachel Bailey Jones, Professor of Education at Nazareth University, focuses their research and teaching on working for educational justice for LGBTQ+ students through an intersectional lens.

Jennifer E. Hartman is an Instructor-ABD in the Special Education Department at Niagara University.

Dennis P. Garland, Ph. D. is Associate Professor and Chair of the Special Education Department at Niagara University.

Maria R. Nader is passionate about providing equitable education for all students and supporting educators to achieve this goal. She serves as a Faculty Fellow in the Special Education Department at Niagara University and has held teaching and administrative roles at the local, state, and university levels in New York, Ohio, and Hawai’i.

References

Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (2004). Handbook of research on multicultural education. 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass.

Coughlin, M. (2021). 10 things faculty need to understand about autism. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/10/20/lessons-teaching-students-autism-spectrum-opinion

Cushner, K., McClelland, A., Safford P., & Cushner, H. (2024). Human diversity in education. McGraw Hill.

The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. (2008). Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. New York State Education Department.

Sarchet, L. N. (2021). Faculty and staff: Training and outreach. University of Rochester Office of Disability Resources, adapted with permissions. https://www.rochester.edu/college/disability/assets/pdf/more-accessible-classroom.pdf

Waitoller, F. R., & King Thorius, K. A. (2016). Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability. Harvard Educational Review, 86(3), 366–389. https://doi.org/10.17763/1943-5045-86.3.366
Source link
May 19, 2025
San Jose Middle School Offers College Class to 13-Year-Olds – The 74

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

By 2:45 p.m. the regular school day at August Boeger Middle School had already ended, but one class is about to start. More than 20 eighth graders drop their backpacks and settle into desks — not for extra credit but for college credit.

These 13- and 14-year-old students in East San Jose are taking their first college course, an entry-level class on career planning. This middle school is one of the first in the state to offer a college-level course. In the coming years, the San Jose Evergreen Community College District wants all middle school students in this school district to be able to complete three college courses before they start high school, and soon, the district plans to offer other courses, such as sociology and ethnic studies, said Beatriz Chaidez, the chancellor for the community college district.

Middle schoolers have long been eligible to enroll in college classes in California, though only a few, high-achieving students actually do it. By offering a college class at a middle school — especially one in a high-poverty area — the community college district is looking to make that enrollment easier. The class is taught by a middle school staff member, and it’s reserved exclusively for middle school students.

But with so few programs, there is little research about whether students are benefitting, and the local faculty union is worried middle school students might not be ready.

Chaidez disagrees. “Navigating (college) as early as middle school is unheard of in their community,” she said. “So when they experience success, it really motivates them to continue.”

California is increasingly pushing high schools to offer community college classes directly to students during the regular school day, a set-up known as “dual enrollment.” Unlike AP classes, which include expensive exams and are limited to certain subjects and high-performing students, these community college classes cover a range of topics and are open to all students. By 2030, California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Chiristian wants all high school students to graduate with at least four college courses completed.

Chaidez wants to go further. She wants every local high school student to be able to complete about 20 college courses by the time they graduate — enough to earn an associate’s degree.

CalMatters reached out to the college district’s faculty union, which was surprised to learn the district is offering classes at a middle school.

“This opens up some problems,” said Jessica Breheny, an English professor and the union’s vice president. “I’m sure there are 12-year-olds that are college-ready, but there are just less of them and it’s less likely. Developmentally, they have other things going on.”

Research shows that high schoolers who take college classes are more likely to attend college and graduate, but there’s little research on how middle school students fare, said John Fink, a senior researcher at Columbia University’s Community College Research Center. “Nationally, and in most states, this is very, very rare, and in many states this is not allowed.” Instead, he said the focus is typically on enrolling more 10th, 11th and 12th graders in college courses.

A college-level course, with a few middle school games

About 10% of California’s high school students took a community college class in the 2021-22 school year, according to an analysis by professors at UC Davis using the most recent data. California’s community college system doesn’t track how many middle school students take college courses.

So far, the Mount Pleasant Elementary School District, which includes August Boeger Middle School, offers only one college course, called “Career Planning,” and it’s almost indistinguishable from any other class on its campus. The college course is taught in a regular middle school classroom, and the professor, Oscar Lamas, already works at the middle school, where he’s a counselor. Perhaps the only noticeable difference is the timing: The middle school day ends at 2:30 p.m. and Lamas’ course starts at 2:45. He’s paid separately by the community college to teach the course.

Career Planning helps students learn about career paths, practice resume-writing and learn psychological theories related to professional success. A governing board of college district professors, known as the Academic Senate, sets the objectives for each college course, but Lamas has broad discretion in teaching it. The Academic Senate responsible for setting the parameters of Lamas’ course did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The dean of the community college’s counseling department, Victor Garza, refused an interview request from CalMatters but issued a written statement. Garza said the middle school class is akin to other dual enrollment courses, which maintain the college’s “academic rigor.”

“Some adjustments might be needed to cater to the unique needs and experiences” of students, he added.

On a Thursday before spring break, Lamas tries to make his class more fun by breaking the students into five teams to play a Jeopardy-style quiz game on the topic of the day, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Natalie Mendoza, 14, becomes the default spokesperson of her team, named the “Tacos R Us Club,” but she answers the first question wrong, putting her team back 300 points and prompting her classmates to burst into chatter and analyze their mistakes.

As part of the class, she has to study a career, write a short essay about it and present it at a career fair. She picked intellectual property law. “A lot of people say I’m assertive,” she said. “I think that’s a really good trait for a lawyer, and I think it’d be fun to fight for people who have created stuff.”

Natalie said she’d be the first in her family to attend college but she’s already planning to go and has a few schools in mind, including UC Berkeley and San Jose State. If she does attend one of those schools, her grade in this counseling class would be part of her official college transcript.

Breheny, with the union, said she’s concerned about the quality of the classes, especially once the college district begins teaching other subjects, such as ethnic studies.

“Faculty designed their courses for adult learners,” Breheny said. An ethnic studies class may cover topics such as sexual violence and genocide, she added — topics that may be difficult to convey to a middle schooler. “Some of the material assumes a certain knowledge about the world, about politics, which you may not have at 11, 12, 13 years old.”

High schools offer few dual enrollment classes

August Boeger Middle School sits at the base of the Diablo Range mountains, tucked between the ranch-style homes and strip malls that color East San Jose. Teachers and staff greet each other with mucho gusto instead of hello. All around the open-air campus, murals tell the story of the region’s multi-cultural heritage, especially its Mexican and Chicano roots.

That celebration of culture is a direct response to a history of adversity, Lamas said. “East San Jose has always been a marginalized, disadvantaged environment.” As a result, schools in the community contend with education disparities, he said, such as a high dropout rate and a high teen pregnancy rate.

Offering a college class to these middle school students allows them to “see a possibility for their future that doesn’t exist within these walls here” and can inspire them to reach for a higher goal, said Marisa Peña, a school advisor.

Male students, Black and Latino students and students from rural areas are underrepresented in the community college courses offered at California’s school districts. California lawmakers have signed numerous bills in the hopes of expanding access but certain regions in the state, such as Los Angeles, enroll a higher percentage of students.

Natalie said she hopes to continue taking college courses when she starts at Mount Pleasant High School this fall, which is just around the corner from her middle school. But her options are limited.

Mount Pleasant High School offers just three community college courses, which serve about 10% of the school’s roughly 1,000 students, said Kyle Kleckner, the school district’s director of instructional services. All of the classes are in “multimedia” studies, he said, which teaches students how to create their own podcasts or YouTube channels, along with other digital marketing skills.

Although Mount Pleasant High School’s dual enrollment is about on par with the state average, it trails other districts in the region. Less than 20 miles away, at high schools in the Milpitas Unified School District, roughly 25% of students enrolled in a community college class in 2021-22, according to the UC Davis analysis.

Finding professors to teach middle school

Part of the dual enrollment challenge is finding qualified college professors who are willing and able to work at a high school or middle school. Existing middle and high school teachers are allowed to teach college courses but they have to meet the qualifications, which usually include a master’s degree in the area of instruction. Most of California’s high school and middle school instructors lack a master’s degree, according to a study by the Public Policy Institute of California.

“We have graduation requirements that students have to accomplish,” Kleckner said. “The trick is finding that community college course that also fulfills those requirements and also finding a teacher who can teach it.” He said Mount Pleasant High School is committed to expanding the number of college courses but noted that it’s smaller and therefore has fewer teachers who meet the requirements to teach a college course.

In turn, many college professors lack experience teaching children, said Breheny, who teaches at San Jose City College. “We have had some problems already with dual enrollment where faculty have gone to different (high schools) to teach and have dealt with classroom management issues that they wouldn’t have in a college course.” In one case, she said a college faculty member saw bullying in a high school classroom but didn’t feel equipped to respond.

Lamas has a master’s degree, which is required for most school counselors. He’s gentle with the middle school students in his class, occasionally awarding points in the Jeopardy game even when the answer isn’t perfect. Lamas had two quiz games planned that day, each one covering a different topic, but the first game took up almost all of the class time.

He ends class by taking questions about the upcoming final project. Although spring break is minutes away, the students sit still through the final minutes, except for the occasional joke and bursts of laughter. Not a single phone was in sight.

Once class ends, however, chatter ensues, the students pull out their phones, and staff escort them to the parking lot. While they may be taking a college course, they still must wait for their parents to pick them up.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

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May 17, 2025
College Marketing: 7 Ways It Has Changed and How to Stay Ahead
…and What You Need to Do to Stay Ahead

The higher education enrollment landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by shifting demographics, technological advancements, and economic uncertainty. To remain relevant and competitive, colleges and universities must adapt to these changes and develop strategies to succeed in a challenging environment. But before you can adapt, one must first look at some of the major innovations that have disrupted how consumers engage with brands.

Are you engaging students the way they engage with other brands?
1. Short form video content: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have dominated, offering snackable content that informs, entertains, and inspires within seconds. Influencers (see #5) use this medium to tell stories, drive trends, and engage consumers on behalf of sponsored brands. Students use the medium to assess campus life and inform college choices.
2. Voice and visual search optimization: The rise of “smart assistants”and digital assistants have changed the way we engage with brands, discover products, and complete research, transactions, and more. A good digital assistant is becoming as essential as a solid logo design in marketing.
3. AI personalization: Artificial intelligence has revolutionized marketing by enabling hyper-personalized experiences, analyzing real-time data, and predicting consumer behavior to deliver tailored content. For cash strapped institutions, it has the added benefit of allowing you to zero in on your highest potential return prospects and curate content.
4. Augmented reality (AR) experiences: AR is transforming how consumers shop, learn, and engage with brands, creating immersive experiences that drive both engagement and sales. George Mason University developed a successful AR campus tour for transfer students, and I expect to see prospective students and their families wandering campus with branded AR glasses on campuses everywhere before long.
5. Influencer marketing: The focus has shifted from big-name endorsements to micro- and nano-influencers, offering niche expertise and deeper connections with audiences. Universities are leveraging student influencers on campus for enrollment and advancement opportunities.
6. Data privacy regulations and ethical marketing trends: With increasing concerns about data breaches, consumers demand transparency and ethical practices in data handling and marketing. Layer an ever changing and tightening regulatory environment and you will need solid governance and procedural guidance to ensure compliance without limiting effectiveness.
7. Omnichannel integration: Marketers now focus on providing a seamless experience across all touchpoints, ensuring brand consistency and cohesive customer interactions. The same experience is paramount during the college search process to stand out, stay top of mind, and draw students to your engaging (AR powered?) on campus events.
5 keys to optimizing your college marketing strategy to address these changes

That is the how, but what about the what. A great tech stack is one thing, but the meat of your strategy and message must center around what is central to your mission, your goals, and your prospective student audience.

1. Gear your strategy to your prospective students

As the student population becomes increasingly diverse, institutions must develop targeted recruitment and communication strategies to engage with underrepresented groups, including Hispanic, African American, and first-generation students. According to RNL’s most recent study of undergraduate marketing and recruitment practices, 51% of four-year private, 42% of two-year public, and 37% of four-year public institutions have specific strategies for recruiting Hispanic students. The vast majority of institutions also do not have materials and communications available in Spanish. Depending on your locality, these populations may be your best bet for stable growth, but without a specific marketing strategy, you will miss the opportunity.

2. Assess the suite of marketing tools, vehicles and assets at your fingertips

How cohesive, consistent and connected are they? Students use a variety of resources to learn about colleges and universities, from websites and social media to videos and printed brochures. Institutions must adopt a balanced, omnichannel approach to marketing, leveraging multiple channels to reach students at various stages of their decision-making process.

3. Plug the leak

As the demographic cliff approaches, institutions must prioritize student success and retention strategies. A recent study found that public colleges and universities use market research and print/electronic campaigns to impact student yield and summer melt, but there is room for improvement in collecting data to inform retention policies. (Our report on retention practices provides very helpful benchmarks and ideas for student success strategies.)

4. Improve the experience and reduce the stress

The college search process can be a significant source of stress and anxiety for students. Institutions can help mitigate this by providing resources and support services, such as mental health counseling and academic advising, to help students manage their emotions and stay on track.

5. Embrace change

To succeed in a rapidly changing environment, institutions must be willing to adapt and innovate. This includes investing in technology, such as AI-powered enrollment management systems, and exploring new revenue streams, such as online and graduate programs.

College marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace. How can you keep up?

To remain competitive, colleges and universities must embrace strategies that prioritize personalization, authenticity, and innovation. From leveraging short-form video content and AI-powered tools to integrating augmented reality experiences and omnichannel approaches, institutions have a wealth of opportunities to connect with prospective students in meaningful ways.

However, success will require more than technology; it demands a deep understanding of the diverse needs and aspirations of the modern student population. By aligning marketing efforts with institutional goals, fostering inclusivity, and enhancing the overall student experience, higher education institutions can not only navigate these changes but thrive in a rapidly shifting environment. Now is the time to adapt, innovate, and future-proof strategies to ensure sustainable growth and relevance in the years ahead. Reach out and we can connect on your marketing strategies. We will find a time to talk about your opportunities to make sure your marketing efforts resonate with students and reach them in the channels they use.
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RNL works with colleges and universities across the country to ensure their marketing and recruitment efforts are optimized and aligned with how student search for colleges. Reach out today for a complimentary consultation to discuss:

Student search strategies

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May 15, 2025
‘Gross mismanagement’: Bacone College sent into liquidation
Dive Brief:
- A federal judge ordered Bacone College into Chapter 7 bankruptcy Tuesday, kicking into motion a court-managed liquidation process for the institution’s assets.
- The private Oklahoma college, which describes itself as American Indian-serving, filed for bankruptcy last June with the aim of managing its debts and staying open in some form.
- Last week, a U.S. bankruptcy trustee moved that the case be converted to a Chapter 7 case, citing “gross mismanagement” by college officials, one of whom the trustee alleged used the institution’s bank account to pay his personal expenses.
Dive Insight:

In a short but blistering court filing, Ilene Lashinsky, a U.S. trustee with the U.S. Department of Justice assigned to the bankruptcy case, argued that untoward financial activity at Bacone warranted the conversion to Chapter 7 bankruptcy, effectively forcing the college into a full wind-down.

Specifically, the trustee pointed to a payment of nearly $16,500 made by the college to the federal Small Business Administration to pay a loan owed by Leslie Hannah, who became acting president of Bacone in April 2024. The payment, according to Lashinsky, was made at Hannah’s direction to pay his SBA debt.

Hannah did not immediately reply to a request for comment Thursday, nor did the college’s bankruptcy attorney.

Lashinsky said that “Hannah claims that he, in his personal capacity, obtained an SBA loan prior to the Debtor’s bankruptcy filing in the approximate amount of $15,000” to pay the college’s payroll. But neither Hannah nor the SBA was listed among Bacone’s creditors when the college filed for bankruptcy last June.

Also named in Lashinsky’s filing was Josh Johns, a board member of the college, whom Bacone listed as overseeing the institution during bankruptcy along with Hannah.

“It is unclear whether Hannah discussed this payment with Johns but neither Hannah nor Johns did anything to prevent this payment to the SBA,” Lashinsky said.

Lashinsky also cited the college’s failure to provide timely financial information.

“This case is stagnant and the Debtor’s only hope is that an investor may come in and purchase the real estate assets of [Bacone],” Lashinsky said in the filing. “This is the best option for creditors to get paid.”

The college’s property is valued at $3.8 million, according to court documents.

Bacone’s history stretches back to 1880, when it was established on land donated by the Muscogee Nation to the American Baptist Church. It was meant to provide a Christian education to Native American students. The American Baptist Home Mission Society had the final say on decisions of the college until the 1950s.

After years of financial struggles, Bacone filed for bankruptcy last June and stopped taking new students after graduating nine that May, according to The Oklahoman. Days after it filed, the Higher Learning Commission pulled accreditation for the college, citing noncompliance with several criteria.

Before that, amid reports that it was in deep distress, the college posted on its website in bold type that that Bacone “is not closing and plans to graduate another class of our outstanding students again this May.”

“The Board of Trustees are committed to the future of this historic college, and believe that Bacone will continue to provide a quality education for our students for decades to come,” the college said then.
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May 15, 2025
Why High School Counselors Hold the Keys to College Access
Opening the door to college starts with a knock on the counselor’s office

Ask a student who their guide to college was, and the answer depends a lot on their background. For some—especially those from higher-income families or with college-educated parents—the process might not involve a school counselor at all. But for students without those built-in supports, counselors can be the critical link to higher education—if they’re able to get help.

The problem is, in many lower-income or rural schools, counselors are stretched so thin that some students never get the guidance they need. The numbers show just how vital counselor guidance can be for those who receive it—and how much is at stake when that support isn’t available.

The data is clear: counselors make the difference

According to the forthcoming 2025 E-Expectations report, 86% of students said they used information from their high school counselor during their college search, and 84% found that information helpful. That trend holds across every subgroup:
- First-generation students use and benefit from counselor information at nearly the same rate as their peers (86% used; 85% found it helpful).
- Regional differences are small: 87% of students in the West and Rocky Mountains found counselor info helpful, compared to 77% in the Great Lakes and Plains.
- By grade, even 9th graders tune in early: 82% use counselor advice, and 88% find it helpful.
Counselors are the thread running through the entire college-bound student experience. For those without a family roadmap, they’re often the only guide through applications, financial aid, and deadlines.

Colleges are paying attention

School budgets are shrinking. Counselors are juggling massive caseloads. But many colleges are stepping up—recognizing that if they want to reach students, especially the ones who need it most, they must reach counselors first.

From the latest 2025 Marketing and Recruitment Practices for Undergraduate Students survey:
- Private four-year colleges meeting one-on-one with counselors jumped from 78% in 2020 to 95% in 2024.
- Email outreach has grown significantly, with reported effectiveness rising in tandem.
- Counselor events (banquets, receptions, campus gatherings) are increasing, especially when they include regional data, student outcomes, and virtual access for rural areas.
It’s not just a private college trend. Two-year institutions, public universities, and regional schools are embracing relationship-based outreach as well. Direct mail and newsletters still play a role—but only when the content is timely and relevant.

Why this matters for equity and access

For first-gen, rural, and underserved students, counselors are often the only bridge to college. They’re the ones who demystify financial aid, flag key deadlines, and identify opportunities a student might otherwise miss.

When colleges make it easier for counselors to get the right info, they’re not just supporting professionals. They’re opening doors for the students who need it most.

A counselor who’s in the loop about your new rural student program or local scholarship can be the difference between a student applying and a student giving up.

What works: outreach strategies that matter

According to the 2025 Marketing and Recruitment Practices for Undergraduate Students, the most effective strategies aren’t flashy. They’re personal, relational, and respectful of counselors’ time. To make these strategies even more impactful, here are some key considerations:
- One-on-one meetings: Still the gold standard. Allow for tailored advice and honest feedback.
- Counselor events: High-impact when they offer data, PD, and virtual options.
- Relevant, timely communication: Share tools counselors can use—deadlines, program updates, student success stories.
- Listening and partnership: Institutions that win trust treat counselors as collaborators.
Recognize the role of early college programs in strengthening partnerships

In many communities, especially those served by community colleges, Early College (EC) programs create additional layers of partnership between high school counselors and college admissions offices. Some colleges employ dedicated EC counselors who work directly with high school students, while others rely heavily on high school guidance counselors to help students and families navigate EC benefits, processes, and policies. Admissions teams should ensure that their outreach strategies are coordinated not only with high school counselors but also with their institution’s EC staff. This helps avoid confusion and ensures clarity in messaging, especially regarding dual enrollment, direct admissions, and transition pathways. A unified approach strengthens the relationship with the high school and better supports students and families.

Thoughtfully manage counselor turnover to maintain continuity

Admissions offices often experience higher staff turnover compared to other departments, which can disrupt relationships built over time with high school partners. To sustain trust and continuity, new admissions counselors should intentionally acknowledge the existing relationship between the college and the high school when introducing themselves. If appropriate, referencing the name of the previous counselor or the date of the last visit provides context and reassurance that the institution values the ongoing partnership. This small gesture helps counselors feel recognized as key partners and makes the transition from one representative to another feel seamless, keeping the focus where it belongs: on supporting students in their college journey.

The bottom line

If your institution wants to reach students, especially those who need college planning guidance and help the most, start by valuing their counselors.

The data is clear. The student voices are loud. Counselors are the backbone of college access. Supporting them isn’t just good practice, it’s the smartest move you can make.

Don’t make counselors an afterthought. Make them the center of your strategy. The future of college access runs right through their office, so knock on their door and bring something valuable to the table.

To learn more about the most impactful enrollment and marketing strategies, download our report.
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May 15, 2025
College Closings: Are We Really That Surprised?
Spotting the red flags of college closings before it’s too late

What are the warning signs that could lead to a college closing?

Over the last month, two more private schools have announced their closures. St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC, and Limestone University in Gaffney, SC. In both cases, as with any college closings, the result is disheartening to the current state of higher education. It is also never something those enrolled students expected or signed up for. Peer institutions have readily come forward to offer transfer-friendly options for those students.

What has also struck me about college closings like these is how the media portrays these closings as “sudden” or “abrupt.” I have been in higher education for over 20 years, both on a campus as a chief enrollment officer and now at RNL in an executive role. College closings are not sudden or abrupt. The warnings and red flags show themselves years before such a dire decision is made by a board of trustees.

Key metrics for institutional health and viability

For any institution, but especially private ones, there are key metrics that impact their health and viability. They include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Net tuition revenue as a cohort class and per student
- The long-term health of your lead/prospect pool
- The cost of recruiting a prospective student
- The cost to educate and operate an academic program
- Student retention rates dropping yearly and hovering under national/regional benchmarks
- An increase in discount rates while headcount/net tuition revenue stays flat or down
Metrics diagnose the problem. They do not solve it.

The majority of these metrics are probably not surprising for most institutions. However, the ability to understand why a campus lags behind in these critical areas is key to rectifying such challenges. There lies half the problem usually. Too often, metrics serve as a perceived solution for a problem. Here are two examples I have seen:

Example 1: A campus throws more money to students to hopefully increase their headcount and gain revenue. That is a short-term solution that then saddles the institution with a bigger problem—a high discount rate that will likely increase another 3-5% during the student’s time on campus. That is not a sustainable model.

Example 2: An institution introduces new programs without conducting viable external research and setting realistic student enrollment goals. The tuition revenue needed has to offset the cost of starting a new program, hiring faculty, and supporting marketing efforts. If new programs are not hitting targeted goals, the institution has to quickly pivot and determine if there is a tangible market of students to recruit for such a program over the next 3-4 years.

The examples could go on and on.

Fixing issues before they become insurmountable

Most institutions are not blind to their current situation regarding the above metrics. They strive to maintain a healthy enrollment, financial stability, and a quality experience for students. They also know when those metrics become red flags. The massive challenge right now in higher education is trying to solve for those red flags in real time and with very “real” budgets. We should not be surprised at unfortunate closures in our industry. Most campuses certainly are not. The real objective is to win the “race” of addressing and fixing the problems 3-4 years before they become insurmountable.

How do you do that in a systematic, data-reliant way that helps you make the right read and identify the right strategies to hit the brakes and reverse course before you hit the cliff? That’s something my colleagues and I partner with institutions on all of the time. We do evaluations or “scans” for key items such as the admissions/recruitment strategies and organization, the fiscal health of the institution, alignment of academic programs with market demand, and similar areas that are critical for institutional viability.

I welcome the opportunity to connect and talk about strategies for your institution. Feel free to email me to discuss your challenges and what can be done to put your campus on the track to sustainable success. We have helped many institutions come back from the brink and keep even more from reaching that point.
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May 15, 2025
Balancing Technology and Connection in College Recruitment
Let’s be real: college planning is not the only thing on your prospective students’ minds. They’re juggling school, jobs, relationships, social media, and, you know, just trying to figure out life. So, when we talk about AI in college planning, it’s crucial to remember that it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

At RNL, we’re constantly looking at the trends shaping higher education, and AI is definitely a big one. But here’s the thing: it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. To truly connect with students, you need to understand how they’re using (or not using) these tools, and meet them where they are.

It’s all about personas

Our latest research dives deep into student attitudes toward AI in college planning, and the results are fascinating. We’ve identified four key “AI Adoption Personas” that can help you tailor your outreach and messaging:

Pioneers (early adopters, enthusiastic users): These digital natives are all-in on AI, using it for everything from college research to essay writing.
- Key takeaway: Pioneers are already on board but value human guidance. 76% would feel more comfortable if a school advisor explained the benefits and risks of AI.
Aspirers (interested but cautious adopters): Aspirers see the potential of AI but need a little nudge.
- Key takeaway: Show them the value! 51% are motivated by easy access to free AI tools, and 41% want to see success stories from other students.
Fence Sitters (uncertain, passive users): These students are on the fence about AI, often lacking confidence in their current college planning approach. Y
- Key takeaway: Don’t overwhelm them. 40% haven’t even used online college planning tools! Focus on highlighting the potential of AI and offering advisor support.
Resistors (skeptical, avoid AI in college planning): Resistors are the most reluctant to embrace AI, preferring traditional methods like guidance counselors and college websites.
- Key takeaway: Respect their preferences, but don’t write them off entirely. 48% would feel more comfortable with an advisor explaining AI, even if they’re not ready to use it themselves.
Beyond the bots: human connection still matters

No matter which persona your students fall into, one thing is clear: human connection still matters. While AI can provide valuable information and streamline certain tasks, it can’t replace the empathy, guidance, and personalized support students crave.

Think about it: choosing a college is a huge life decision, and students want to feel understood and supported throughout the process.

Our research shows that students use a variety of resources for college planning, and these often involve human interaction:
- College websites (often reviewed with parents or counselors)
- Parents/family (a trusted source of advice and support)
- Social media (connecting with current students and alumni)
- Guidance counselors (providing expert advice and personalized recommendations)
- Friends/peers (sharing experiences and offering encouragement)
- Books/online articles (supplementing their knowledge and exploring different options)
AI is just one tool in their toolbox. It’s a powerful tool, no doubt, but it works best when it complements these other resources, rather than replacing them.

What does this mean for you?

It means your staff—admissions counselors, enrollment specialists, and marketing team—are more important than ever. They are the human face of your institution, who can build relationships with prospective students, answer their questions, and alleviate their anxieties.

The good news is that institutions already know this. Our 2025 Marketing Practices For Undergraduate Students Report confirms that “human-based” enrollment strategies are consistently rated highly effective, often more effective than just two years ago.

For example, the report shows that:
- In-person meetings remain a top strategy across all institution types (4-year private, 4-year public, and 2-year), with effectiveness ratings consistently at or near 100%.
- Personalized videos sent directly to students have seen a significant rise in effectiveness, particularly for 4-year institutions.
- Even with the rise of digital tools, strategies like SMS, social media, and email communications remain foundational and highly effective, largely because they enable personalized, one-on-one communication.
These findings underscore that in an increasingly digital world, the human touch truly sets institutions apart.

Here are a few ways to bring that human touch to your college planning efforts:
- Invest in training for your staff. Ensure they understand AI’s benefits and limitations, and how to integrate it ethically and effectively into their work.
- Encourage personalized communication. Don’t rely solely on automated emails and chatbots. Encourage your staff to contact students individually, offering tailored advice and support.
- Create opportunities for connection. Host virtual or in-person events where students meet current students, faculty, and staff.
- Highlight the human stories. Share stories of successful alumni, dedicated faculty, and supportive staff. Show prospective students what makes your institution unique.
Ultimately, success in today’s ever-evolving higher education landscape hinges on a delicate balance: embracing the power of technology like AI while never losing sight of the fundamental importance of human connection.

By deeply understanding your students – their individual needs, their preferred college planning resources, and their unique “AI Adoption Persona” – and leveraging data to personalize their experience, you can create an effective and genuinely human recruitment and enrollment strategy.

It’s about blending the efficiency of AI with the empathy and guidance that only your dedicated staff can provide, ensuring that every student feels seen, supported, and confident in their college journey.

Ready to dive deeper?

Do you want to learn more about AI in college planning and how to connect with today’s students?
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Choose from more than 120 sessions on recruitment, retention, financial aid, and more.

Hear the keynote from former Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona on the future of higher education.

Interact with campus professionals and national experts about ways you can achieve your goals.

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May 15, 2025