Tag: college

  • Mental Health and Financial Barriers Threaten College Student Success (TimelyCare)

    Mental Health and Financial Barriers Threaten College Student Success (TimelyCare)

    Seven in 10 students have considered taking a break or dropping out.

    FORT WORTH, Texas, March 12, 2025
    /PRNewswire/ — Mental health struggles and financial pressures are
    jeopardizing college students’ ability to complete their education,
    according to a new study by TimelyCare, higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being provider,

    “Many students are slipping through the cracks due to unmet financial, academic, and emotional needs.”

    The
    survey, which gathered responses from 740 students attending two- and
    four-year colleges across the U.S., exposes significant barriers to
    student success and calls for specific action by educational
    institutions to address pressing concerns.

    Key Findings:

    Students at Risk of Stopping – More than half (53%) of current
    college and university students said they had considered taking a break
    from school, and 17% considered dropping out and not returning.

    Financial Strain – Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents cited
    financial strain as a primary reason for considering withdrawal.
    Additionally, a significant portion of students reported relying on a
    combination of financial aid, scholarships, and part-time or full-time
    work to cover costs.

    Success Barriers – An overwhelming 95% identified at least one
    obstacle impacting their success. Mental health (53%) and finances
    (49%) were the top challenges, followed by physical health (33%),
    academics (28%) and social belonging (26%).

    Gaps in Support Access – While 90% of students had used at
    least one school-provided resource such as academic advising, tutoring,
    or mental health counseling, issues like lack of awareness, inconvenient
    office hours, and inaccessible locations kept many from getting the
    needed help.

    Success Defined
    Students identified GPA, gaining knowledge,
    and graduating or completing their coursework as their top measures of
    success in line with a 2024 survey. Interestingly, non-traditional students placed graduating and gaining knowledge above GPA.

    “This study makes it crystal clear that many students are slipping
    through the cracks due to unmet financial, academic, and emotional
    needs,” said Nicole Guerrero Trevino,
    PhD, Vice President for Student Success, TimelyCare. “Our institutions
    must rise to the occasion to ensure no student is left behind.”

    What Can Be Done?
    In an open-ended question, students identified several ways institutions can better support their success, including:

    Promoting Awareness of Resources: Students called for more
    accessible and transparent communication about resources like tutoring,
    counseling, and career services.
    “Make a comprehensive list of all resources in one place.”
    “Talk about these services more openly. I didn’t know they existed when I needed them.”

    Tailoring Support for Non-Traditional and First-Generation Students: Develop
    targeted programs and policies, such as childcare options and
    evening/online classes, to support students balancing multiple roles.
    “Offer different hours for people who work full time during regular work hours.”

    Engaging Faculty and Staff: Train educators and advisors to proactively identify struggling students and provide personalized support.
    “Make
    it feel more normal that all students are impacted in some way and
    encourage all students to look into getting the help they need. It still
    feels almost taboo to seek out help in most situations.”

    Expanding Mental Health and Financial Well-Being Resources: Increase
    counseling availability, destigmatize mental health challenges, and
    offer virtual and flexible options for access. Streamline communication
    about scholarships, grants, and emergency funding while providing robust
    financial literacy resources.
    “Give access to virtual services or anonymous services”

    TimelyCare virtual success coaching
    supplements on-campus academic preparedness, career readiness, and
    financial wellness support with an integrated 1:1 care and coaching
    model.

    A complete list of questions and responses from the February 2025 survey may be found here. Click here to download a related infographic.

    About TimelyCare
    TimelyCare
    is the most trusted virtual health and well-being solution for learning
    communities, offering personalized, clinically proven care that fosters
    student success and delivers life-changing outcomes. With an unmatched
    range of service options on one seamless, easy-to-access platform,
    including mental health counseling, on-demand emotional support, medical
    care, psychiatric care, health coaching, success coaching, basic needs
    assistance, faculty and staff guidance, peer support and self-guided
    wellness tools, we extend the efforts of 400+ campus wellness teams,
    ensuring millions of students have direct, anytime access to our
    culturally competent and diverse care providers. Recognized as a
    Princeton Review Top 5 Need to Know Organization for Mental Health
    Awareness, TimelyCare drives measurable and meaningful improvements in
    depression and anxiety, empowering every student on their wellness
    journey while strengthening learning environments.

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  • College Application Surge: Underrepresented Students Lead Growth in 2024-25 Admissions Cycle

    College Application Surge: Underrepresented Students Lead Growth in 2024-25 Admissions Cycle

    According to Common App’s latest “Deadline Update” report released Thursday, college applications for the 2024-25 admissions cycle continue to show strong growth, particularly among underrepresented and first-generation students.

    The report, which analyzes application data through March 1, 2025, reveals that 1,390,256 distinct first-year applicants submitted a total of 8,535,903 applications to 863 returning Common App member institutions—marking a 4% increase in applicants and a 6% increase in total applications compared to the same period last year.

    One of the most significant trends is the substantial growth among underrepresented minority applicants, which increased by 12% over last year. Specifically:

    • Latinx applicants rose by 13%
    • Black or African American applicants increased by 10%
    • The share of domestic applicants identifying as Black or African American grew from 13.3% to 14%
    • White applicants’ share of the applicant pool continued its long-term decline, dropping from 48.2% to 45.7%

    First-generation college students showed remarkable growth, with a 13% increase in applicants while continuing-generation applicants remained flat. Similarly, applicants eligible for Common App fee waivers increased by 9%, compared to just 2% for non-eligible students.

    Students from lower-income communities also made strong gains:

    • Applicants from ZIP codes with below-median household incomes increased by 8%
    • Applicants from above-median income ZIP codes grew by only 3%

    The report highlights several notable geographic patterns:

    • The Southwestern region experienced the fastest growth at 34%
    • Texas led state-level growth with a 37% increase in applicants
    • District of Columbia applicants grew by 18%
    • For the first time since 2019, domestic applicant growth (5%) outpaced international applicant growth, which declined by 1%

    Applications to public institutions grew at 10%, significantly outpacing the 2% growth rate for private institutions. Additionally, less selective institutions (those with admit rates above 25%) saw application growth of 6-7%, while the most selective institutions (admit rates below 25%) experienced the slowest growth at 4%.

    For the first time since the 2021-22 season, applicants reporting test scores (up 11%) outpaced those not reporting scores (down 1%). This reversal comes despite minimal change in the proportion of institutions requiring test scores (increasing only from 4% to 5% of member schools).

    This comprehensive report offers valuable insights into college application trends as institutions finalize their incoming classes for the 2025-26 academic year. A more detailed analysis is expected in August when Common App releases its full end-of-cycle report.

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  • A picture is worth a thousand words — unless a college district bans it

    A picture is worth a thousand words — unless a college district bans it

    As Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation aptly noted, “What you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.” Unfortunately, the Los Rios Community College District of greater Sacramento, California, has an overly restrictive policy that risks making this a grim reality.

    In an effort to respect Native American remains, the district enacted a broad “moratorium” — essentially a complete ban — on faculty and students displaying “images and reproductions of Native American human remains.” Even if well-intentioned, this policy creates some predictably absurd results that severely limit educational opportunities and make professors think twice before signing up to teach Native American history.

    Sure, professors could dryly describe the objects in question rather than show their students images and replicas. But that approach is about as effective — and as likely to capture students’ attention — as merely describing the roundness of a globe or the wryness of Mona Lisa’s smile.

    Take, for instance, the near-complete skeleton of a teenage girl who researchers named Naia, and who died while cave diving for water about 13,000 years ago. Naia’s skeleton has much to teach students, but thanks to the district’s ban, educators are now prohibited from using similar images of incredible archeological finds.

    The First Amendment — which binds public colleges and districts like Los Rios — forbids such broad, content-based restraints on teachers instructing their students. 

    Courts have repeatedly held that the First Amendment protects faculty expression that is “related to scholarship or teaching” or “germane to the classroom subject matter,” including showing photographs that are relevant to the course material. Even more fundamentally, the First Amendment protects the display and communication of photos, videos, and recordings, provided there is no issue with intellectual property rights. But in LRCCD’s blatant overreach, the district doesn’t even try to make an argument about copyright protections.

    What is left is an unconstitutional policy that drastically dulls the learning process. Sure, professors could dryly describe the objects in question rather than show their students images and replicas. But that approach is about as effective — and as likely to capture students’ attention — as merely describing the roundness of a globe or the wryness of Mona Lisa’s smile. Visuals are a vital learning aid, and a blanket ban on educational images is a disaster for academic freedom and student learning.

    While it’s tempting to justify a ban as showing respect for Native American tribes, shunning these images is a funny way to show respect. Universities can best show respect by teaching about Native American cultural heritage using images and replicas. In any case, the government’s desire to show respect to a minority group doesn’t allow it to ban speech about that group.

    Nor can the district justify the policy by appealing to the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act or its California counterpart, which deal with the identification and repatriation of Native American remains or cultural items — not images or replicas. To its credit, Los Rios admits as much, even if it confusingly claims that the moratorium is “part of the District’s compliance” with NAGPRA. 

    Fortunately, there have been calls for reform. After we wrote to the district about this issue in August and yet again in October, the district Academic Senate released the draft of a new policy that leaves replicas and images out of any bureaucratic review process. FIRE attorney Daniel Ortner helped along this process by testifying in favor of the draft before the DAS. 

    But there’s a major roadblock holding up this promising new policy: FIRE was recently informed by Cosumnes River College Academic Senate President Jacob Velasquez that the district won’t change its existing policy until it gets the go-ahead from the district’s tribal partners. In other words, the ban on images and replicas is here to stay unless the district and its partners change their minds. 

    FIRE recently wrote to the district a third time, calling for an end to this speech-stifling policy. Until it listens, it’s lights out for free speech and academic freedom at the Los Rios Community College District.

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  • U.S. can improve data collection on AI/AN college students

    U.S. can improve data collection on AI/AN college students

    Native American student enrollment has been on the decline for the past decade, dropping 40 percent between 2010 and 2021, a loss of tens of thousands of students. Of the 15.4 million undergraduate students enrolled in fall 2021, only 107,000 were American Indian or Alaska Native, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

    Researchers argue that the small population is not as small as it seems, however, due in part to federal practices of collecting data on Native populations, according to a new report from the Brookings Institute, the Institute for Higher Education Policy and the Urban Institute.

    Federal measures of race and ethnicity in postsecondary education data undercount the total population of Native American students, in part due to insufficient sampling, lack of data on tribal affiliation and aggregation practices that erase Native identities, researchers wrote.

    “For too long, Native American students have been severely undercounted in federal higher education data, with estimates suggesting that up to 80 percent are classified as a different race or ethnicity,” Kim Dancy, director of research and policy at IHEP, told Inside Higher Ed. “This chronic data collection failure renders Native students invisible in federal data systems and prevents clear assessments of the resources necessary to support student success.”

    In May 2024, the federal government announced new standards for collecting data on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, which would improve the inclusivity and accuracy of data for students from these groups.

    The Obama administration introduced similar changes in 2016, but they were never implemented under the first Trump administration in 2017. Researchers worry a similar pattern may follow under the second Trump administration.

    “The second Trump Administration has demonstrated reluctance to prioritize data transparency, which could further jeopardize these efforts and stall progress,” Dancy said. “Without strong implementation of these standards, Native students will continue to be overlooked in federal policy decisions.”

    “It is critical that the Trump administration allow the revised SPD 15 standards to remain in effect, and for officials at ED and elsewhere throughout government to implement the standards in a way that provides Native American students and communities with the same high-quality data that all Americans should be able to access,” report authors wrote.

    Data Analysis at Risk

    The Education Department has canceled dozens of contracts in recent weeks, tied to the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. Many of these contracts related to student data analysis in both K-12 and postsecondary education.

    State of play: Degree attainment for Native Americans is bleak, according to data presently available. Twenty-six percent of Native American adults in the U.S. hold an associate degree or higher, and only 16 percent hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to 2024 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In comparison, bachelor’s degree attainment by all other races is higher: 20 percent for Latino, 25 percent for Black, 38 percent for multiracial, 40 percent for white and 61 percent for Asian American students.

    Of the 58 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students who enrolled in higher education beginning in 2009, over half (55 percent) didn’t earn a credential. In 2023, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported six-year completion rates had fallen two percentage points among Native Americans, to 47.5 percent—21 percentage points lower than their white peers and 27 percentage points lower than Asian students in the 2016 cohort.

    Data collection is not the only barrier to Native student representation and completion in higher education, researchers wrote, “but until data on Native American students are more accurate, accessible, and meaningful, it will prove difficult to address these issues,” which include affordability, disparities in access and retention, and a lack of culturally informed wraparound services.

    Digging into data: Data collection at the U.S. Department of Education has several problems that disadvantage Native students more than other groups, according to the report. Native student data is often “topcoded” as Hispanic or Latino, essentially erasing Native student identities, filed under “more than one race” without further detail, or coded without tribal affiliation or citizenship.

    While topcoding students as Latino or Hispanic or categorizing learners as more than one race applies to all racial categories, Native American individuals are categorized this way at a higher rate than any other major group, which diminishes their representation.

    Additionally, ED independently makes decisions to not disaggregate or provide detailed data on racial and ethnic subgroups, such as topcoding Latino or Hispanic students, that is not modeled at other federal agencies, such as the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    The last time the Office of Management and Budget revised data-reporting processes for colleges and universities, which allowed individuals to identify as more than one racial group, final implementation took place in the 2010–11 academic year.

    In the decade and a half since, Native American student enrollment has declined, and researchers say, “The limitations of ED’s student data made it challenging to discern whether this decline represented an actual change in enrollment trends or was due to the new reporting practices’ undercounting of Native college students.”

    A lack of data impacts institutions, tribes and others tracking student outcomes, reducing opportunities to support learners, and the challenges may perpetuate continued misperceptions of Native students’ journeys through higher education.

    New policies: In 2024, OMB created new federal standards around collecting data on race and ethnicity that would enhance data collection when it comes to Native populations. Federal agencies are required to create plans for implementation by September 2025 and be in full compliance by March 2029, leaving the Trump administration responsible for implementation of the revised standards.

    OMB outlined three approaches for agencies on how they might consider presentation of aggregated data on multiracial populations:

    • Alone or in combination, which includes students who identify with more than one racial or ethnic group in all reporting categories.
    • Most frequent multiple responses, reporting on as many combinations of race and ethnicity as possible that meet population thresholds.
    • Combined multiracial or multiethnic respondents into a single category.

    This third option would be most harmful to Native students, because it would perpetuate undercounts, researchers caution, and therefore policymakers should avoid it.

    Moving forward, report authors recommend ED and Congress collect and publish disaggregated data on Native American students, partner with tribal governments to increase data transparency and provide guidance and resources to institutions to improve their quality of data.

    “We encourage the Education Department to continue seeking input from Native communities, including voices that have been historically excluded from policy-development efforts,” Dancy said. “Accurate data alone won’t eliminate the structural inequities Native students face. But without the data, we cannot begin to dismantle the inequities.”

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  • Community College of Philadelphia staff schedule strike authorization vote (CBS Philadelphia)

    Community College of Philadelphia staff schedule strike authorization vote (CBS Philadelphia)







    Higher Education Inquirer : Community College of Philadelphia staff schedule strike authorization vote (CBS Philadelphia)




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  • College campus counseling center usage and staffing

    College campus counseling center usage and staffing

    Counseling services are a key element of student retention in higher education due to elevated numbers of students reporting mental health conditions, but creating a sustainable practice that addresses students and staff needs remains a challenge, according to survey data from the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD).

    The association’s annual report, published Feb. 25, highlights a tapering off of the increased demand for mental health services from students, but continued pressure to support clinician and nonclinical staff members through challenging work conditions.

    Methodology

    The survey includes responses from 367 counseling center directors from the U.S. and its territories and 14 from other countries. The majority of respondents work at four-year institutions and urban campuses. The reporting period ranges from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

    Student engagement: While students continue to report high levels of mental health concerns, some counseling centers are seeing a decline in student demand.

    The majority of respondents at four-year institutions reported a decline or no change in the number of unique clients seen (68 percent) and the number of appointments provided (58 percent). Among two-year colleges, 33 percent reported a decrease in the number of unique clients seen and 43 percent reported a decrease in overall appointments provided.

    One in four counseling center directors (24 percent) indicated their centers did not have trouble meeting demand for services.

    Around 11 percent of students at four-year institutions accessed counseling services, and just under 5 percent of students at community colleges received counseling center support. “Centers at smaller schools served, on average, much larger proportions (8 to 19 percent) of their enrolled populations than centers at larger schools (7 to 8 percent),” according to the report.

    Student data indicated a correlation between student success and counseling center usage: 73 percent of clients reported that counseling services positively impacted their academic performance, and 71 percent said it helped them stay in school.

    Staffing: The four-year college had 9.2 full-time-equivalent clinical employees, while the average for community colleges was 4.5 employees. Around 2 percent of centers were staffed by only one person, but this was a decline compared to the year prior, when 3.5 percent of directors indicated they were a one-person center.

    Diversity of directors who completed the survey continues to rise, with 30 percent of respondents identifying as a person of color, up from 16 percent in the 2012–13 survey.

    Staff turnover remains a concern for college counseling centers, with 12 percent of all nontrainee clinical positions and 10 percent of all nontrainee positions turning over in the past fiscal year. The top reasons staff left their roles were low salary (48 percent) and work conditions (32 percent), though fewer staff cited leaving the field as a reason for departure this year, compared to prior surveys.

    Embedded counseling services remain limited, with around 30 percent of institutions utilizing counselors assigned to work within other departments. Athletics was the most frequently reported area where embedded clinicians work, followed by a specific school, student affairs office and residence life.

    Services: Most clinical sessions were delivered in person (81 percent), followed by video (15 percent) and phone (3 percent). This mirrors the Center for Collegiate Mental Health’s data, published earlier this year, which found 64 percent of clients received exclusively in-person counseling and 13 percent received video-only care.

    While a slight majority of centers do not have formal session limits (55 percent), 43 percent of institutions limit the number sessions a student can access by year, with some flexibility in the model. Only 0.6 percent of respondents indicated their campus has a hard session limit with no exceptions.

    Teletherapy continues to be a popular offering among institutions, with 53 percent of four-year institutions and 35 percent of community colleges employing a third-party vendor to provide services. Use by students varies widely, even among similarly sized institutions, but the average number of participating students was 453.

    “Overall, regardless of the type of service provided by a third-party vendor, the majority of directors reported utilization was less than hoped for or met their expectations,” according to the report.

    The number of unique students who attended a crisis appointment averaged across centers was 125, and the average number of crisis appointments was 166. A majority (65 percent) offered psychiatric services within the counseling center, elsewhere on campus or in both locations.

    In addition, a majority of respondents indicated their center provides formal or informal consultation services to the community.

    Looking ahead: While the report focuses on the previous fiscal year, there remains a need to continue to provide accessible and high-quality counseling services, says Cindy M. Bruns, survey coordinator for AUCCCD. “By fostering a supportive campus culture and ensuring that mental health resources are available, colleges can help students navigate political and social environments while promoting resilience and well-being.”

    Some counseling directors have noticed students are experiencing “elevated levels of anxiety, uncertainty, threats to their sense of safety and belonging on campus” due to federal action under the second Trump administration, Bruns says, which could prompt an increase in the number of students seeking services.

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  • VICTORY! 9th Circuit rules in favor of professor punished for criticizing college for lowering academic standards

    VICTORY! 9th Circuit rules in favor of professor punished for criticizing college for lowering academic standards

    SAN FRANCISCO, March 10, 2025 — Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Lars Jensen, a math professor unconstitutionally punished for criticizing what he believed was his college’s decision to water down its math standards.

    Reversing a federal district court, the Ninth Circuit held Jensen suffered wrongful dismissal of his claims against Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada, and that he should have his day in court to prove college administrators violated his First Amendment rights. The court also held Jensen’s right to speak out about the math standards was so clearly established that the administrators were not entitled to dismissal on qualified immunity grounds.

    “This decision is a major victory for the free speech rights of academics,” said Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression attorney Daniel Ortner, who argued the case before a Ninth Circuit panel in November 2024. “This decision will protect professors from investigation or threats of termination for their speech, and promote accountability for administrators who violate the First Amendment.”

    The dispute began in 2020, when Jensen planned to comment at a TMCC conference about what he perceived to be diminishing academic standards at the college. After administrators prohibited Jensen from sharing his views at a Q&A session, he printed out his planned comments critiquing the college for allowing for “a student graduating from college” while only being “ready for middle school math,” and handed them out to his colleagues during the break. TMCC Dean Julie Ellsworth told Jensen not to circulate his fliers during the break, but he continued to do so without interrupting the session.

    Ellsworth then accused Jensen of “disobeying” her and warned him he had “made an error” defying her. Following through on her veiled threats, Ellsworth sent Jensen an official reprimand. Over the next two performance reviews, Jensen’s department chair suggested he receive an “excellent” rating, but Ellsworth retaliated by giving him “unsatisfactory” ratings for “insubordination.” As a result, Jensen automatically had to undergo review for possible termination.

    “The college’s actions tarnished my reputation and chilled my speech,” said Jensen. “The Ninth Circuit’s decision vindicates my First Amendment rights and allows me to have my day in court.” 

    COURTESY PHOTOS OF PROFESSOR JENSEN AND HIS ATTORNEYS

    TMCC might have fired Jensen if not for the speedy intervention of FIRE, which wrote a letter objecting that the administrators were violating the First Amendment, which protects faculty at public colleges in commenting as citizens on matters of public concern. TMCC announced that Jensen would not be fired, but the damage to his First Amendment rights was already done, especially with the negative performance evaluations remaining on his file.

    Jensen sued Ellsworth and other TMCC administrators in 2022, arguing the college’s retaliatory actions violated his First Amendment rights as well as his right to due process and equal protection. A district court dismissed the case in 2023. 

    The Ninth Circuit ruled today that the district court erred in dismissing Jensen’s First Amendment claim, because his speech about the college’s academic standards involved a matter of public concern related to scholarship or teaching, and thus receives First Amendment protection. 

    The Court also held the university’s retaliatory actions were likely to chill Jensen’s speech, and that a university’s “interest in punishing a disobedient employee for speaking in violation of their supervisor’s orders cannot automatically trump the employee’s interest in speaking.” The Court warned, in fact, that if an employer could fire an employee solely for refusing to obey an order to stop speaking, a university could unconstitutionally enjoy “carte blanche to stifle legitimate speech.”

    The Court further held the district court erred when it held that claims against the college administrators were barred by qualified immunity, a doctrine that requires plaintiffs to show a government official violated their “clearly established right” before they can hold those officials accountable for damages. The Ninth Circuit held that at the time Jensen spoke out, “it was clearly established that a professor has a right to speak about a school’s curriculum without being reprimanded, given negative performance reviews, and put through an investigation and termination hearing.”

    The ruling remands the case back to the District Court of Nevada, where Jensen’s First Amendment claims can proceed. He may also choose to amend his other claims as necessary to proceed alongside them. Jensen is also represented by Nevada attorney John Nolan, who brought the lawsuit and wrote the briefs filed with the Ninth Circuit. 

     

    The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.

    CONTACT:

    Alex Griswold, Communications Campaign Manager, FIRE: 215-717-3473; [email protected]

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  • Gettysburg College – Edu Alliance Journal

    Gettysburg College – Edu Alliance Journal

    March 10, 2025, by Dean Hoke: This profile of Gettysburg College is the fifth in a series presenting small colleges throughout the United States.

    Background

    Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a private liberal arts institution located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The 225-acre campus is steeped in history, having served as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg​. An alumnus (David Wills, Class of 1851) invited President Abraham Lincoln to deliver the Gettysburg Address in 1863, tying the college to this pivotal moment in American history​. Gettysburg’s historical significance (from its Civil War connections to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s post-presidency involvement on its Board of Trustees) contributes to its distinctive identity.​

    The college is known for its rigorous academics, close faculty-student mentorship, and emphasis on leadership development. Gettysburg maintains a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, ensuring personalized instruction. It enrolls approximately 2,200 students from across the country and abroad, fostering a diverse and engaged learning community.

    Curricula

    Gettysburg College offers more than 40 majors and 40 minors, spanning the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Popular programs include Business, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, and Health Sciences. The college is home to the Eisenhower Institute provides students with opportunities to engage in public policy and leadership development, while the Civil War Era Studies minor leverages the college’s historical location for in-depth academic exploration. Five years after graduation (as of Fall 2021), 45 percent of this graduating class had received and/or were enrolled in a graduate/professional degree program five years after graduating from Gettysburg. Graduation rates have remained high. The latest 6-year graduation rate was 83%

    Strengths

    • Strong Post-Graduate Outcomes: 98% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within a year of graduation.
    • Experiential Learning: Over 78% of students complete at least one internship, and 55% participate in faculty-mentored research.
    • Leadership Development: Programs such as the Eisenhower Institute provide hands-on training in policy and governance.
    • Historical and Civic Engagement: The college’s proximity to the Gettysburg Battlefield and its Civil War Era Studies program offer students a unique educational experience.

    Weaknesses

    • Financial Resources: Gettysburg’s endowment is moderate compared to some peer institutions, affecting the availability of internal funding for scholarships and program expansion.
    • Enrollment Challenges: The college has seen a gradual decline in student enrollment over the past decade, from a peak of over 2,700 students in 2013 to approximately 2,207 in 2024. Gettysburg’s rural location and relatively small town setting may also be a hurdle in recruiting students who prefer an urban environment or a more expansive social scene.
    • Diversity Initiatives: About 21% of undergraduates are domestic students of color, and 14% are international. While improving, the college’s domestic student diversity (21%) lags behind national averages.

    Economic Impact

    Gettysburg College serves as a major economic engine in its local and regional economy. As one of the largest employers in Adams County, the college provides hundreds of jobs for faculty, administrators, and staff, injecting substantial income into the community through payroll and benefits. The college also attracts thousands of visitors annually for events like Orientation, Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Commencement, as well as academic conferences and cultural events at its facilities (such as the Majestic Theater, a college-owned performing arts center). Also, Gettysburg College’s investment in revitalizing downtown Gettysburg through projects like the Majestic Theater restoration and its support of local internships/service programs help strengthen the social and economic fabric of the area.

    Broader economic analyses highlight the significant spillover effects of colleges like Gettysburg. Many graduates remain in or return to Pennsylvania, joining the workforce and paying taxes. (Statewide data from the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of PA suggests that if ~57% of one graduating class stays in Pennsylvania to work, that cohort would add about $1.5 billion to the state economy over their careers.​

    Enrollment Trends

    As of Fall 2024, Gettysburg College enrolls approximately 2,207 students. Over the past five years, undergraduate enrollment has declined from a peak of 2,500 to 2,200. The shift is attributed to demographic changes and increasing competition among liberal arts colleges. Efforts to stabilize enrollment include enhanced recruitment strategies and expanded financial aid options.

    In the Fall of 2022, Gettysburg College launched and began offering classes for its first part-time master’s degree program, the Master of Arts in American History, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This fully online, 30-credit program is designed for K-12 educators, district supervisors, librarians, museum professionals, and National Park Service employees affiliated with the Gilder Lehrman Institute. It is growing; new graduate programs are in the process of being offered.

    Degrees Awarded by Major

    In the 2023 graduating class, Gettysburg College conferred degrees across the various disciplines.

    Alumni

    According to the college, Gettysburg College has an alumni network of over 32,000 graduates. Approximately 25% of alumni reside in Pennsylvania, with a significant concentration in the greater Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia areas. The college’s alumni are well-represented in fields such as business, law, government, education, and the arts. Career services and networking opportunities ensure that graduates remain engaged and professionally supported.

    Notable Alumni

    • Michael Bishop (Class of 1957): Nobel Prize-winning biomedical researcher in virology and cancer research.
    • Fred Fielding (Class of 1961): 9/11commissioner and White House Council for President Ronald Regan and  George W. Bush.
    • Carol Bellamy (Class of 1963): Former Executive Director of UNICEF and Peace Corps Director.
    • Bruce S. Gordon (Class of 1968): Former President of the NAACP.
    • Kathryn Wolford (Class of 1979: Former President of the McKnight Foundation and Past President of Lutheran World Relief.
    • Carson Kressley (Class of 1991): Television personality, fashion expert, and actor.

    Endowment and Financial Standing

    As of 2023, Gettysburg College’s endowment stands at approximately $380–$400 million. While this represents growth over the past five years, the college remains tuition-dependent, with about 80% of its operating budget coming from student fees. Gettysburg College is stable but budget-conscious. Forbes’ 2023 financial health evaluation gave Gettysburg an approximate “B–” grade, with a financial GPA of around 2.71 on a 4.5 scale, indicating that while the college is not financially distressed.

    Why is Gettysburg College Important

    • Academic Excellence: The college provides a strong liberal arts foundation with small class sizes and individualized instruction.
    • High Graduate Success Rates: With 98% of graduates employed or in graduate school within a year, Gettysburg’s outcomes are among the best for liberal arts colleges.
    • Leadership Development: Programs such as the Eisenhower Institute and Center for Public Service prepare students for civic engagement and public service careers.
    • Historical Significance and Cultural Impact: Its Civil War connections and Lincoln’s legacy make it a unique institution with a strong civic mission. Also Gettysburg College plays a key role in supporting local businesses, employment, and tourism in Gettysburg and beyond.

    With its strong commitment to liberal arts education, leadership development, and historical legacy, Gettysburg College remains a distinguished institution that prepares students for success in an ever-changing world.

    Dean Hoke is Managing Partner of Edu Alliance Group, a higher education consultancy, and a Senior Fellow with the Sagamore Institute. He formerly served as President/CEO of the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA). With decades of experience in higher education leadership, consulting, and institutional strategy, he brings a wealth of knowledge on small colleges’ challenges and opportunities. Dean, along with Kent Barnds, are co-hosts for the podcast series Small College America. Season two begins on March 11, 2025.

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  • Talent pipeline for local businesses supports college students

    Talent pipeline for local businesses supports college students

    About four in 10 college students believe developing specific skills needed for their career is among the most important outcomes to them in their academic experience, according to a winter 2023 Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse. However, 22 percent of all respondents indicated they had never participated in experiential learning or an internship.

    Champlain College in Vermont partnered with a local coworking campus and business incubator, Hula, in 2023 to build a talent pipeline for local businesses and expose students to new and maybe unfamiliar career opportunities.

    Over the past two years, the partnership has resulted in real-life case studies and client-facing work for students and faculty, as well as greater engagement with young talent for employers.

    What’s the need: “One thing that’s very apparent in Vermont is we need young talent,” says Angelika Koukoulas, Champlain’s Innovation Hub Project Manager, who oversees the Hula-Champlain partnership.

    Vermont experiences the worst brain drain in the country, losing 57.5 percent of its college graduates, many of whom move to Massachusetts or New York, according to 2022 data analysis.

    Koukoulas’s role is to help students identify work experiences in Vermont and build relationships with employers to fill holes in their workforces.

    “They need more hands, they need big ideas, they need students who are excited about their work and are willing to put in effort to learn,” Koukoulas says.

    There’s also a national shortage of internship opportunities, one that is tied to a mismatch in employer needs and student interests. The partnership addresses both comprehensively by weighing all stakeholders’ interests.

    How it works: Hula is about a mile away from Champlain College and just down the road from the college’s Miller Center campus.

    The coworking space supports 60 member businesses and up to 600 coworking individuals. The businesses belong to a variety of industries, including green technology and marketing, as well as traditional business or finance roles.

    A majority of the collaborations fall into two camps: companies providing projects for capstone-like courses for experiential learning or companies creating internships for students.

    Inquiries can come directly from faculty members looking to revamp curriculum or offer real-world scenarios for students to engage their skills or from employers who have a specific need and want young talent to assist them. Often, start-ups are looking for student support for social media or blog-writing campaigns, but there’s also a need for general business admin or accounting support, Koukoulas says.

    For internships, Koukoulas will serve as a recruiter of sorts for the company partner, assisting them in creating the job description and posting it on Handshake and also encouraging students she believes would be a good fit to apply and increasing the number of applicants for the business partner.

    “It widens their candidate pool and hopefully gets more students opportunities that they wouldn’t have even thought of otherwise,” Koukoulas says.

    All projects have been pro-bono, so the company invests zero dollars to enlist a class for work, but almost all internships have been paid roles.

    What’s different: Hula serves both as a business partner, hiring interns and supporting class projects, but also as an incubator for small businesses in Vermont.

    The people who work on Hula’s campus rotate, meaning there’s continual variety of the types of industries or groups students could partner with. The climate of the office building also means businesses are innovation and creatively minded, making partnership more natural.

    Koukoulas has an office at Hula, meaning she can directly engage in communal spaces or in building channels to solicit employer partnerships.

    Vermont also has a very relational culture, something Koukoulas has had to navigate as a more recent resident to the Green Mountain State, whether the relationships are with faculty—who have taught a course for a long time and may be hesitant to make changes—or with businesses leaders, who consider their start-up to be their baby and may be uncomfortable letting a student participate in their work.

    There’s an educational piece to the puzzle, both helping faculty identify their ask for project and employers create meaningful internships for learners. Koukoulas hosted an Internship 101 workshop for Hula businesses to set expectations for internships and provide guidance on best practices, such as providing students a mentor. She also hosts regular lunch for interns who work within the Hula offices to check in and provide support as needed.

    The impact: Since the partnership launched in summer 2023, 90 students have engaged in a Hula-based project within a course, and 18 students have participated in an internship.

    The partnership is in its early stages, so Champlain doesn’t have data on how students have translated their work with the start-ups into longer-term career development, but exposure to new careers and experiential learning are two benefits Koukoulas is eager to see manifest.

    “I can’t wait to see if it works; I can’t wait to see the fruit of that labor in the next couple of years,” Koukoulas says.

    If your student success program has a unique feature or twist, we’d like to know about it. Click here to submit.

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  • Anonymous alum donates $51M to Smith College

    Anonymous alum donates $51M to Smith College

    Smith College has received a $51 million gift from an anonymous alumna, the Massachusetts women’s college announced Thursday.

    It is the largest planned gift in the institution’s history and will be used to support financial aid and two faculty positions: one in engineering and one in statistical and data sciences.

    Boosting financial aid “will allow young women from all economic backgrounds to realize their biggest dreams for educational opportunity, permitting them to make a difference in their local communities, in their nations, and in the advancement of humankind worldwide,” said the donor, who graduated in 1979.

    She also articulated her belief in the value of STEM education.

    “In an age in which it is more important than ever for women to excel in technology, especially in the fields of engineering and computing, it is crucial to endow a leading educational institution like Smith College and to benefit women’s contributions in the STEM fields.”

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