Thursday, June 11, 2020
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) recently announced a first-of-its-kind program to support DCPS alumni as they transition to and through college. Supported by the DC Public Education Fund through a generous investment from the A. James & Alice...
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
The tremendous disruption and uncertainty caused by COVID-19 to everyday lives and to the economy has pummeled our country. While over 40 million people have filed unemployment claims, the pandemic has had a concentrated impact on our most vulnerable populations....
Thursday, May 21, 2020
The massive economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered lives and livelihoods. This pandemic has put a spotlight on the vulnerability of low-skilled, non-credentialed workers, with less-educated people losing work at three times the rate of those...
Friday, May 1, 2020
The ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the loss of millions of jobs. Though some of these job losses are temporary, others will be permanent. As they look for ways to return to work, many newly-unemployed individuals...
Thursday, April 9, 2020
As the leader of an organization with a deep focus on closing equity gaps and opening up pathways to economic opportunity, the COVID-19 crisis gives me substantial heartburn. It also gives me hope.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
What is one of the most powerful predictors of a student’s likelihood to enroll and succeed in higher education? Whether that student earned postsecondary credit while in high school—through completion of a dual enrollment course, passage of an Advanced Placement...
Friday, December 20, 2019
Pablo Picasso famously stated that “goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
Friday, December 13, 2019
In a time of immense disagreement on Capitol Hill, one thing Democrats and Republicans agree on is the need to fix the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This week, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to simplify the FAFSA for...
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
October 1 means the start of a new cycle for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In my previous work at a local education agency and in higher education institutions, I had the opportunity to counsel families...
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
As the 2019 track and field world championships take place in Doha, Qatar this month, I am really looking forward to my favorite event: 4×100 relay. This event tops my list because of what it represents – teamwork at its...
Monday, June 17, 2019
As a program director at City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College, I shared an office with the College’s Emergency Fund administrator. The Fund, which provides grants to students to cover small expenses such as textbooks, transportation or other...
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
As a first-generation college graduate, the success of first-generation college students is a personal priority. With #CelebrateFirstGen trending on social media last week as part the First-Generation College Celebration, I began to think about the important role that policymakers and...