Lessons Earned Strada Education Network & Antica Productions

When Zaldwaynaka (“Z”) Scott became president of Chicago State University in 2018, things were in pretty dire straits: the state budget had been slashed, operations rolled back, and they had gone years without permanent leadership. A mere four years later, things look very different and CSU is now in the top 4% of universities nationally for supporting students’ economic mobility. She explains how she turned things around and why, as she likes to say, “a strong Chicago State … is a strong United States.”

Millie Garcia understands the needs of first-generation college students because she was one. Now, as president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Millie advocates for students just like herself – a group she calls "the new majority" (low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color). She shares what she’s learned about the importance of diversifying higher ed, from students and faculty to the highest leadership positions on campus.

Americans are quitting their jobs at unprecedented rates, leaving millions of job openings and no one to fill them. The Great Resignation is likely motivated, at least in part, by the pandemic. But this trend speaks to a broader disconnect between employer needs and employee wants — a trend that’s been worsening for years now. Michele Chang, from the U.S. Department of Commerce, explains what the federal government is doing to help workers and employers address this.

We know a college degree is a requirement for many jobs in the United States. Yet nearly two-thirds of Americans never earn a degree. Google’s Lisa Gevelber says short-term credential programs could be the key to improving career opportunities for more people. And they might even create a more equitable labor market in the process.

Is the so-called “student debt crisis” really a crisis? Author Beth Akers brings an economist’s view of the ROI on education and says, on average, college is still worth the price — if you do it right.

A college or university can be deemed a "Hispanic Serving Institution" if at least a quarter of its students are Latino. But Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia in Education, says serving Latino students is about more than just enrolling them. It’s about supporting their journey through college graduation and into the workforce. We talk to Deborah about the Seal of Excelencia, and along the way, we learn about her own journey as a military brat and first-generation college student.