The Illinois Board of Higher Education is among the winners of a national competition to improve the college admissions process and increase people's access to higher education.

The board received a $750,000 award from Lumina Foundation to implement a direct-admissions program for community college transfer students and recent high school graduates.

Ginger Ostro, the board's executive director, said it will streamline procedures and promote inclusivity to ensure all students have equitable opportunities.

"It's really important to emphasize that this is a key strategy towards equity and addressing the needs of historically underserved students," she said, "and really recognizing the importance of higher education in social and economic mobility."

Ostro said the direct admissions program will proactively inform eligible students that they have been accepted at a particular institution - without the student having to submit an application.

The foundation's Great Admissions Redesign competition awarded grants to seven educational institutions across the country. After reviewing more than 70 applications and using criteria to ensure fair and just outcomes for underserved students, Lumina awarded more than $3 million in implementation and planning grants.

Ostro said the Illinois program's primary goal is to change the way college admissions are conducted.

"Direct admissions would allow us to use data that we already have at the state level to identify students who are already qualified for admission at our various public universities," she said.

Melanie Heath, strategy director at Lumina, called the program "innovative and unique," and said it should simplify the admissions process so more Illinoisans have an opportunity for higher education.

"If a system is incredibly complicated," she said, "then those that have the time and resources and support can navigate it, and those that don't are disproportionately burdened with that process."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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The University of Maine is helping to train the next generation of skilled aquaculture workers.

Designs for a new $10 million Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce Innovation Center on the Orono campus will begin this fall.

Debbie Bouchard, associate extension professor and director of the Aquaculture Research Institute, said students will gain real-world experience growing fish on land in recirculating tanks.

"Having the extra space to engage more students in systems that resemble those of commercial scale is going to be really exciting for us," Bouchard explained.

Bouchard pointed out four large aquaculture companies moving into Maine have already contacted the school in search of workers. The Maine Aquaculture Association estimated more than 1,300 additional employees will be needed over the next fifteen years.

Aquaculture is considered one of the world's fastest growing food systems as many wild fish populations recover from overfishing and global demand for fresh seafood continues to climb. Bouchard noted the center will support the sustainable growth of aquaculture in Maine and even teach students the skills needed to run their own shellfish or fin fish businesses.

"Being able to assess water quality, being able to determine production systems, animal husbandry for fin fish, fish health sort of observation," Bouchard outlined.

Bouchard emphasized the new aquaculture center will support greater food security and climate resilience through research and innovation. The U.S. currently imports roughly 65% of its seafood. She added students have a unique opportunity to help increase domestic food production and support coastal communities.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

First generation students attending the University of New Hampshire benefit from a growing trove of campus resources to ensure their success.

The school was recently selected to join the FirstGen Forward Network, which helps create campus environments that improve the academic and social experiences of these students - all of whom are the first in their families to attend higher education.

Donna Perez, executive director of UHS's Institute for Student Success, said many first gen students are navigating college on their own.

"Some of that social capital, or networking or familiarity with a college campus that continuing generation students might have," said Perez, "some first gen students don't have that when they get here."

Perez said inclusion in the FirstGen Forward Network is a boon for UNH, connecting it to peer institutions nationwide also working to improve first gen student outcomes.

Research shows that once on campus, first gen students are less likely to complete a degree.

Twenty percent of undergraduate students on the UNH Durham campus are first gen. That number jumps to more than 40% in Manchester, and nearly 70% in the College of Professional Studies Online.

Perez said staff routinely work with these students to build confidence in engaging with campus organizations or even attending a professor's office hours.

She said it helps when they see a "proud first gen" sticker on their instructor's door.

"So, we're trying to build an identity that we have not previously had on the campus for what being a first-gen student is," said Perez, "and we're lucky to have lots of our administrators, faculty, and staff who were first-gen themselves."

Perez said that includes the Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, and even the president of UNH herself.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.





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College financial aid experts in Massachusetts say this year's phased rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid should be error free.

The revised form, which unlocks student loans and grants for millions of American students will be tested by select schools starting in October before a full launch on Dec. 1.

Julie Shields-Rutyna, director of college planning for the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, said she feels optimistic families will avoid the stress of last school year's technical debacle.

"Hopefully, most of those glitches are fixed," Shields-Rutyna stressed. "Hopefully the dream of the simplified FAFSA will start to be realized this year."

She pointed out students can get a jump start on their college plans by registering for upcoming admissions and financial aid webinars designed to help families more easily navigate what can often be a stressful process.

A recent survey of nearly 400 private colleges and universities revealed FAFSA delays and technical errors may have already altered this fall's incoming class. Roughly 75% of schools reported changes in the composition of their first-year students while more than 40% said enrollment is down from last year.

Shields-Rutyna observed students with parents lacking Social Security numbers suffered numerous delays while some students are still waiting to finalize their financial aid awards.

"Some of those students who had so many problems," Shields-Rutyna acknowledged. "They might have made other decisions because it was just, just too much to get through."

She added aid experts saw firsthand the challenges many students experienced in trying to determine whether they could afford college. Fortunately, the aid experts also experienced the FAFSA glitches and are better prepared to help families with any potential issues that lay ahead.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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