Higher Education Matters

It was a big year for higher education in Kentucky. The state made an unprecedented investment in our higher education system. Kentucky led the way in improving college completion rates nationally. The Council on Postsecondary Education’s new strategic agenda went into effect.

CPE President Aaron Thompson joins host Rick Smith to talk about the strides our higher education system made in 2022 and where we are going in the coming year.

Resources:

Higher Education Matters: A Statewide Strategic Agenda for Kentucky Postsecondary Education, 2022-2030.

#KentuckyHigherEducation #HigherEducation #WorkforceDevelopment

Is college worth the investment? The public perception that college is worth the time and money is declining, especially among low-income Americans. In this episode, Brigitte Blom, president and CE0 of the Prichard Committee, discusses how crucial increasing educational attainment is to Kentucky’s economy.

Next, former CPE researcher Grace Dai uses data to bust myths around college affordability and the return on investment of college degrees and credentials.

Resources:
Early Economic Return on Higher Education Investment Report: https://cpe.ky.gov/data/reports/2021roireport.pdf
The Prichard Committee: https://prichardcommittee.org/

Dr. Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, discusses the return on investment of college for both students and the state, Kentucky’s success at closing opportunity gaps, and how to connect higher education with the needs of employers. Thompson, a first-generation college-goer, also shares how college changed the trajectory of his life and the importance of mentorship.

Kim Dolan, director of outreach services at the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, joins the podcast to talk about the importance of the FAFSA and bust myths around college affordability.

Visit kheaa.com for more information on planning for college and financial aid.

#KentuckyHigherEducation #FAFSA #StudentDebt

Guests:

Dr. Lilly Massa-McKinley, executive director, CPE Kentucky Student Success Collaborative

Phyllis Clark, associate director, CPE Kentucky Student Success Collaborative

Dr. Beth Ann Collins, associate director, CPE Kentucky Student Success Collaborative

What factors help or hinder a student from making it to and through college? Dr. Rick Smith is joined by his colleagues from the Council on Postsecondary Education’s Student Success Collaborative to talk about the myriad factors that make students successful in college from mental health to student basic needs to ease of transfer.