Make Me Care About College

05/03/23 • 18 min

With rising tuition and the changing nature of work, is college worth it? According to the president of Northern Arizona University, the answer is yes, and he’s on a mission to make the case for the value of postsecondary education for not just students, but also society. In this episode, we hear what the return on investment is in getting a postsecondary education, particularly for students moving out of poverty.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Jose Luis Cruz Rivera, president of Northern Arizona University, member of the Postsecondary Value Commission in the United States. Jen and Jose Luis discuss how college is the best vehicle to allow a person to be a lifelong learner and have better economic and non-economic returns. This is particularly true for low-income students moving out of poverty who can better understand and experience opportunity and upward mobility as well as grow their earnings to sustain themselves and their families. College has also shown to increase levels of civic engagement, better health, critical thinking and literacy, showing that four-year degrees provide the highest return on investment. It’s important to meet students where they are, working with K12 schools and considering contexts like financial pressures, housing insecurity, food insecurity, mental health issues to create favorable conditions for learning. This is part of an effort to make postsecondary more accessible and navigable for all.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

To learn more about college:

Postsecondary Success Strategy: https://usprogram.gatesfoundation.org/what-we-do/postsecondary-success

Postsecondary Value Commission: Is College Worth It?: https://postsecondaryvalue.org/

NAU 2025 – Elevating Excellence: https://nau.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/197/0613_742018_OOP-Elevating-Excellence-Brochure-FY22_9x9_ADA-FINAL.pdf

IHEP Case Study: Student Success is in the DNA of NAU: https://www.ihep.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IHEP_VDC_CaseStudy_NAU_rd3_print-1-1.pdf

For more on the work of our guest, Jose Luis Cruz Rivera: https://nau.edu/president/jose-luis-cruz-rivera-biography/

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com

Our production staff includes Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Julia Natt, and our sound designer Kristin Mueller. Our Executive Producer is Eric Nuzum and the host is Jen Hatmaker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

To learn more about college:

Postsecondary Success Strategy: https://usprogram.gatesfoundation.org/what-we-do/postsecondary-success

Postsecondary Value Commission: Is College Worth It?: https://postsecondaryvalue.org/

NAU 2025 – Elevating Excellence: https://nau.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/197/0613_742018_OOP-Elevating-Excellence-Brochure-FY22_9x9_ADA-FINAL.pdf

IHEP Case Study: Student Success is in the DNA of NAU: https://www.ihep.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IHEP_VDC_CaseStudy_NAU_rd3_print-1-1.pdf

For more on the work of our guest, Jose Luis Cruz Rivera: https://nau.edu/president/jose-luis-cruz-rivera-biography/

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com

Our production staff includes Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Julia Natt, and our sound designer Kristin Mueller. Our Executive Producer is Eric Nuzum and the host is Jen Hatmaker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Make Me Care About My Kid's Friend Circle

Having friends from diverse economic backgrounds is beneficial for all of us, but it is especially important for kids from low-income communities. Learn why, as well as how and where to make friends with people who are different from you.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Abigail Hiller, Research Translation Manager, Opportunity Insights in the United States. Jen and Abigail discuss how having friends from diverse economic backgrounds is beneficial for all of us but is especially important for children from low-income communities. This is because these social networks can help children excel despite challenges like poverty, wealth inequality, and racial segregation. It is important to overcome our friendship biases, which wire us to socialize only with those who share similar backgrounds, and foster cross class connections to increase professional opportunity, mobility, and income for marginalized communities and create a fairer, more interconnected society and economy.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

To learn more about My Kid’s Friends Circle:

Opportunity Insights: https://opportunityinsights.org/

Social Atlas: https://socialcapital.org/

For more on the work of our guest, Abigail Hiller: https://bfi.uchicago.edu/scholar/abby-hiller/

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com

Our production staff includes Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Julia Natt, and our sound designer Kristin Mueller. Our Executive Producer is Eric Nuzum and the host is Jen Hatmaker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Make Me Care About Ancient Grains

Did you know that most of the world is consuming food that's more than 10,000 years old? Well, at least descended from the same plant...Quinoa, farro, millet, sorghum, teff, fonio, and even things like rice and corn are all considered ancient grains. These grains may hold the answer to providing food security in a world affected by climate change as they are easy to grow, hearty, and drought resistant.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

To learn more about ancient grains:

Agriculture Development : https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-growth-and-opportunity/agricultural-development

The world food system is under threat. It doesn’t have to be that way: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/war-in-ukraine-and-global-food-crisis

Adapting to climate change: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/climate-change-agriculture-africa

The Future of Food: Chef Pierre Thiam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei35DSYxcRo

Mark Suzman: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/mark-suzman-climate-adaption

Rodger Voorhies: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/rodger-voorhies-climate-adaptation

Enock Chikava: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/global-food-shortage-update-ukraine-war?utm_source=to&utm_medium=em&utm_campaign=wc&utm_term=lgc

For more on the work of our guest, Chef Pierre Thiam: https://www.pierrethiam.com/

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com

Our production staff includes Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Julia Natt, and our sound designer Kristin Mueller. Our Executive Producer is Eric Nuzum and the host is Jen Hatmaker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.