EducationDynamics’ Post

As a first generation to university goer myself, this nuanced article by Wonkhe is really refreshing. Yes, some first generation students do not come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds but it is a mistake not to recognise that regardless of income, first generation students struggle with 'the unique psychological and cultural challenges of adapting' to the unfamiliarity of university life and are more likely to drop out. The article also touches on students’ approach to their degrees. For instance, first gens’ desire to do well risking them missing out on the wider cultural benefits of university. It’s imperative that we are alive to these types of factors if we are to create an inclusive learning environment where students like these can grasp all the advantages that university has to offer. 

Capturing insights from first-gen students in a scholarship program, this article highlights five common themes from their lived experiences. Listening to young people is critical to our ability to not only amplify their voices but continue to move toward real educational equity. https://bit.ly/3TNfcld

BYU-Pathway Worldwide is taking the "elite" out of education and democratizing it for the world. If you know of anyone needing more education to improve their job prospects, whether in the US or internationally have them consider getting started via BYU-Pathway (https://lnkd.in/gfptWQB4). Here is a great article on what BYU-Pathway is doing and where it is going and BYU-Idaho is playing a significant role in creating the courses used by BYU-Pathway:

Scholarship applications are now open for submission! 📝 Don't miss this chance to secure one of eight, $3,000 scholarships to use towards your education. We believe everyone should have equal opportunity to access quality education and we want to help make it happen with the 2024 There’s Space for Everyone Scholarship. We will award a total of eight $3,000 scholarships: Five (5) scholarships to any student attending an accredited college or university in the U.S., and three (3) scholarships to employees or immediate family members of Extra Space Storage. All it takes is a brief 500-800 word essay answering this question: How have you exhibited a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, or social justice through work, service, or other extra-curricular activities, and how will your education help you continue this commitment during college and beyond? Apply today! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gcGG36Tu ***Applications are accepted through May 31, 2024*** #scholarship #education #student

Read this Evaluation Brief to learn the results of the $30 million STEM Higher Education Project to improve university education from MCC’s Georgia II Compact. https://lnkd.in/eFgZp5B8

Read this Evaluation Brief to learn the results of the $30 million STEM Higher Education Project to improve university education from MCC’s Georgia II Compact. https://lnkd.in/eFgZp5B8

My dream college since I was ten years old was UCLA. We were having lunch with my parents in Westwood in the 80s and I was mesmerized with the campus. I was fortunate to be accepted to UCLA as a #LAUSD #alumni along with my wonderful H. S. English teacher, Ms. Barbara Barnett. She was enrolling in the School of Education to complete her PhD. During orientation, one of the deans decided that his motivational speech will encourage us into action by sharing the following ice-breaker: Look to your left and to your right; only one of you is going to make it! I had just made it to my dream school so I was expecting that this dean would follow-up his exercise with: UCLA wants you all to graduate and we provide the following services to make your college dream become a reality! Unfortunately, that never happened. It was in that moment that he planted my student activism seed. I wanted all of us to graduate and I became part of a group of student campus leaders that created our own student-run, student-led retention programs. ScholarMatch is a continuation of that legacy. Our mission is to support underserved first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds to earn a bachelor’s degree within five years. We provide virtual individualized advising, targeted financial support, and career mentoring all the way to graduation. Our data shows that a combination of programming, career pathway, and flexible funding is the right formula to support undergraduate students. Our 4-year (55%) and 5-year graduation rates (80%) are higher than the national rate because our student-centered services work! Join us and make a difference. #payitforward #collegeaccess #collegegraduation

Important updates for Hope Scholarship families!

Did you know only about 1 in 8 college students win a scholarship? And even fewer, just 0.1%, win $25,000 or more each year . Scholarships aren't just about good grades; they're about showing excellence in areas that matter to the provider. This is often missed during application season! #highereducation #education #scholarships Check out the comments for more resources!

Our paper about our S-STEM Scholarship program (TRAIN Scholars) and what we learned is now published. Please take a look and let me know what you think.