In his latest for Forbes, Lumina Foundation CEO Jamie Merisotis shows why college costs continue to erode public trust. Even with financial aid, too many students struggle to afford food, housing, and tuition. If we want three-fourths of Americans to hold college degrees or workforce credentials, we need bold, systemic change. That means rethinking who pays, how long it takes, and how we recognize learning. Real change starts with making education after high school more affordable, transparent, and valuable for everyone. (fb)

Getting in the door isn’t enough. We’ve got to get people out the door, and with a credential of value. Lumina Foundation President and CEO Jamie Merisotis sat down with journalist Paul Fain to unpack what higher ed needs to do next. In this powerful conversation at the ASU GSV Summit last month, Jamie made the case for moving beyond access and attainment into an era focused on credentials of value. He called the attainment era from 2008 to 2023 "one of the least well understood, large-scale social successes that we've seen in this country," where the U.S. increased degree or credential attainment from 38 percent to 55 percent. "That is an extraordinary change," he said. "That era is something that I think we should celebrate as we face these new challenges that clearly we're facing in the system." This conversation gets real about aligning education with work, using tech to personalize learning, and preparing learners not just for the now, but for the next. "The goal is economic prosperity through learning, earning, and serving others." Watch the full discussion: #ASUGSVSummit (fb)