A Second Chance at Higher Education

HLA Insights and Outlooks A second chance at higher education Cordero Holmes

Growing up in a low socioeconomic area in Phoenix, Arizona, surrounded by gangs, violence, and drugs, I never thought that college was a place for me. Instead, as a teen, I envisioned myself selling drugs, robbing people, and spending most of my days in prison. So when I was 20 years old and was sentenced…

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Building a Packet for Success

Class of 2019 grad with two children

Back to school shopping should be an exciting time for many children and parents. Yet, for families that have to decide between a pack of binders or a pack of diapers for the week, it can be an extremely stressful time. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of what back to school shopping looks like. Forget…

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Lack of Broadband Access is a Barrier to Our Pandemic Recovery

In Alabama, COVID-19 has our state colored red for a reason other than its political party representation. Our state is considered a ‘hot spot’ due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths. As our nation’s education system grapples with safe ways to re-open in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, communities where inequities…

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The Phoenix

unlit lightbulb on a chalkboard

Here I lay on my pyre, contemplating change and my eventual rise. My rise was not certain because I was dying a slow death of isolation, shame, and the contempt that surrounded me.  Higher education saved my life. Access to higher education counteracts these circumstances and this is not an exaggeration. I challenge the reader…

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Persistence and Retention at Colleges and Universities

portrait of Adrian Williams

The dictionary definition of persistence is having a “firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty and oppression.” For many college students in America, that definition accurately describes their college experience. Gone are the days when average students could aim to attend college out of pocket and stress-free while being…

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More Than Access

portrait of a man

I remember having a conversation with my mother when I was first considering college as a young teen. She urged, “Yo quiero lo mejor para ti. I want you to have the best education–to have a better life than I could ever make for myself. I want to be there to see mi hijo (my…

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My Higher Education Story

In September 2017, I graduated from The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP) with a bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics. Though I had completed the program online, I drove nearly 200 miles from my home in San Antonio, Texas, to the graduation ceremony in Houston. That might seem like a lengthy drive, but it was…

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My Student Story as an Independent Student

Daquawn Bruce

Editor’s Note: In this video narrative, Carthage College student Daquawn Bruce discusses his experience as a financially independent student and community college transfer. This story is Daquawn Bruce’s video submission to Higher Learning Advocates’ Voices of Today’s Students, a national campaign to educate policymakers about the demographic shift and experiences of the modern higher learning…

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