Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Talent
Lumina Foundation presents conversations with newsmakers and thought leaders in the field of education and training after high school. Hear from people working to attract, retain, and cultivate the talent America needs for the 21st century.
- Update frequency
- every 31 days
- Average duration
- 58 minutes
- Episodes
- 52
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Progress and Potential: Adults with Some College, No Credential
This summer, the National Student Clearinghouse issued a new report with mixed news. While many states have made progress in re-enrolling people who have some college credit but have yet to earn the…
Four-year Degrees at Two-year Colleges: A Growing Trend
Twenty-four states allow community and technical colleges to issue bachelors degrees. Proponents argue that these programs are tightly aligned to workforce needs, more affordable, and meet the needs …
Meaningful climate action is higher ed’s responsibility
Discover how higher education serves as a catalyst for climate solutions and societal progress in this live taping of Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Talent podcast from the 2025 SXSW Podcast Lounge. Le…
Do Americans Think College is Worth It?
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans that currently do not have a degree believe that earning an academic credential is valuable. And yet, there is waning confidence in higher education across the country, as m…
AI is Unable to Outpace Higher Education
This live session, taped at SXSW 2025, explores the interplay between higher education and artificial intelligence, delving into how academic institutions are responding to the proliferation of AI in…
What’s a Primary Driver of U.S. Prosperity?
In this special edition, we have a conversation on how to drive economic growth, strengthen civic life, and equip individuals to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Experts from workforce, higher edu…
Mascots, Marketing, and Making Moves
Community colleges play a critical role in America, but many struggle to tell their own story. This episode dives into how schools are using SEO, branding, and mobile-friendly marketing to reshape pe…
How FAFSA Got Fixed
In a word, the 2024 FAFSA season was rough. Released late, riddled with errors, and issues with processing led to a chaotic college enrollment season for schools and families. With the 2025 FAFSA now…
Redesigning College Admissions
Colleges and universities are facing a demographic shift now dubbed the “enrollment cliff.” Concerns over a decline in the number of traditional age students has led some institutions to rethink adm…
The Dismantling of DEI Efforts
States across the country have proposed or enacted legislation that hampers or eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on college campuses. These efforts range from removing diversity st…
A Stronger Nation, Year After Year
Recently released data on Lumina’s Stronger Nation tool shows that the national education attainment rate has reached 54.3 percent. The country has increased in education attainment by 16 percentage …
The Demand for Career Pathways
There is a staffing crisis in healthcare - a crisis that is so bad, that some are calling it a national emergency. To meet today’s and tomorrow’s labor demand, leaders need to provide clear and suppo…
Addressing Mental Health on College Campuses
A new report from NASPA and Uwill sheds light on the growing need and urgency to provide mental health services on college campuses. In this episode, we discuss the findings from this national surve…
State and Federal Policy Round Up
Listen in as state and federal policy experts weigh in on the major themes from 2022 and expectations for 2023. Julie Peller from Higher Learning Advocates walks through the major movements at the f…
Understanding Public Narratives About Workforce and Higher Education
Mainstream media and industry news shapes, reinforces, and redresses commonly held narratives - those underlying beliefs and attitudes that drive human behavior - about higher education and the workf…
What it Takes To Return: Adults in Higher Education - Part 2
Institutions and non-profits across the country are providing new kinds of services and redesigning policies and practices to support more adults in higher education. In part 2, we talk with Malik Br…
What it Takes To Return: Adults in Higher Education - Part 1
Millions of adults in the US have some college credit but never finished their degree. The path back into school a second time is much harder to navigate. We begin a two-part series by talking with …
The Mental Health Crisis and Higher Education
A new study conducted by Gallup and Lumina Foundation found that three-fourths of students in bachelor’s programs and two-thirds of adults seeking associate degrees have considered taking a break fr…
The Power of State Networks
Aligning the work of state agencies, colleges, universities, community organizations, and philanthropy towards common goals takes trust, a neutral intermediary, and a focus on what is best for studen…
Racial Equity in Higher Education Policy
States across the country are re-examining higher education laws, policies, and regulations to better serve the needs of Today’s Students. Scott Jenkins, Lumina Foundation’s strategy director for …