Video Series: Opportunity

When the United States first began a system of higher education, it was designed for wealthy White men. That’s not a controversial statement; that’s simply a fact. To say the world has changed since then is like saying cars today have changed a bit since the Model T was first designed. Like a car, higher education should be designed to get people where they want to go — namely to a better living and a better life. But in too many cases and too many ways, the system can provide the education equivalent of a 1973 Ford Pinto while expecting the results of a Ferrari.

A 1922 Model T. The car was initially made in any color buyers wanted, so long as they color they wanted was black. A more diverse array of options later became available, including blue, gray, green, and red.

Students in college today are more diverse than ever before. One in three students are 25 or older and around one in ten are first-generation immigrants. A solid 40% are not simply working in addition to studying — they are holding down full-time jobs. Today’s students include people raising children, people caring for older family members, veterans with years of military service, and people studying while incarcerated or re-entering after serving time. Take a listen to this video to better understand today’s landscape:

I’m proud to be part of the team at IHEP for another week before moving back to an organization I began several years ago. I’ll take with me a deeper understanding of how higher education can benefit students, their families, and entire communities, and a motivation to ensure “the most important door” is open wide to all students today and for decades to come.

(If $956 BILLION caught your attention — and it should — here’s the summary of the report explaining that number, and a full collection of reports on the potential of higher education.)

IHEP senior research analyst Genevieve Garcia Kendrick voiced the video above, which we created with the talented team at Minerva Consulting, a woman-owned, full-service communications firm dedicated to social impact.

I share my passion for advocacy, storytelling, and bridging divides via workshops and trainings, both online and in-person. If your team or organization could better use storytelling for impact, let’s connect: http://bit.ly/ContactPiper

Fishing for Opportunity