Daily Lumina News 062421

What skills, knowledge, and abilities do students develop as they navigate through college? And how can colleges equip graduates to understand and explain their capabilities to employers and others?
On this episode of The Key, Insiya Bream of the University of Maryland Global Campus explains the “comprehensive learner record” her school has created to help MBA students. Matthew Pittinsky of Parchment joins the conversation with his thoughts on why a “better transcript”—often discussed in the context of professionally focused learning like at UMGC—could actually help liberal arts institutions make their case for the value of what they do.

During the summer of 2020, Natasha Zieroth-Chaumont and her daughter, Natalia, watched from their home north of Seattle, waiting to see what would happen with Natalia’s second year at the University of Idaho.
For students who returned to campus for the 2020-21 school year, showing up was a matter of staying on schedule—or getting back on track. It meant setting aside concerns about the coronavirus, or accepting their schools’ required protocols. Three students share their stories from an unusual year.

The University Innovation Alliance (UIA), a pioneering consortium of public research universities focused on helping more students graduate with a high-quality and affordable education, made news this month with an announcement that it had exceeded graduation targets by more 73,000 students.
Now comes the group's next big goal: tackling disparities in students’ success. Reporter Goldie Blumenstyk shares insight from a chancellor of a member institution and UIA's executive director.

The coronavirus cost some transfer students more than worry and anxiety over falling ill. It cost them internships and research opportunities, chances to work closely with renowned faculty, and even travel abroad as part of their studies.
With less time on campus than the traditional freshmen or sophomores who arrive as high school graduates, some question whether transfer students can get any of that time and those opportunities back. Some colleges are taking steps to make sure they do.