Are Gen Z’s Degrees a “Waste”?
For decades, the attainment of a four-year degree has been considered an essential aspect of the American experience. Every year, mere months after completing high school, millions of young graduates…
Articles by Sophia Damian
Should Professors Be Career Mentors?
The original purpose of the university was simple: the academic formation of its students. Over the past several decades, however, society’s perception of higher-education institutions has grown to encompass numerous…
A Welcome Post-DEI “Boost”
On February 5, 2025, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) launched Boost, an “accelerated college to career program” designed to move lower-income students into the “high-wage, in-demand careers” that…
How Can States Offer More Apprenticeships?
Over the last 10 years, apprenticeships have gained increasing popularity in the United States. Active registered apprentices have grown from 410,000 to 667,000 since 2011, with new sign-ups increasing by…
Are Microcredentials Worth the Cost?
In recent years, short-term credentials (also known as “microcredentials” or “postsecondary programs and certificates … which generally take one year or less to earn”) have gained traction among students wishing…
Professors’ Self-Censoring Has Consequences
In a recent Inside Higher Ed/Hanover Research survey, over 90 percent of college professors from public, private, two-year, and four-year universities said they strongly or somewhat agree that academic freedom…
“We Need to Make a Change”
Duke College Republicans (DCR), founded in 1965, was an active organization on the Durham campus for 55 years before its sudden dissolution during the 2020 election season. After four years…
College Seniors Don’t Have to Be Pessimistic About the Future
In a recent Handshake survey, 57 percent of participating college seniors said they “feel pessimistic about starting their careers.” Further, 68 percent are at least “somewhat stressed” about their futures,…
Let’s Train Students on AI
In a recent Digital Education Council survey, 86 percent of college students said they “‘regularly’ used programs such as ChatGPT in their studies,” while over half of students claimed to…
College Officials Are Whistling Past the Graveyard
A combination of falling demand and higher costs created a “tough year” for colleges in fiscal 2023. Recent reports by S&P Global Ratings found that median full-time-equivalent enrollment fell 0.8…