Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Gates Foundation Launches Higher Ed Podcast "To A Degree"

  • 04/03/17

What: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced the launch of a new podcast series dedicated to higher education. By 2025, two-thirds of jobs will require education beyond high school — yet half of students who start college don't graduate, and a high-income student is five times as likely to have a degree by age 24 than a low-income student.

The profile of college students is also changing. The majority of students are no longer 18- to 21-year-olds who enroll full-time and live on campus. Rather, the majority of students work while going to college, 40 percent are 25 or older, one-third are first generation college goers, and many are low-income students and students of color.

To A Degree aims to show how higher education must evolve to better support today's college students. The goal of the foundation's Postsecondary Success team is to help more students — especially low-income and first-generation students — graduate at higher rates, with high-quality degrees or certificates at an affordable price.

Who:
Dan Greenstein, director of Postsecondary Success, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Bridget Burns, executive director, University Innovation Alliance
Deborah Santiago, chief operating officer and vice president for policy, Excelencia in Education
Moderator: Casey Green, founding director, The Campus Computing Project

Where:  The podcast is available to stream or download at www.ToADegree.com.

When:  The podcast launched on Thursday, March 30.

Contact:  For more information, please contact Travis Reindl at [email protected] or 202/257-5307.

Featured

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Montclair State University Debuts New VR Facility

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently announced the completion of a new virtual reality learning facility developed in partnership with Dreamscape Learn, according to a news release. The 2,450-square-foot lab space is inside the College of Communication and Media building and will serve students pursuing careers in digital media, virtual reality, and content creation.

  • Chicago District Completes Construction on New Elementary School

    North Chicago School District 187 in North Chicago, Ill., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Forrestal Elementary School, according to a news release. The new school marks a major investment in military-connected students and families at Naval Station Great Lakes.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.