College Possible Podcast

Across the country, the number of jobs requiring workers with a post-secondary education is outpacing the number of college graduates. It is crucial to invest in the graduates needed to fill this gap and build a workforce representative of our communities. College Possible students will play an important role in our future workforce. Join R.T. Rybak, Kim Nelson and College Possible Alumni Fasil Adinew and Maya Vue for “Better Jobs, Better Futures: Building a Workforce that Works for All,” a panel discussion addressing how we can meet our country's changing workforce needs.

New research from the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness found that 22 percent of college students experience food insecurity, and among them, one in six also face housing insecurity. Listen to this discussion about the nuanced financial barriers to higher education. Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab is a professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University, and founder of the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, the nation’s only translational research laboratory seeking ways to make college more affordable. Dr. Goldrick-Rab shares how her research is helping identify solutions to address college affordability and student retention. Mai Yer Yang is a student at the University of Minnesota and a College Possible program participant. Mai Yer shares her experiences with financial barriers on her college journey, and what she hopes will change. Dr. Timothy Renick is Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success, and Vice Provost at Georgia State University. Under his leadership the university has set records for the percent of underrepresented and Pell-eligible students enrolled, and has increased graduation rates by 11 percent. Dr. Renick shares how Georgia State’s innovative approaches are helping more students make it to graduation day. Kumar Balasubrahmanyan is a program manager at College Possible where he oversees programming serving more than 2,000 students. Kumar served as a College Possible coach for two years before joining the leadership team.

Why should our country value national service, and how can it make a difference in the lives of others? In this episode, College Possible takes a deeper look into the importance of national service and its impact on individuals, specific communities and our country as a whole. Hear from the former CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Wendy Spencer, along with AmeriCorps alumni who have served with College Possible as they explore the history and future of national service.

In November 2016, College Possible students in a variety of areas of their college journey participated in a panel at the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award event. In this episode you'll hear personal stories from students, and what it takes to beat the odds. Panel moderated by College Possible Minnesota Executive Director, Sara Dziuk.