I am copying a hopeful article written by Carol Leary, president of Bay Path University. Please post your thoughts in the comments below. Ideas on how you could use the data cited in this article to make the case for better college prep and postsecondary success for your students are appreciated.
"... According to U.S. Census figures, 76 million adult women do not have a bachelor’s degree. It is incumbent upon us to help each one of these women reach her potential. If we do, the results will be astounding. Education has the potential to break the cycles of poverty and financial instability that have plagued families for generations. As the Lumina Foundation President Jamie Merisotis noted in an August 2014 commentary: “By providing greater postsecondary access and success for all Americans, we build stronger economies, thriving communities and a greater quality of life. It’s clear that higher education remains the best avenue to prosperity, opportunity and a stronger nation.”
The role of women has changed significantly in the past 50 years. Women now represent half of all U.S. workers, but hold a disproportionate 62% of minimum-wage jobs, according to The Shriver Report, a nonprofit initiative that raises awareness about women’s issues. One in three adult women is living in poverty or on the brink of it. The Shriver Report also notes that almost two-thirds of U.S. jobs will need some form of postsecondary education by 2020, meaning that the prospects for women with a bachelor’s degree will continue to grow. The economic reality is compelling: A woman with a college degree will, on average, make almost $1 million more than a woman with only a high school diploma. In turn, a woman with a degree becomes a homeowner, taxpayer and consumer. We simply will not be able to thrive as an educated, prosperous nation if 76 million women are left behind. We need to establish a new model of higher education that will enable these women to earn a college degree...."
Full article: http://www.nebhe.org/thejournal/why-a-focus-on-adult-women-is-critical-to-the-higher-education-system-and-our-country
~ Priyanka Sharma
SME, Postsecondary Completion