A college degree opens doors, but only when we remove obstacles for young people
Preview:
I recently stood before hundreds of young people in California’s Central Valley; more than 60 percent were on that day becoming the first in their family to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Their very presence at University of California, Merced’s spring commencement ceremony disrupted a major narrative in our nation about who college is for — and the value of a degree.
Originally published: July 7, 2025
Author: Shirley Collado
Position: President Emerita
Institution: Ithaca College
Published by: The Hechinger Report