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11 Scholarships And Grants For Adults Going Back To School A list of scholarships and grants specifically for adult learners who are entering or returning to college.	Higher Education	Website/Link	Adult Learners Financial Resources	READ
5 Emerging Technology Trends Higher Ed Is Watching for in 2022 Review of five tech trends that are changing the student experience in higher education.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Technology	READ
5 New Realities to Know About College Hunger Five realities about hunger on college campuses, and how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected food security for students.	Higher Education	Report	Student Wellness	READ
A ‘Great Misalignment’ Between Credentials and Jobs A recent report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce found that there is a mismatch in the “middle-skills credentials” (i.e., the credentials needed for jobs that require more than a high school diploma but not a bachelor’s degree) that institutions are currently offering, and the ones needed to meet current workforce gaps.	Credentials of Value Workforce Development	News Article	Microcredentials Workforce Development	READ
A military veteran knows why your employees are leaving An army veteran shares the lessons she learned about reentry into society after 5 deployments, and what those lessons can teach employers about workers’ attitudes and behavior as they return to work – or not – post pandemic.	Best Practice Ideas Workforce Development	News Article	Student Wellness Workforce Development	READ
A New Center to Overcome Old Stigmas Article about the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the job market, and recent efforts to support job seekers who have criminal records.	Workforce Development	News Article	Adult Learners Workforce Development	READ
Advancing Equity through Postsecondary Education Policy and Practice This report focuses on how considering equity can help institutions of higher education better serve students.	Best Practice Ideas	Report	DEI	Download
All Learning Counts Webinar All learning counts webinar with NEBHE, featuring Laurie Ficker from UMA.	Training/Professional Development	Video/Webinar	Adult Learners Maine News	Watch Here
Apprenticeships are a path forward for Maine Brief article on what apprenticeships are and how they can help tackle some of Maine’s workforce challenges.	Workforce Development	News Article	Maine News Workforce Development	READ
Bucknell Study: College Counseling Website LGBTQ+ ‘Friendliness’ Relates to State’s Hate Crime, Nondiscrimination Protections A new national study by a Bucknell University student and professor has found that college counseling center website “friendliness” to students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or another identity (LGBTQ+) was significantly higher at institutions in states that offered hate crime and employment nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ+ individuals.	Resource Binder	Report	DEI LGBTQ+	Download
Case Study: College Partnerships to Fuel Rural Development The Chronicle of Higher Education published a multimedia case study exploring how rural colleges nationwide can create partnerships with employers and local government to help students get degrees and build careers close to home.	Best Practice Ideas Workforce Development	Report	Adult Learners Workforce Development	READ
Changing Perceptions, One Story at a Time A team of students is producing a podcast that seeks to undercut the stigma of attending a community college while answering the larger question of what it means for a college to be considered a “good school.”	Higher Education	Podcast	Adult Learners Student Wellness	LISTEN
College or short-term credential? First, check your assumptions This article explores the “false binary” of a college degree vs a short-term credential, explaining the reasons someone may opt for one or the other and the ways the two tracks overlap.	Credentials of Value Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Microcredentials	READ
College Student Mental Health in the Post-COVID Era: Education and Workforce-Aligned Solutions Needed in New England A recent national survey of 18,000 undergraduates revealed a mental health crisis on college campuses, with students of color particularly and disproportionately affected. This policy brief suggests seven recommendations higher education and government leaders can take to improve student mental health while centering equity.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	Report	DEI Student Wellness	READ
Community College Scholars Share How to Make an Equitable Classroom Community college instructors share how they have improved their courses to create more equitable classrooms and close the performance gap between white students and students of color.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	News Article	DEI	READ
Community Colleges Helping Students Cope With Rising Inflation Article describing ways that community colleges are supporting students struggling with inflation, from food pantries to additional emotional and educational support from professors and staff.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Student Wellness	READ
Competitive Skills Scholarship Program The Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) provides funding and support services for eligible Maine residents to pursue two and four-year degree programs or employer recognized credentials leading to high-wage, in-demand jobs in Maine.	Resource Binder	Website/Link	Scholarships	Visit Site
Confronting Racism in Admissions Article on the ways Black students and other students of color are disproportionately excluded during the college admissions process, and how what schools can do to make their admissions system more equitable.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	News Article	DEI	READ
Delivering the Experience Modern Learners Expect In this interview the University of Central Florida’s Vice Provost of Digital Learning shares insights into what modern students expect from their learning experience, and how schools can adapt to meet students’ expectations.	Higher Education	News Article	Student Wellness Technology	READ
Demand among Black, Latino students fuels college entrepreneurship programs Black and Latino students are driving demand for entrepreneurship programs, and schools are responding by starting and expanding programs to help people build their businesses.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners DEI	READ
Dropping the Degree as a Hiring Requirement This podcast episode from Inside Higher Ed explores why some employers are no longer requiring applicants to have college degrees, and what colleges and universities can do to remain relevant and competitive in the changing world of education and employment.	Higher Education Workforce Development	Podcast	Workforce Development	LISTEN
Employers Claim to Value Alternative Credentials. Do Their Practices Match Their Promises? Recent research finds that while many employers say they value alternative credentials in applicants, this sentiment may not translate to hiring practices.	Credentials of Value	News Article	Microcredentials Workforce Development	READ
Free College 2023 – Maine Community College System Information on MCCS’s Free Tuition Scholarship for anyone who graduated high school between 2020 and 2023.	Higher Education	Website/Link	Scholarships	VISIT SITE
Grade Forgiveness Leads to More STEM Graduates A 27-year study at Boise State University showed that having a grade-forgiveness policy encouraged enrollment and retention of students in STEM courses.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	Report	Student Wellness	READ
Help for homeowners and renters during the coronavirus national emergency Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s resource hub for homeowners, renters, and landlords affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.	Resource Binder	Website/Link	Financial Resources	VISIT SITE
Higher Opportunity for Pathways to Employment (HOPE) Program Program through the Maine DHHS that provides financial tools and resources to help Mainers achieve their educational goals.	Credentials of Value Higher Education	Website/Link	Financial Resources	VISIT SITE
How Do Microcredentials Stack Up? Part 1 One way to do that is by building an educational system that prepares people to adapt and thrive in turbulent times. At HEQCO, we’re interested in short, affordable, and flexible programs that top up the skills and knowledge adults already have and help them advance or pivot in the labor market.	Credentials of Value	News Article	Microcredentials	Read
How Students Are Navigating Changes in Career Plans This opinion piece discusses the ways the pandemic impacted students’ career goals and timelines, and provided a couple suggestions for how schools can support students as their goals change.	Higher Education	News Article	Navigators Student Wellness	READ
I’m Afraid of How Many Black Students Have Been Convinced They Are Stupid by Educators Who Lack Equity Training A Black high schooler in Maine shares her experience of implicit bias in the classroom and the necessity of equity and anti-racism training for teachers.	Best Practice Ideas Training/Professional Development	News Article	DEI Maine News Student Wellness	READ
Increasing Student Success: A Never-Ending Process This article pulls together nine lessons learned by administrators, faculty, and staff at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania after they redesigned the processes for new-student onboarding, advising, course withdrawal, and tutoring.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	Report	Student Wellness	READ
Informing Improved Recognition of Military Learning This report examines student veterans’ experiences with and perceptions of having their military learning recognized by a postsecondary institution.	Best Practice Ideas Resource Binder	Report	Adult Learners	Download
It’s OK to Not Be OK: College Students Tackle Mental Health Challenges During the Pandemic Article exploring the ways the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges on college campuses, and strategies schools and students can use to respond.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	News Article	Student Wellness	READ
Katie Nielson, Founder of EnGen: Tapping into the Hidden Workforce (Podcast) As U.S. employers continue to struggle to find workers, they may want to turn their attention to populations who have the skills they need but lack proficiency in English. This describes many people in immigrant and refugee populations who are currently overlooked by employers and make up part of what is called the “hidden workforce.” On this episode of WorkforceRx, Katie Nielson, PhD, joins Futuro Health CEO Van Ton Quinlivan to describe how she works with employers to tap the potential of this talent pool.	Workforce Development	Podcast	DEI Workforce Development	LISTEN
Less talk, more action: ‘Talent Hubs’ offer equity solutions Article about Talent Hubs, a program that builds communities within schools and businesses that are committed to attracting and supporting marginalized people and those who face barriers to learning.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners DEI	READ
Live + Work in Maine Job Board Live + Work in Maine has a dashboard of open jobs in health care, education, social services, and more. The site also provides resources to help people plan their career path and get support along the way, particularly for health professions.	Resource Binder	Website/Link	Workforce Development	VISIT SITE
Low-Income Community College Students Most Likely to Cancel Plans Report from 2020 exploring the pandemic’s effect on students’ plans to continue with or leave community college. Low-income students were found to be cancelling community college plans at higher rates than wealthier students.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Student Wellness	READ
Lumina: Stronger Nation Tracking 60% Stronger Nation tracks progress toward the goal of 60 percent of Americans with a credential of value.	Resource Binder	Report	Adult Learners	Read
Maine 2021 County Profiles This report provides a 2-page report of the strengths and challenges of each county.	Resource Binder	PDF	Maine News	Download
Maine Adult Education Hub Hub for online classes on business and learning skills, literacy, and personal enrichment.	Training/Professional Development	Website/Link	Adult Learners	VISIT SITE
Maine Children’s Alliance 2022 County Data Profiles County level data on key indicators of child health and well-being in Maine. Includes demographic data and areas of strength and challenge for each county.	Resource Binder	Report	Maine News Student Wellness	READ
Maine Online Opportunities for Sustained Education (MOOSE) Learning library of assorted project-based, self-paced learning experiences. Modules for pre-K through grade 12.	Training/Professional Development	Website/Link	Adult Learners	VISIT SITE
Maine Youth Thriving – A Guide for Community Action MRBN is pleased to introduce the “Maine Youth Thriving – A Guide for Community Action,” developed with the Maine CDC and Public Health Partners, LLC. The guide is a tool to support positive youth development.	Training/Professional Development	PDF	Maine News	Download
MaineSpark Navigators Welcome Aboard Who and what is a MaineSpark Navigator?	Training/Professional Development	Video/Webinar	Navigators	Watch Now
Mapping Rural Colleges and Universities Article on recent efforts to better define rural colleges and universities. Includes links to an interactive map and a report on rural and rural-serving institutions.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners	READ
Modernizing the College Transcript with Blockchain Article about new tools being developed to help students track their coursework and credentials across institutions and formats.	Higher Education	News Article	Technology	READ
More access means more enrollment at Maine community colleges A recent report reveals the success of Maine’s Free College Scholarship program, which has contributed to a surge in community college enrollment in the state that tops pre-pandemic levels.	Higher Education	News Article	Maine News Scholarships	READ
New Mainers Resource Center Skilled Professional Program The New Mainers Resource Center provides a range of services to help New Mainers translate their experience or degrees received in other countries into credentials and jobs in the US. Resources include credentials evaluation and support with the professional licensing process.	Credentials of Value Resource Binder	Website/Link	DEI Navigators Workforce Development	VISIT SITE
Not your typical shop class: New CTE program requires lessons in social skills Article about a new type of certificate program offered at several community colleges around the country that combines trade skills with critical thinking and relationship skills.	Credentials of Value	News Article	Microcredentials	READ
Older-adult college enrollment trends and benefits General statements about the benefits of a college degree often overlook the different outcomes experienced by older adults graduating college compared to their peers in their early twenties. This report digs into the demographic trends of older adult college students to get a clearer picture of who starts or returns to college later in life and what effect a diploma has on their earning potential.	Higher Education	Report	Adult Learners DEI	READ
OneTen: Career Marketplace for Black Talent OneTen is an organization on a mission to connect 1 million Black individuals with family-sustaining jobs within 10 years.	Workforce Development	Website/Link	DEI Workforce Development	VISIT SITE
Pre-apprenticeship program streamlines path to clean energy career in Maine ReVision Energy, Portland Adult Education, and Portland Arts and Technology High School have partnered to create a pre-apprenticeship program to prepare Mainers for careers in clean energy careers.	Credentials of Value Training/Professional Development Workforce Development	News Article	Adult Learners Microcredentials Workforce Development	READ
Preventing a “Lost Generation”: Understanding Education and Work in a Time of Crisis A report on the effects of the pandemic on students’ attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of higher education. Pulls from real-time surveys of over 50,000 students across the country.	Higher Education	Report	DEI Student Wellness	READ
Promising Practices in Creating an Equity Framework Recommendations for creating equity frameworks in schools to better serve marginalized students. Includes case studies from several states that have used data disaggregation, targeted legislation, and cohort models to improve student outcomes.	Best Practice Ideas	Report	DEI	READ
ProsperityME’s PROSPER Scholarship Many federal scholarship programs are not open to asylum seekers. ProsperityME’s PROSPER Scholarship program is here to help fill in the gaps. This scholarship covers tuition, fees, and book costs for asylum seekers pursuing an associate’s degree or professional certification or recertification at any accredited college or university in Maine.	Higher Education Resource Binder	Website/Link	DEI Financial Resources Scholarships	READ
Report Draws Correlation Between Well-Being and Opportunity A recent report examined how access to resources affected people’s ability to build social or human capital and take advantage of opportunities throughout their lives. The report found that those who face systemic barriers to resources often struggle to build social capital that will open doors for them later in life, and that the solution lies in large-scale equity work to level the playing field for everyone.	Workforce Development	Report	DEI Workforce Development	READ
Report Examines Impact of Emergency Micro-Grants A recent report examined the impact of financial aid micro-grants on student success and graduation rates at Georgia State University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with student outcomes improving considerably at a low cost to the institution.	Higher Education	News Article	Financial Resources	READ
Resources for Adult Learners – University of Maine Resource hub for adult students in college. Includes links to resources on childcare, housing, internet access, domestic violence, and more.	Higher Education Resource Binder	Website/Link	Adult Learners Student Wellness	VISIT SITE
ReThink Ready: A Diverse and Inclusive Post-pandemic Workforce WorkingNation and LinkedIn present a roundtable discussion on improving inclusion and diversity in hiring and how to support and retain diverse talent within the workforce.	Workforce Development	Video/Webinar	DEI Workforce Development	WATCH
Single Moms Success Design Challenge A report from two years of human-centered design work focused on supporting single mothers attending community colleges. Includes results from pilot programs at four community colleges across the country and best practices for schools and navigators to support single mother learners.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	Report	Adult Learners Navigators Student Wellness	READ
Stackable, Trackable & Packable: Students Need Moveable Credentials That Mean Something Now Katherine Newman, Provost and Executive VP of Academic Affairs for the University of California system, defines and explains the importance of stackable microcredentials in today’s workforce.	Credentials of Value	News Article	Microcredentials	READ
Stakeholders Work To Boost Higher Education Attainment Rates Among Native Americans Article about the challenges Native students face in higher education and several programs that are working to support Native students in their educational journeys.	Higher Education	News Article	DEI Student Wellness	READ
Stranded Credits from Students with Debt. Is a Bigger Shift Starting? Article about the problems students face when colleges withhold their transcripts due to outstanding debt, and recent efforts at local and federal levels to end the practice.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners	READ
Tear the paper ceiling. Give STARs greater economic mobility. In this episode of Work in Progress, Byron Auguste discusses the new Tear the Paper Ceiling ad campaign launched recently. The campaign calls for employers to tear down that paper ceiling and let the 70 million STARs – workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes – shine.	Workforce Development	Podcast	Workforce Development	Podcast
The Degree Reclamation Playbook A playbook for institutions and navigators to help students who stopped out of college get their degree. The two main strategies explored are Adult Reengagement and Reverse Credit Transfer.	Best Practice Ideas Higher Education	PDF	Adult Learners Navigators	Download
The Long-Lasting Value of Workforce and Continuing Education An interview with Enrique Infanzon, Dean of Continuing Education at Miami Dade College, on the importance of workforce and continuing education and best practices for scaling programs across complex educational systems.	Best Practice Ideas Workforce Development	News Article	Adult Learners Workforce Development	READ
The Rise of Alternative Credentials in Hiring The report outlines the use and recognition of multiple forms of credentials in hiring decisions.	Workforce Development	PDF	Workforce Development	Download
Toward Ending the Monolithic View of “Underrepresented Students” Higher education in the United States has a tendency to treat all “underrepresented” students as a monolith in ways that are counterproductive to the cause of equity. This aggregation of racially and ethnically minoritized, poverty-affected, and first-generation students obscures significant variations in admissions, course-level outcomes, persistence, graduation, and career success.	Training/Professional Development	Report	Adult Learners DEI	Download
Transfer vs. Robots: A Race for an Equitable Future of Work Transferring from community college to a 4-year program is a promising pathway for low-income students and students of color into degrees and stable, well-paying jobs. This blog post provides some tips for making the transfer process easier, with an eye towards setting students up for success in their chosen careers.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners	READ
Transitioning from Hospitality to Health Care Occupations The service industry was hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving many workers un- or under-employed. This paper suggests that in-demand health care occupations could be ideal “lifeboat jobs” (jobs that can restore people’s income and benefits with little to no retraining or reskilling required) and offers potential tracks to new employment for people coming from various types of service jobs.	Workforce Development	Report	Workforce Development	READ
Trends in Higher Education: Pricing, Student Aid, and Earnings Reports from the College Board on trends in college pricing, financial aid, and earning potential.	Higher Education	News Article	Financial Resources	READ
Turning Credit Transfer From a Black Box Into an Open Book Article about the Articulation of Credit Transfer project, which aims to streamline the process of transferring credits between colleges.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners	READ
U.S. Department of Education Toolkit: Creating Inclusive and Nondiscriminatory School Environments for LGBTQI+ Students June is Pride Month, but there are ways educators and mentors can support LGBTQIA+ students all year round. The U.S. Department of Education released this toolkit to help schools develop policies and programs that help create a more inclusive environment for students and their families.	Best Practice Ideas Resource Binder	PDF	DEI Student Wellness	READ
USAC Affordable Connectivity Program Federal program for free or reduced-cost high-speed internet.	Resource Binder	Website/Link	Financial Resources	VISIT SITE
Using Colleges’ Outcomes to Gauge Risk for Students Article about recent efforts to use student outcomes to identify the riskiest colleges and universities for veterans enrolling in school.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Student Wellness	READ
Want to find an affordable college? There’s a website for that This article digs into the features of the College Scorecard, a website where users can search and compare colleges and universities by factors like fields of study offered, cost, acceptance rate, and median alumni salary.	Higher Education	Website/Link	Financial Resources	READ
Why Are Workers Staying Out of the U.S. Labor Force? Brief review of trends in the US labor force and the primary reasons people are not returning to work post-pandemic.	Workforce Development	Report	Workforce Development	READ
With New Online Marketplace, Community Colleges Hope to Better Compete With For-Profits 2021 article exploring the opportunities and challenges of Unmudl, a new platform where community colleges can market online classes.	Higher Education	News Article	Adult Learners Technology	READ
Workplace Basics: The Competencies Employers Want (2020) Report from 2020 on the competencies that are in highest demand for people entering the workforce, both in the labor market as a whole and in particular types of occupations.	Workforce Development	PDF	Adult Learners Workforce Development	READ