Courtney Brown on Perception vs. Reality on the Value of Higher Ed

How wide is the gap between what the media says about the value of a degree and what students are actually experiencing? In this episode, Elliot talks through this with Courtney Brown, Vice President of Strategic Impact at the Lumina Foundation, to deconstruct their recent "Reality Check" research conducted with Gallup. By comparing hard data against public perception for three pillars of the student experience – belonging, career readiness, and affordability – we explore how institutions better communicate value and increase actual value through high-impact strategies like work-integrated learning. Episode Highlights include: [03:52] Defining Success as Economic Prosperity - Courtney Brown explains why Lumina Foundation views student success through the lens of credentials that lead to good jobs and stronger communities. [05:58] The Attainment Milestone - Discover how the U.S. moved from 38% to 55% degree attainment since 2009 and what the 75% goal for 2040 looks like. [09:56] The Confidence Crisis - Courtney breaks down the alarming drop in public confidence in higher ed and identifies the three primary reasons behind the shift. [11:38] Myth Busting Campus Politics - Despite headlines about polarization, data reveals that over 70% of students feel free to share their opinions regardless of political affiliation. [20:00] Career Readiness & Work-Integrated Learning - A discussion on why 90% of students feel they are learning the right skills and how institutions can better bridge the gap to the workforce.