15 Years Forward: Why College Still Matters to MCAN Founder Brandy Johnson
MCAN's 14th annual conference concluded with Take Flight: Sixty by 30 Pitch Competition, awarding cash prizes to support innovation in college access and completion
Nine College Access Impact Awards recognize exemplary work in postsecondary education
Six organizations awarded funding to strengthen and improve college-going culture through articulated, transferable and stackable credits in higher education
Fifteen years ago, Michigan was the only state in the nation without an executive agency focused on higher education, leaving no statewide coordination or infrastructure to guide students toward college. In that gap, Brandy Johnson saw a possibility.
College remains a powerful tool in unlocking opportunities for personal and professional growth, career advancement, and financial stability. By helping students explore their options, we can help them make an informed decision about the education and skills needed to help them achieve their career goals in this ever-changing job market and economy.
It’s no secret that college affordability is a major concern for many, but the good of attending outweighs the bad. It’s insurance for a successful future, that while always uncertain, can aid in navigating that uncertainty. People with this education have the critical and foundational skills for life and work in a general sense like adaptability, which is crucial in these evolving industries.
ABC 13
“I think it's hurtful to call programs waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, the executive director of the Michigan College Access Network. “Fire trucks are not waste, fraud, and abuse. Scholarships for police officers are not waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Michigan Advance
Due to advocacy work and successful legal challenges lodged against President Donald Trump’s administration, funding for several programs has been restored, allowing the Michigan College Access Network to relaunch the programs last month.
WILX
Millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funding has been restored in Michigan, putting high school and college counselors back on campuses around the state after a temporary funding pause earlier this year. The financial boost allows programs like AdviseMI to resume operations, including at East Lansing Public Schools, where college adviser Candace Moore works with students to explore college options and plan for their futures.