News
MCAN shares the latest data, research, and resources from the field so that educators, leaders, and partners are empowered with knowledge that is relevant to their work.
News
Press Releases
Adult Student Attainment
Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison announces Jeff Abernathy as founding president
May 27, 2026
The Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP) has appointed Jeff Abernathy as the organization’s founding president. MiCHEP is a statewide consortium of Michigan colleges and universities devoted to expanding and improving higher education for incarcerated students through collaboration, shared best practices, and policy leadership. The consortium partners with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to strengthen educational quality and access across prison learning sites statewide.
High School Innovation
MCAN applauds legislative changes to Michigan Merit Exam, transcripts
April 30, 2026
Earlier today, the Michigan legislature passed House Bills 4556 and 4557, which make changes to the Michigan Merit Exam and high school transcripts. The bills now head to the governor’s desk, where Gov. Whitmer is expected to sign the bills into law. Michigan College Access Network applauds the legislature for passing these bipartisan bills, which modernize the exam and remove unnecessary barriers for students.
All Areas of Work
MCAN celebrates wins for students in legislative budget bills
April 22, 2026
As Michigan lawmakers unveil competing state budget bills, early plans signal meaningful investments in students and families, while also raising important questions about long-term funding stability for higher education and college access.
Blogs
All Areas of Work
15 Years Forward: When Policy Meets Purpose | Michele Strasz
April 23, 2026
As director of the Capital Area College Access Network (CapCAN) and a leader at United Way South Central Michigan, Michele has spent her career at the intersection of community impact and public policy. As we reflect on 15 years of postsecondary progress through the lens of policy, Michele's story is exactly the one we want to tell.
All Areas of Work
Q&A with Ryan Fewins-Bliss: 15 Years of Policy & Progress
April 15, 2026
As MCAN celebrates its 15th anniversary, we sat down with Ryan to talk about policy — the wins, the work, and what it takes to move a state.
Higher Education Innovation
Rewriting the Story of College Access: How Equitable Opportunities Change Trajectories
March 4, 2026
For students who have long faced systemic barriers, these ripple effects don’t happen by chance. They happen when systems are intentionally redesigned to expand opportunity — not restrict it.
In the News
Higher Education Innovation
Music, theatre among degree programs in Michigan that could lose federal loan access under new rule
June 12, 2026
Michigan Public Radio
A nearly-final federal student loan rule could prevent students from getting access to federal loans in certain college programs. Under the rule, undergraduate programs lose Federal Direct Loan access if they fail an "earnings test" — meaning their graduates, four years after graduation, make less than those with just a high school diploma in the same state on average.
Higher Education Innovation
Proposed federal rule threatens student loan access for Michigan cosmetology schools
June 10, 2026
Michigan Public Radio
“Functionally, they're trying to make sure that the degree that you're paying for and they're using student loans and federal and state aid to pay for it is actually valuable to you in the long run,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, the executive director of the Michigan College Access Network.
Higher Education Innovation
Proposed federal rule threatens student loan access for Michigan cosmetology schools
June 10, 2026
Michigan Public Radio
“Functionally, they're trying to make sure that the degree that you're paying for and they're using student loans and federal and state aid to pay for it is actually valuable to you in the long run,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, the executive director of Michigan College Access Network.