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.
“On Aug. 23, 2010, — when I had just turned 27 — I founded Michigan College Access Network on a hope, a prayer, and an unshakable belief that college changes lives,” Johnson said.
A first-generation college graduate herself, Brandy knew how one person earning a degree can change the trajectory of an entire family and their community. College had opened doors to new career opportunities, and she knew every student in Michigan deserved the same chance.
Brandy’s early years leading MCAN were defined by grit and heart. From a small rented office in Lansing with a team of six, MCAN began to connect the dots across Michigan’s disconnected postsecondary landscape. They worked late, dreamed big, and built something entirely new — a nimble, collaborative network dedicated to ensuring that every Michigan student could pursue a college education.
Fifteen years later, MCAN has grown – and the work has changed – but the goal remains the same: increasing college readiness, participation, and completion in Michigan, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college students, and students of color. The MCAN team works every day to remind Michiganders that college still matters. In an era where some question its value, the data continue to prove that higher education remains one of the most powerful tools for personal and economic transformation.
“There were doubters in those early days,” said Johnson. “People who said equity in education was not a priority. Many of them still exist today. But MCAN’s team has a mantra: Tell us we can’t do it, and we’ll show you we can.”
Today, their results speak for themselves. Since its founding, Michigan’s postsecondary attainment rate has increased by nearly 10%. MCAN now partners with more than 400 high schools and 55 colleges across the state, investing millions of dollars into communities, counselors, and changemakers.
“At its core, MCAN has always been about more than access,” Johnson said. “It’s about equity, data, and love — love for Michigan’s kids and their futures. For our team, equity isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s the data-driven way to achieve collective prosperity.”
Because when one student goes to college, the whole community wins. And that belief — born from one young leader’s courage and conviction — remains at the heart of MCAN’s future.
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.