EM Chat

Sometimes we pump out information before a chat to make sure that everyone has access to things we’ll be discussing. Well, we’re sure you’ve all done your homework on the College Scorecard. Just in case you’d like a little extra light reading on your way home from work today:

The College Scorecard

Huffington Post on the Scorecard

The Wall Street Journal on the Scorecard

Center for American Progress on the Scorecard

See everyone tonight at 9EST!

If you don’t feel like reading through any of these…this is where the data comes from. I copied this from the site:

There’s an argument on college campuses. This argument creates silos and pits divisions against one another. Who is the most important? Advancement might argue that they are. After all, they bring in donations for new buildings and scholarships. Student affairs might claim they are. They provide fundamental services that aid in retention of students. Enrollment management might say they’re the most important. Without them, well, there would be no students. Academic affairs has a seat at this table as well…for all the obvious reasons.

The problem with this argument is that it really shouldn’t be an argument at all. You can’t have graduate students without undergraduate students. You can’t have undergrads without high school students. High school students come from middle school, and middle from elementary.

Education as a whole is the most important.

I’m fairly well versed on the higher education space (although FAR from an expert). I’ve experienced it and worked it. I’m well read on higher education topics and trends as a regular subscriber to tons of blogs and news outlets. And, clearly, I’m always seeking more information as a member of the #EMchat community.

A few weeks ago I was at a happy hour and the topic of education came up. I was excited because we started talking about higher education. I contributed, got to do an #EMchat plug (not a humble brag, @joeginese), and then the conversation shifted.

I was at a happy hour with a friend who had other friends come who I hadn’t met (my favorite kind of happy hour). They were teachers. Three of them worked for an elementary school, one for a high school.  The conversation shifted to common core, testing, standards, and how [their] students just weren’t prepared. The conversation further shifted to education policy and reform.

As I listened, I realized just how disconnected I am with K12 education. I made a resolution in 2013 to dedicate more research time to the K12 space and reform. I’ve gotten off to a strong start, but this conversation really ignited the fire.

Higher education deserves a seat at the K12 education reform table. We need a stronger focus on the PK16 space as one system. Education shouldn’t be broken up into different segments in our lives, truncated by age and grade level. Instead, it should exist as one entity, strung together by policies that promote adaptive learning and personalized attention to those students that need it, resulting in a cohesive system where students are better able to transition from one stage to the next.

So why the argument of importance?

I did not initially intend on writing an open letter, but somehow I felt that the words were better served this way. This is by no means an attack on my educational background or experiences as I wouldn’t be the man I am today without them. It’s a conversation starter and a conversation that I hope will never stop.

Dear Governor O’Malley:

I would like to begin by thanking you for your leadership of Maryland and your dedication in ensuring that our great state leads the nation when it comes to education. I am a product of a Maryland public school and attended a Maryland institution, Salisbury, for both my undergraduate and MBA degrees.

When people hear the term “college readiness,” testing is the first thing that comes to mind. It certainly is for me. But, what if we were to contemplate an equation that makes students “ready” for college instead? Students must be academically ready, yes. But they must also be financially literate and aware, understanding the financial aid process, including how both public and private loans work. They must be knowledgeable of the college admissions process, aware of deadlines and the impact of their extracurriculars, test scores, and volunteer activities. Teachers are responsible for preparing students by placing them in the ‘right’ mindset for pursuing their dreams through education. Guidance counselors are responsible for preparing students for the rigor of the admissions process by getting to know each student and their specific circumstances and needs.

Maryland is lucky to have some of the most affluent communities in the nation. However, we also have many communities living near or below poverty. Because of this, our public schools vary greatly in quality of services and efforts to aid in college readiness.  My high school, North Dorchester, had approximately 600 students at the time of my graduation in 2005. I cannot recollect a single conversation with my guidance counselor regarding college—not even the national average, 38 minutes. With the national student-to-counselor ratio hovering at 476:1, I am not surprised. I’m thankful that my family understood the process and had the resources to send me to college. But, seven years later, I look back on those individuals who had so much talent and promise who never attended a single college class. It’s not because they weren’t academically prepared. It’s because they didn’t understand the process.

There were only 16 FAFSA applications submitted from North Dorchester last year, of which only 13 were complete. That’s representative of less than 10% of the class. I realize that Dorchester falls almost last in education for the state, but it is safe to say that, for one of the most important documents in beginning the post-secondary education journey, less than 10% is unacceptable, especially for a county with one of the lowest per capita incomes in the state. At Cambridge South Dorchester, only 19 were completed. Of ALL of the graduating seniors in the county, only 32 FAFSA forms were correctly completed. Only 32 students from over 400 were eligible for federal financial aid as a result. The number one barrier to higher education is cost.

Every opportunity that passes to share information on the admissions process with high school students does them a disservice and also a disservice to our communities. The college completion gap cannot go unnoticed.  We must begin to find better solutions that supplement the imposed inability of our guidance counselors to fulfill their obligation in providing students with both correct and useful information regarding post-secondary education. We must begin to provide greater support for those nonprofits and organizations already attempting to create this change. Most of all, we need to create a culture of possibility for students who would benefit immensely from higher education.

If I had to sum up why I’m proud to live in Maryland in one word, it would be opportunity. Everyone should have it.

Thank you for your time,

Alex M. Williams

A little over a month ago we announced that we’d like to come together as a community to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy in late October. Neither Jennielle or I had ever built a fundraiser from the ground up, but with the support of the higher education community (and beyond), we pulled it off! I’m happy to say that with the support of Carnegie Communications, Hobsons, Noel-Levitz, and NAGAP, we were able to underwrite the ENTIRE cost of our t-shirts, packaging, and all shipping. It was amazing to see the support of these companies and organizations and a pleasure working with our POCs for each, many of whom are active participants each week. Thank you all so much.

Within the next few weeks, Jennielle will be presenting a check for just over $2100 (every dollar raised) to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund on behalf of #EMchatGivesBack.

We were amazed at the outpouring of support from the very first tweet mentioning the campaign. This fundraiser simply serves as one more example of what this community is all about: coming together for a purpose. We used to talk once a week. We’re now talking and sharing hourly. Some of us have met in person. Some of us have never met. So while #EMchat proves that distance is only measured in miles, not passion, #EMchatGivesBack proves that it isn’t measured in compassion either. Thank you all for coming together to support this cause…from the bottom of our hearts.

And, another huge thanks to Joseph “JD” Dalfonso and Anna Celander for designing our shirts. You all most likely already know JD, but here’s Anna’s site: www.annacelander.com — huge thanks and AWESOME job.

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If you donated, our shirts have been ordered. We waited to order until we had all donations in to ensure we would have correct sizes. Within the next month we intend on having all shirts shipped. We are also providing a list of all donors to the Red Cross so they can provide tax receipts. If you prefer that we not share your information, just shoot me an email at alex@emchat.net.

If, when you receive your shirt, you’d prefer a different size, please let us know as we do have a few extras in each size S-2XL.

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While we have “officially” finished our fundraiser, we won’t be presenting the check for a few more weeks. If you’d like to contribute, we do still have shirts left.

You can donate here:

Happy holidays from the entire #EMchat team — Cheers!