The Intersection

Intersection Webinar Recap: COVID-19 and Institutions of Higher Education: A Grantmaker’s Perspective

May 11, 2020

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) across the nation have encountered a myriad of challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the many stakeholders within higher education, philanthropic organizations are instrumental in driving postsecondary attainment across IHEs and supporting students from marginalized backgrounds.

This week we were joined at the Intersection by Scott Jenkins, Strategy Director at the Lumina Foundation, Caroline Altman Smith, Deputy Director for Education with The Kresge Foundation, and Angela Sanchez, Program Officer, College Success at ECMC Foundation. This panel of experts offered unique perspectives on how these new challenges are being addressed at the state, local, institutional, and student level, and how this crisis will shape higher education moving forward.

With each panelist representing foundations that support different aspects of the higher education landscape, their diverse perspectives demonstrated the breadth of interventions put forth by IHEs and partner organizations across the nation. However, a few common themes emerged, including the need for additional state and federal support for higher education programs, in addition to ongoing philanthropic efforts, and the importance of recognizing how different communities are impacted by the pandemic and working to mitigate the burden for those most affected.

To find out more about Scott, Caroline, and Angela’s perspectives on the effective and innovative strategies that are being developed to support the needs of students as well as the big picture lessons learned from this crisis, please check out our extended key takeaways as well as the full conversation below.

Note: The Hunt Institute is grateful for the financial support it receives from Lumina Foundation and The Kresge Foundation. The Institute does not currently receive funding from ECMC Foundation.

 

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