Reinventing U Episode 7: The Great Equalizer: Cultivating the Growth of Lifelong Learners with Eric Waldo
Oct 3, 2019
In this engaging conversation, Eric Waldo, Executive Director of Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative, dives into the transformative power of education. He emphasizes the need for colleges to be student-ready and discusses how lifelong learning is key to success. Waldo advocates for democratizing education and addressing socioeconomic gaps in graduation rates. He shares innovative approaches like mastery-based credentialing and highlights how platforms like YouTube can reach first-generation college students. His insights challenge elitism and call for courageous changes in the educational system.
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White House Summit Becomes Free YouTube Guide
- Eric Waldo describes Reach Higher's Beating the Odds Summit that brought rising first-generation students to the White House and Howard University.
- YouTube transformed those sessions into a free Student's Guide playlist so many more students can access practical first-year advice.
Make Colleges Student-Ready With Data
- Do make colleges 'student-ready' by adapting services to the modern, diverse student body.
- Do use data-driven supports and leave emotional and logistical barriers addressed so students can persist.
Remove Small Barriers That Cause Big Hurt
- Try redesigning campus operations to remove small but harmful obstacles for first-generation students.
- For example, keep dorms and dining open during holidays so students who can't afford to go home feel supported.