Graduating the 21st Century Student: Advising As If Their Lives (and Our Future) Depended on It
In this adaptation of my keynote address at the 2011 NACADA Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, I outline the level of increase in college attainment that must occur between now and 2025 for the United States to remain internationally competitive and meet its changing economic and social challenges. After making the case for why achieving Goal 2025—providing high quality college degrees to 60% of the U.S. working age population—is necessary, I outline how those in higher education can achieve this ambitious goal with an emphasis on the role of advisors in advancing college completion goals for the 21st century student.
Contributor Notes
James L. Applegate, PhD, serves as Vice President for Program Development at the Lumina Foundation, the largest foundation solely focused on college access and success. He leads development of the Foundation's funding programs supporting achievement of Lumina's “Big Goal” to dramatically increase educational attainment in the United States, especially for underserved students. Prior to coming to Lumina, he served as Vice President for Academic Affairs for the Kentucky state system of higher education. Dr. Applegate also was a professor of Communication and Department Chair at the University of Kentucky. He was an American Council on Education Fellow and President of the National Communication Association, the world's largest association of communication scholars. He earned his BA from Georgetown College and his MA and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
