Higher Education

Students We Serve

Advocating for Underserved College Students

October 11, 2022 by Ed Trust

At their founding, universities were reserved exclusively for White men. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. However, centuries later, there are still huge racial and ethnic disparities in who is allowed to attend college. As the United States population becomes more diverse, colleges and universities should reflect today’s population. That means creating higher learning environments that better serve Black students, Latino students, students from low-income backgrounds, student parents, undocumented students, LBGTQ+ students, justice-impacted students, and more. From highlighting the Black student debt crisis to advocating for Pell Grant eligibility for current and formerly incarcerated students, Ed Trust advocates for students of all backgrounds to be able to access a high-quality college education and to feel welcome and well represented in higher education environments.

Black Students

• Black Student Debt: Explaining the Crisis & Providing Solutions
• Broken Mirrors: Black Student Representation at Public State Colleges & Universities

Latino Students

• Broken Mirrors: Latino Student Representation at Public State Colleges & Universities

Undocumented Students

• Crushed Dreams and Broken Promises, COVID-19 Edition
• A Promise Worth Keeping: An Updated Equity-Driven Framework for Free College Programs

Student Parents

• For Student Parents, The Biggest Hurdles to A Higher Education are Costs & Finding Child Care

Justice-Impacted Students

• Justice Fellows Policy Program
• Beyond the Ban: A Toolkit for Advancing College Opportunity for Justice-Impacted Students
• Formerly Incarcerated People Deserve Second Chances I’m Living Proof
• Basic Needs and Financial Support for Incarcerated Students
• Satra Taylor the Education Trust Written Testimony on Implementing Pell Grant Eligibility for Students who are Incarcerated
• The First Cohort of Justice Policy Fellows Graduate