The State University of New York (SUNY) Welcome Center in New York City hosts group information sessions during the summer. Sessions provide an opportunity for students and families to explore SUNY, the campuses, academic programs, application and admissions process, financial assistance, the Excelsior Scholarship, and more. To register for the June or August date, visit the Welcome Center website.

Minority serving institutions (MSIs) play an integral role in the education of students from low-income families and communities of color where educational attainment is disproportionately low and income mobility can be stagnant. With a commitment to serve the nation and their surrounding communities, MSIs are engines of upward mobility for millions of students, and play this role even while the majority of MSIs are at a financial resources disadvantage when compared to non-MSIs. A new brief, Minority Serving Institutions as Engines of Upward Mobility, from the American Council on Education looks at newly released Equality of Opportunity Project data to examine the upward income mobility of students who attended MSIs compared to students who did not. Overall, they found that MSIs propel their students from the bottom to the top of the income distribution at higher rates than do nonMSIs.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced an opportunity for federal student loan borrowers to be reconsidered for a Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity is only available on a first-come, first-served basis until the $350 million has been allocated or other criteria are met. To learn more, visit the Federal Student Aid website. 

The University of Southern California Race and Equity Center is preparing a survey that will be given to students at colleges and universities across the country. The results of the survey will help colleges and universities better understand the racial climate on their campuses. They are currently testing the survey questions through 1-2 hour individual interviews with undergraduate students. Students who complete these interviews will be given $50 as a token of appreciation for their time. Visit this link to apply to participate in the pilot test and interview.

The Hispanic Federation offers a free two-hour, site-based College Prep workshop as part of their Pathways to Academic Success series. This training works to empower parents with knowledge and best practices to support the college application process of their child. This workshop, typically conducted in Spanish, is open to parents and high school students. The Hispanic Federation provides facilitators and food. The organization must be able to coordinate adequate space for the event, projector and screen, outreach and registration, and a site contact. If your organization is interested in offering this workshop over the summer or in the fall, please complete this brief interest form by June 22, 2018. Questions? Contact Chabe Acosta at cacosta@hispanicfederation.org or 212-233-8955 ext. 132. 

According to a new report, Within Our Reach, from The New York Equity Coalition, in schools across New York State, students— particularly students of color and those who are low-income—are too often denied opportunities to experience rigorous instruction across a robust set of course offerings that will prepare them for college, careers, and civic life. This report from a coalition of civil rights, education, parent, and business organizations reviews the data on access to instructional opportunities in middle and high school and offers a vision for college, career, and civic readiness for all New York students. There is also a call to action to New York’s leaders to fulfill 5 Commitments to every student in the Graduating Class of 2025—a 5x25 agenda for success starting with the cohort of students who are entering sixth grade in fall 2018.