Muhlenberg College this month was named an American Talent Initiative (ATI) High-Flier by Bloomberg Philanthropies, one of a group of 28 high-graduation-rate institutions nationwide recognized as leaders in college access and success for lower-income students. ATI was formed in December 2016 with a goal to attract, enroll, and graduate an additional 50,000 lower-income students at the 341 colleges and universities that consistently graduate at least 70 percent of their students in six years.
The 28 American Talent Initiative High-Flier institutions include Brown University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Texas-Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Yale University. Muhlenberg received the distinction for the school’s steady gains in lower-income student enrollment since 2015-16, growing share of Pell Grant recipients (awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need), and its innovative recruitment, enrollment and retention practices.
I was able to discuss these achievements with Muhlenberg College President Kathleen Harring. Click below to listen to the conversation and scroll down for some of the edited highlights:
ECN: How did the pandemic affect the way in which you approach this community? Many issues in society came up during this time—including the idea of, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—and a recognition of underserved communities. Was that part and parcel of your success?
