Dear Friends and Colleagues,
This month, we celebrated National Teacher Appreciation Week—a time to recognize the expertise, creativity and dedication of educators. While the week may conjure up images of children leaving cards for beloved elementary school teachers, it’s just as important to spotlight the impact of extraordinary teachers across our nation’s colleges and universities. College faculty play an instrumental role in guiding students through some of the most formative years of their lives, helping them discover their passions, develop skills and define their futures.
College and university faculty are central to Carnegie’s mission of economic mobility, and they have been on my mind over the past few weeks, as we announced the launch of the Student Access and Earnings Classifications in partnership with the American Council on Education (ACE). This new classification identifies 479 Opportunity Colleges and Universities across the country that are delivering remarkable outcomes and expanding pathways to prosperity for millions of students. At each of these institutions, faculty members are shaping a better future for students and our nation.
One leader who exemplifies the dedication and influence of postsecondary educators is Dr. Tuajuanda C. Jordan, president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Co-Chair of the Carnegie Postsecondary Commission. Dr. Jordan has long championed access and innovation in higher education. Among her many contributions, she launched the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance and the SEA-PHAGES program to engage students who are new to college-level science and have little or no research experience. In essence, Dr. Jordan has helped transform the way STEM is taught and to whom, widening the gateway to scientific careers, and helping to build a generation of informed, productive global citizens.
Dr. Jordan has been widely recognized for her contributions to higher education and the broader community, and she certainly doesn’t need our applause. But that’s what Teacher Appreciation Week is for. I am deeply grateful for her leadership—and for the thousands of educators across the country who are helping students not only earn degrees but chart paths to meaningful lives and careers.
This month, let’s recognize all the educators who expand possibilities and open doors for students everywhere.
In partnership,
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