NCHEMS

Graphic with a text reading, "New Release. Recognizing Extension Learning: Pathways to Credit and Career Advancement. Read now to discover strategies that can address how Cooperative Extension learning can combat the workforce gap." There is a black-and-white photo of an older black man and a younger black woman, both wearing hard hats, looking at a paper in a warehouse.

The workforce gap is real & growing. #CooperativeExtension serves millions of learners, but structural barriers & lack of alignment keep that learning from counting toward credit or careers. Explore how skills validation, policy coordination, & infrastructure can change it: tinyurl.com/5np54a2n

Millions learn through Cooperative Extension programs, but their skills often go unrecognized. Our new brief examines pathways for noncredit learning to academic credit and career mobility. Read now: tinyurl.com/5np54a2n
#HigherEd #CooperativeExtension #WorkforceDevelopment #Policy #StatePolicy

The Rise of Direct Admissions and What States Need to Consider - NCHEMS As the 2026 legislative session begins, policymakers may be considering a topic gaining traction across many states: direct admissions. It’s quickly becoming one of the most talked-about strategies in...

Direct admissions can simplify college entry for students, but it should be paired with thoughtful design. Our new blog highlights what states need to consider if they adopt direct admissions policies.
Read now: tinyurl.com/mv92z5vv
#HigherEd #Policy #Admissions #CollegeAccess
#Enrollment

Where can policymakers and researchers get answers on higher ed trends? Our resource, HigherEdInfo, was meant to be a hub for providing info that policymakers need to make sound, data-informed decisions. Learn about HigherEdInfo or submit a data request today: tinyurl.com/ysp9t6ft
#HigherEducation

Cooperative Extension and Community Colleges: Partnering for Resilience - NCHEMS This blog was created in partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges with the support of the Lumina Foundation. Special thanks to Jeff Clary for his collaboration on this series....

New blog series: we examine how community colleges & Cooperative Extension can partner more intentionally to support climate resilience & rural workforce needs. Thanks FoundationCCC for collaborating on the series & @luminafoundation.bsky.social for their support. Read now: tinyurl.com/4eu5j7z3

College enrollment has been falling for years. Is it time to overhaul the whole system? Michigan's one-of-a-kind college system may make change hard to coordinate among 15 schools, but there are things the state can do.

How can state policy respond to declining enrollment? @crainsdetroit.bsky.social features insights from NCHEMS President Brian Prescott and Vice President @sarah-pingel.bsky.social on how postsecondary governance plays a role.
Read now: tinyurl.com/4py8xc82
#HigherEd #Policy #EnrollmentDeclines

Graphic for the NCHEMS' 2025 Annual Report with photos and text reading, "ICYMI: Explore our Annual Report!"

ICYMI: NCHEMS' inaugural Annual Report highlights how we help leaders turn data into strategy for higher education. Explore our work to learn the story of evidence, collaboration, and statewide impact.
Read now: tinyurl.com/ytkc9zba
#HigherEd #AnnualReport #Strategy #HigherEdPolicy

Why Cooperative Extension Belongs in Statewide Higher Education Strategy - NCHEMS Cooperative Extension is a noncredit service of land-grant universities, as well as some historically Black and tribal colleges and universities. It’s designed to reach people throughout each state wi...

ICYMI: Our blog shows why Cooperative Extension belongs in statewide higher ed strategy.
Key takeaways: Extension boosts rural workforce efforts, brings local insight, and strengthens pathways from education to employment.
Read now: tinyurl.com/mpdh8n8p
#HigherEd #Extension #Policy #Workforce

Photo of NCHEMS Senior Associates Nancy Stalowski (left) and Louisa Hunkerstorm (right) smiling in front of a conference stadium with a sign reading "Complete College America”.

Photo of NCHEMS Senior Associates Louisa Hunkerstorm (left) and Nancy Stalowski (right) standing in front of an empty M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens.

NCHEMS Senior Associates Louisa Hunkerstorm and Nancy Stalowski joined the @completecollege.bsky.social Annual Convening this week, focused on data-driven strategies that strengthen student pathways and completion. hanks to CCA — and the M&T Bank Stadium reception was a great bonus!
#HigherEd

Community Colleges Must Become Resilient by Design - NCHEMS Community colleges, which have endured a decade-long decline in enrollment, are entering a period of rapid and unavoidable change. A new report, Resilient by Design, authored by NCHEMS and recently re...

ICYMI: Our blog unpacks the report we created for the American Association of Community Colleges, highlighting how community colleges can use data and foresight to thrive amid change. Check out the insights and full blog: tinyurl.com/2xdsun8y
#HigherEd #CommunityColleges #Strategy

Photo of a group of diverse men and women sitting at a long table in a restaurant, all smiling.

Photo of a group of diverse men and women standing in front of a sign with a repeating logo for the University of Tennessee Extension.

Last month, we hosted an in-person meeting in TN with our advisory group and working group sites for our project. Great discussions on rural #HigherEd and workforce development through Cooperative Extension. Thanks to all who joined and to the Rutherford County Extension office for your hospitality.

How States Fund Public Colleges and Universities - NCHEMS This blog was created in partnership with Education Commission of the States. We appreciate their collaboration on this resource and blog post.   Public colleges and universities rely heavily on state...

ICYMI: Our blog with Education Commission of the States breaks down how states fund public higher education. State funding models shape access, affordability, & outcomes in higher ed. Revisit our blog to explore: tinyurl.com/4bz2fkzh #HigherEd #PostsecondaryFunding #Funding

Serving Rural America Through Land-Grant Colleges & Universities: Unlocking the Workforce Development Potential of Extension Services - NCHEMS

Funding and governance shape how Cooperative Extension supports rural resilience. Earlier this year, we released a study that explores this matter. Read our study, Shaping Community Impact: tinyurl.com/4e23h3yn *Go to resources to download the study.
#HigherEd #RuralDevelopment #Extension

Community colleges are navigating rapid change. Resilient by Design, a report prepared by NCHEMS and published by the American Association of Community Colleges, offers a roadmap for navigating what’s ahead. Explore the toolkits to help campus leaders plan for change: tinyurl.com/m4nkm26m
#HigherEd

The numbers tell our story: 20 projects, 17 reports, and countless insights. Explore NCHEMS’ annual report to learn how we turn evidence into a story of impact.
Read now: tinyurl.com/bde7ajf3
#HigherEd #AnnualReport #Strategy

A lot can happen in a year. Our inaugural annual report captures the impact behind the numbers and the people who make it possible.
See highlights from a year of evidence-driven projects across 13 states and explore the full report: tinyurl.com/bde7ajf3
#HigherEd #Strategy #Policy #AnnualReport

Why Cooperative Extension Belongs in Statewide Higher Education Strategy - NCHEMS Cooperative Extension is a noncredit service of land-grant universities, as well as some historically Black and tribal colleges and universities. It’s designed to reach people throughout each state wi...

Cooperative Extension is an overlooked asset in state higher education strategy. Our latest NCHEMS blog explores how stronger alignment can support attainment and workforce goals statewide.
Read more: tinyurl.com/mpdh8n8p
#HigherEd #Strategy #CooperativeExtension #RuralEducation #SHEEOs

States of Opportunity: Building Meaningful Connections Between the FAFSA and State Financial Aid - NCHEMS Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library.  Imagine a high school senior in West Virginia, the first in her family to go to college, sitting at her computer trying to file the FAFSA on h...

Federal uncertainty shouldn’t put students’ aid at risk. With support from Strada Education Foundation, NCHEMS is launching a new project aimed at helping states strengthen and modernize their aid policies while keeping them student-centered. Learn more: tinyurl.com/3srwp72t
#HigherEd #FinancialAid

How States Fund Public Colleges and Universities - NCHEMS This blog was created in partnership with Education Commission of the States. We appreciate their collaboration on this resource and blog post.   Public colleges and universities rely heavily on state...

How states fund #HigherEd shapes access, affordability & performance. Our new blog, co-authored with Education Commission of the States unpacks the updated 50-State Comparsion: Postsecondary Funding and what it reveals about state priorities. Explore the blog: tinyurl.com/4bz2fkzh #Funding

Graphic with a photo of a college campus building overlaid with blue and text reading, "New Report. Resilient by Design: The Future of America's Community Colleges. Download Now." There is a logo for NCHEMS and the American Association of Community Colleges in the bottom right corner, side by side.

Community colleges are at a turning point. Our latest blog highlights a new NCHEMS report released by the American Association of Community Colleges, which lays out the urgent challenges ahead and how leaders can respond. Read the blog: tinyurl.com/2xdsun8y and then the report. #HigherEd

Graphic with text reading, "Welcome Nancy Stalowski, Senior Associate" with a headshot of Nancy — an Asian-American woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, wearing black-framed glasses, small gold hoops, and a gray blazer over a navy shirt, smiling — to the left of the text. In the bottom right corner is NCHEMS logo.

We are excited to welcome the newest member of our team, Nancy Stalowski, Ed.D, as a senior associate! Check out our blog and learn why Nancy is an amazing addition to our team: tinyurl.com/57nej5z4 #HigherEd #NewNCHEMSStaff #NewHire

Graphic with different colored squares from the top left corner to the bottom left corner. In the center of the graphic is an icon of a laptop with text below reading, "SARA-participation institutions save an average of $202,051 each year."

NCHEMS collaborated with NC-SARA to support the research and data analysis of a newly updated report detailing the cost savings associated with SARA participation for colleges and universities. Explore the full report now: nc-sara.org/sara-cost-sa....
#HigherEd #HigherEdFunding #Funding #SARA

Photo of the NCHEMS Board of Directors and President (a group with two women and five men) in front of the University of North Texas Administration Building. The building has large columns in a Greek architecture style with the words "Administration Building" carved on the front.

Photo of the NCHEMS Board of Directors and President, with one of the Board members in the photos joining virtually on a Teams meeting. The group is smiling in front of a large monitor and in a meeting room.

Photo of the NCHEMS Board of Directors, President, and local higher education leaders sitting around a conference table set in a closed u-shape in a conference room.

Photo of the NCHEMS Board of Directors and President (made up of two women and three men) in front of the University of North Texas sign on a brick wall, with a large metal eagle as part of the sign, though partially obscured by the people.

Our Board of Directors and President met last week at the University of North Texas. Board Meetings are key to reflecting, planning, and advancing our mission. Many thanks to UNT for hosting us and welcoming our Board on campus. #HigherEd #NCHEMSOnTheMove #BoardMeeting #Strategy

Serving Rural America Through Land-Grant Colleges & Universities: Unlocking the Workforce Development Potential of Extension Services - NCHEMS

ICYMI: Extension services are essential to rural workforce and economic development. Our report, Shaping Community Impact, looks at how funding and governance shape their contributions. Catch up here: tinyurl.com/47em5a2v #HigherEd #Extension #RuralFunding

50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Education Funding Public postsecondary institutions rely on state funding serving as one of the primary sources of funding for public two- and four-year institutions.

How do states fund higher education? The answer isn’t simple, but the data tells the story. In partnership with Education Commission of the States, we helped them update their 50-State Comparison on postsecondary education funding.
How does your state funding compare? tinyurl.com/n9see9jx #HigherEd

Photo of three women sitting at long table with a black tablecloth for a panel in a conference room. On the table is a banner for SHEEO.

Photo of NCHEMS team (left to right): Brian Prescott, Sarah Pingel, Artemio Cardenas, Louisa Hunkerstorm. They are in a building dressed professionally and are smiling.

Photo of four people sitting at a black table in a conference room for a panel. On the table is a banner for SHEEO.

NCHEMS showed up at @sheeoed.bsky.social’s 2025 Higher Ed Policy Conference! Our team participated in sessions on state funding (The Base Strikes Back) and balancing mission & money (Fiscal Responsibility & Mission). Always grateful to connect and share insights!

Looking for answers on higher ed trends? HigherEdInfo was built to give policymakers the data they need to make sound, evidence-based decisions. Explore what was featured, how it shifted, and request the state-level insights you want today: nchems.org/our-work/hig... #HigherEd

This blog was co-authored by Vice President @sarah-pingel.bsky.social, @sarahancel.bsky.social of Student-Ready Strategies, and Andy Carlson of CollegeApp. #EducationPolicy #WorkforceDevelopment

Overlooked Opportunities in the Quest for Higher Education's "Low-Hanging Fruit" - NCHEMS This blog was co-authored by Sarah Ancel of Student-Ready Strategies, Sarah Pingel of NCHEMS, and Andy Carlson of CollegeAPP. Nearly two decades ago, states began setting educational attainment goals ...

For years, higher ed has focused on reengaging “some college, no degree” adults, leaving 60M with no college experience off the map. This is the untapped talent pool states can’t afford to ignore. Here’s why they matter & how to reach them: tinyurl.com/m6ttbdub #HigherEd #AdultLearners

50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Education Funding Public postsecondary institutions rely on state funding serving as one of the primary sources of funding for public two- and four-year institutions.

We partnered with Education Commission of the States on the update of the 50-State Comparison: Postsecondary Education Funding.It breaks down budget processes, funding models, and what drives allocations, giving essential insights for policy leaders. Read now: tinyurl.com/n9see9jx #HigherEd #Funding