Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press.
The face of U.S. higher education is changing as more and more college students come from immigrant families, which could change the future landscape of the workforce and higher education by 2035.
According to a study by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), of the 19 million students at U.S. colleges and universities in 2018, 28 percent -- 5.8 million -- were first-generation immigrants or children of immigrants.
The report notes that immigrant student enrollment has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, from 2.9 million in 2000 to 5.3 million in 2018, an 82 percent increase.
Thus, the MPI points out that the 5.3 million students are distributed in the traditional immigrant destination states, but also in the new ones. For example, in California they represent 50% of all students seeking degrees.
Meanwhile, in eight states - Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington - they represented 30 to 40 percent, and in 32 states, at least 20,000 students from immigrant families were pursuing degrees, ranging from bachelor's to master's and doctoral degrees.
"Most of these states have ambitious higher education goals aimed at increasing the number of adult residents who enroll in higher education programs and graduate with post-secondary credentials, and residents of immigrant background are important target groups for these policies," the report says.
Examining the characteristics of this population can help higher education institutions and state education policy makers as they pursue the goal of providing students with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the changing demands of the economy.
On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed many dilemmas for higher education institutions, ranging from finding the best instructional models to promote learning and keep students safe, to the need to provide higher levels of social support.
While these challenges are great and urgent, equipping students with education and skills remains a priority because they will play an important role in both the eventual U.S. economic recovery and the future of the workforce.
