Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press.
The face of higher education in the U.S. is changing as college students increasingly 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 U.S. college and university students in 2018, 28 percent - 5.8 million - were first-generation immigrants or children of immigrants.
The report highlights that immigrant-origin student enrollment has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, going from 2.9 million in 2000, to 5.3 million in 2018, which represented an 82 percent increase.
Thus, the MPI notes that the 5.3 million students are distributed in traditional immigrant destination states, but also in new ones. For example, in California they represent 50% of all degree-seeking students.
Meanwhile, in eight states - Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington - they accounted for 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 levels.
"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 postsecondary credentials, and residents of immigrant backgrounds are important target groups for these policies," the report states.
Examining the characteristics of this population can help higher education institutions and state education policymakers as they pursue the goal of providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the changing demands of the economy.
On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed many dilemmas for institutions of higher education, ranging from finding the best instructional models to promote learning and keep students safe; to the need to provide greater 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.
