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College is a life-changing experience beyond just another line on a resume. College is meant to be a time when your whole future is laid out before you and you have opportunities to discover where your passions and skills lie. While the view of what college is really all about varies person-to-person, many agree that its main purpose should be to help students grow and develop both personally and intellectually. Regardless, no one can deny that having a college degree correlates with higher salary and employment rates across the board. Unfortunately, enrollment of 18-year-old freshmen fell by 5% in the fall 2024 semester, a shocking drop. Inaccessibility, specifically regarding high tuition and lack of awareness about options, is a major roadblock, especially in marginalized groups.
That’s where Kimone Brown, an experienced educational consultant and academic leader, brings her fresh perspective. Kimone has a passion for addressing challenges within higher education, particularly reversing declining university enrollment and encouraging connections between schools and prospective students through emphasizing equality and targeted outreach. High school students now are accustomed to absorbing a great deal of information through social media, so platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are ideal for promoting programs and answering questions in real time. Kimone’s expertise is in curriculum development, enrollment strategies, and marketing, so she’s been able to help universities develop effective outreach programs targeting high schoolers and providing them with the information they need to decide if a college education is the right path for them.
Such programs focus heavily on spreading information on the benefits of a university degree and the college student experience as well as financing. Expensive tuition is one of the biggest issues challenging students, and many with aspirations for a college education can’t get past it or don’t see it being worthwhile. “I’ve helped institutions address this issue by championing student advisory programs that connect students with institutionalized financing options, scholarship and grant opportunities, internship programs, and part-time job opportunities,” Kimone says. She has also served on multiple university scholarship committees.
With university enrollment falling, the risk for America lies in the economy. Nations are increasingly prioritizing university education within their populations, with state universities from BRICS countries in 2024 establishing an academic association encouraging greater international cooperation as well as inviting global institutions to sign up for free membership. This could mean that technological innovation will be driven by universities outside of the U.S. “I’ve been motivated by the fact that higher education has always been integral in driving innovation across industries,” she explains. “Take for example the current AI race. Big tech firms and academia are competing with each other to advance AI development. Surmounting these challenges in higher education ultimately means improving the quality of matriculants, degree programs, research, and humanity. The strong correlation between the production of outstanding seminal research and an academic environment with brilliant students and faculty also motivates me to improve matriculation of the brightest minds.”
It is also integral for universities to expand their focus on cultural diversity, introducing and growing related courses to broaden understanding among the student population. Crafting and enforcing equitable policies is another approach primed to reduce marginalization, therefore leveling the playing field for students of all backgrounds and giving them equal opportunities to thrive in college and beyond. Schools can also work towards this goal by creating and supporting events that will promote engagement and interaction across their student body. Too often, policies remain in place that support overrepresented groups, in turn having the unintended consequence of even further marginalizing underrepresented groups. This creates a divide between student populations rather than fostering a cohesive community. With a focus on listening to student feedback, incorporating data to measure impact, and sharing accurate information in accessible ways, universities in America can undo the decline in enrollment and work towards a better future for all.
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This content is brought to you by Melissa Moraes.
Photo provided by the author.
