Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development

The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) will host a webinar, Thursday, April 15, as part of its Bridges to Success Equity Webinar series.

Dr. Natissia Small, assistant provost for access and academic support at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, will give a virtual presentation on barriers to college access and how they can be overcome.

Thursday’s webinar is the latest in a series of monthly presentations given by educators and advocates aimed at promoting equity throughout Missouri’s colleges and universities.

MDHEWD’s Office of Postsecondary Policy recently published a corresponding white paper on Guided Pathways, a robust support system aimed at helping students choose their major and adjust their course load in order to thrive in the classroom while maintaining a healthy school-work-life balance.

“Understanding the historical inequities in access to higher education will help Missouri’s colleges and universities combat today’s challenges,” said Dr. Mara Woody, assistant commissioner of the office of postsecondary policy. “Both this month’s webinar and white paper will offer tangible strategies for making higher education more accessible.”

Titled “Best Practices for College Access Past, Present, and National Pandemic," this week’s webinar will examine equity in higher education from a historical perspective. The white paper suggests how Guided Pathways, which has already been adopted by more than 250 schools, can be used to counter the academic hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monthly equity webinars are scheduled to take place from now until June. Download the white paper, register for the upcoming webinar, and see future webinar dates at https://dhewd.mo.gov/equity_project.php.

About the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development: The department works to empower Missourians with the skills and education needed for success. More information about MDHEWD can be found at https://dhewd.mo.gov or on Facebook and Twitter @MoDHEWD.

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