Michigan College Access Network

06/23/2026

Only 51.6% of adults over 25 have a degree or other training beyond high school — the lowest of any Midwestern state. The number of men in particular who are going to college has been falling steadily, with 35% more Michigan women earning a degree or certificate than men.
BEST Benzie County Educational Network

Seven years ago, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launched an effort to boost the proportion of adult state residents with education past high school to 60 percent by 2030. In 2021, she launched Michigan Reconnect to help residents 25 and older cover the cost of community college tuition. But the numb...

06/23/2026

Registration for MCAN's 15th annual conference is NOW OPEN! This year's theme, College: Michigan's Foundation, Michigan's Future, will highlight the shared benefits of higher education — not just to individuals, but to communities, the workforce, and the state. In alignment with Michigan's Sixty by 30 attainment goal, we’re working to ensure communities that are underrepresented on college campuses have access to and the resources to succeed in college, strengthening and expanding the reach of these benefits to all corners of our state.

⏰ The deadline for learning session proposals and pitch competition interest forms is just ONE WEEK AWAY! Whether you're a returning presenter or first-time attendee, we want to hear your ideas.

Learn more and register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/ebbe1bb8-d9d8-42b7-923a-eacac7ad788c/summary

06/23/2026

"The 43 million Americans with some college and no credential are not failures. They are living evidence of an infrastructure never designed to see them through. They enrolled during a moment of hope and left during a moment of hardship. Their outcomes reflect systems built for a traditional student population that no longer represents the majority of today’s learners."

America has spent a decade wringing its hands over who isn’t showing up to college, but not enough time wondering why so many who do never make it out

06/19/2026

It's FAFSA Friday! This week, we're highlighting the charter schools with the highest FAFSA completion rates. As of June 15, there were 61,074 (53.6%) students in the Class of 2026 who completed a FAFSA. https://fafsa.micollegeaccess.org/

06/18/2026

MCAN and the Michigan Community College Association have released a joint statement urging Michigan lawmakers and the Governor to complete the FY27 state budget by the statutory July 1 deadline. Timely completion of the budget provides students, families, schools, colleges, and community partners with the ability to plan for the year ahead.

Read the full statement here: https://buff.ly/5B5rluy

06/17/2026

Michigan students, families, schools, and colleges deserve an on-time state budget.

Today, MCCA and the Michigan College Access Network issued a joint statement urging state leaders to complete the FY 2027 budget by the July 1 statutory deadline and remain focused on priorities that expand opportunity and strengthen Michigan's talent pipeline.

Our shared priorities include:
✔ Modernizing dual enrollment funding
✔ Expanding Michigan Reconnect to age 21
✔ Sustaining investments in college access and student success
✔ Supporting Michigan's community colleges

As budget negotiations continue, we encourage policymakers to keep the focus on students, workforce development, and educational opportunity.

Read the full statement in the comments.

06/17/2026

“Eventually, if the federal government rules that a program can't take student loan dollars, it will functionally shut down,” Fewins-Bliss said. “We just don't have the infrastructure, the financial wherewithal to hold those programs up. So those institutions are going to be doing everything they can to make sure those degrees are valuable.”

A proposed federal student loan rule could prohibit students attending certain college programs from getting federal loans — 16 in the state of Michigan have preliminarily been flagged.

06/16/2026

Ten trade unions and 24 community colleges have signed up to participate in Michigan’s College Credit for Apprenticeships Program, which was launched in Oct. 2025 by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The program “enables past, current and future apprentices to earn college credit for their on-the-job training, opening doors to degrees and certifications that strengthen careers, support employers and build a skilled, adaptable workforce across Michigan,”

The number of community colleges and tribal schools that are offering college credit for job-related apprenticeships is growing.

06/16/2026

Fifteen years ago, MCAN began investing in communities with a simple but ambitious goal: to help more Michigan students access and complete education beyond high school.

What began with early planning and startup grants to launch Local College Access Networks has grown to more than $16 million invested in support of college advising, FAFSA completion efforts, career readiness programming, community partnerships, and student success initiatives across Michigan.

As MCAN celebrates 15 years, we’re reflecting on the partnerships, innovation, and collective investment that continue moving Michigan closer to Sixty by 30.

06/12/2026

Today is Jamie Storey's third MCANniversary! 🥳

As the senior director for student success, Jamie serves as one of MCAN’s primary systems-change strategists, responsible for driving bold, equity-centered efforts that seek to shift the underlying conditions that create barriers to persistence and completion.

Thank you for all of your hard work! 🎉 🎈