First Lady Michelle Obama Announces New Higher Education Campaign

As part of the Reach Higher initiative, a program which urges all high school students to seek higher education, First Lady Michelle Obama recently announced the national launch of the Better Make Room campaign.

Unlike other higher education initiatives of its kind, the Better Make Room campaign brings together 20 social media, business and non-profit partners to target Generation Z students (ages 14-17) and provide accessible resources aimed to inspire them to complete their education after high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.

This campaign will leverage traditional and new media platforms to celebrate student stories in the same way that we often celebrate celebrities and athletes.

Better Make Room will utilize celebrities and influencers to recognize the accomplishments of today’s students while helping these teens understand the steps, tools and resources available to help them in their path towards higher education, such as registering for the SAT and ACT, visiting a college campus, filling out FAFSA, and completing at least four college applications.

Locally, the College of Education is also encouraging students to pursue higher education through NC State’s NC-MSEN Pre-College Program, whose mission is to prepare underserved students at the middle and high school levels to attend a 4-year college or university, and for careers in education and STEM. The program serves students throughout five North Carolina counties with year-round enrichment activities, and partners with school districts to recruit students from underserved populations who have not been prepared to pursue college preparatory level mathematics and science-based courses.

To learn more about the Better Make Room campaign, head on over to their website, and to learn more about how you can get involved with the College of Education’s NC-MSEN Pre-College Program, click here.