Exploring Economics Conference

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Blog Post

Community College Insights

June 5, 2026

Success Across Student Dimensions: New Data From the 2025 SCCO

Stephanie Norris, Davy Sell and Anthony Tringali

This week's post details the aggregate success rates across a wide range of student characteristics from nearly 300,000 students across 189 institutions.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

May 7, 2026

Beyond Graduation Rates: How Rural Community Colleges Are Rewriting the Story of Student Success

Kristin Vinagro and Stephanie Norris

A recent webinar from the Richmond Fed's Center for Rural Economies showed how three leaders from rural community colleges are tailoring their programs to better serve the needs of their students and communities.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

April 9, 2026

Beyond Academic Assistance: Key Findings on Wraparound Services at Community Colleges

Emily Wavering Corcoran, Stephanie Norris, Anthony Tringali and Sonya Ravindranath Waddell

Support services, or wraparound services, give community college students supports to succeed in higher education. But with cost as the biggest barrier, how can community colleges meet their students' needs?

Blog Post

Community College Insights

March 3, 2026

Student Success in the Fifth District: Results From the 2025 SCCO

Stephanie Norris, Davy Sell and Anthony Tringali

Last week, we released results from the 2025 Survey of Community College Outcomes. This post explores the characteristics of Fifth District community college students and the community college pathways that are often overlooked by traditional graduation rate metrics.

Article

Econ Focus

First/Second Quarter 2026

Charting Career and Education Pathways

Charles Gerena

Through initiatives like Invest in What's Next, the Richmond Fed supports a healthy job market by helping students make informed decisions about future work and education pathways.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

December 4, 2025

Workforce Pell Is (Finally) Law. Now What?

Davy Sell and Stephanie Norris

Congress' passage of H.R.1 (OBBA) has brought new changes to higher education funding, including the establishment of a Workforce Pell Grant program. What does this mean, and how might agencies, institutions, and students respond?

Blog Post

Regional Matters

November 20, 2025

RIC Spotlight: Strengthening the Rural Workforce Through STEM Education

Bethany Greene
Regional Economist

Many rural areas lack sufficient resources to strengthen the STEM pipeline. How is one nonprofit in South Carolina addressing the workforce gap in hopes of reducing rural flight?

Blog Post

Community College Insights

June 11, 2025

Student Parents: The Power of Wraparound Supports

Quanic Fullard, Jason Kosakow and Laura Dawson Ullrich

Wraparound services like transportation assistance and child care foster student success. This post highlights how some community colleges are supporting student parents.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

May 30, 2025

Affordable College, Unaffordable Living: How Community Colleges Develop Student Housing

Davy Sell and Anthony Tringali

Community colleges can leverage a number of creative strategies and partnerships to provide long-term housing solutions for the unique student populations they serve.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

May 9, 2025

Affordable College, Unaffordable Living: Innovative Housing Solutions for Community College Students

Davy Sell and Anthony Tringali

Although community college enrollment has increased, housing has also become a growing obstacle for student success.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

April 25, 2025

Unpacking Trends in Undergraduate Credentials

Stephanie Norris
Associate Director, Community College Initiative

New data on credentials earned by undergraduate students show that postsecondary attainment is not a one-size-fits all endeavor.

Article

Econ Focus

First/Second Quarter 2025

Community Colleges and Workforce Training in the Criminal Justice System

Matthew Wells

Programs within and outside prison walls provide opportunities for a new beginning.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

March 21, 2025

A Deeper Look at Success Among Pell Grant Recipients

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

Results from the 2024 Survey of Community College Outcomes indicate that Pell Grant recipients from the 2019-2020 cohort had success rates that lagged their non-Pell Grant recipient peers. While both groups earned associate degrees at roughly the same rate, Pell Grant recipients were less likely to transfer to a four-year institution prior to receiving an award.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

February 13, 2025

Fall 2024 College Enrollment: New Data Tell a Different Story

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

This post both updates and corrects a previous post about fall 2024 college enrollment: Total undergraduate college enrollment increased 4.5 percent nationwide compared to fall 2023.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

January 30, 2025

Success Measures Matter: How States Are Tying Funding to Student Outcomes

Katrina Mullen and Stephanie Norris

Performance-based funding policies are designed to incentivize institutions to meet a set of performance metrics, and in return, receive additional revenue. However, designing and implementing these models is complex.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

January 16, 2025

Community Colleges Spring Into Action in the Wake of Hurricane Helene

Anthony Tringali, James Melton and Laura Dawson Ullrich

Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across the Fifth District. Two community college presidents in North Carolina shared how the storm impacted their institutions and the role they have played in the recovery efforts.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

December 5, 2024

Webinar Recap: Unveiling the Richmond Fed's 2024 Survey of Community College Outcomes

Kristin Vinagro

The Richmond Fed's community college team recently unveiled results of the 2024 Survey of Community College Outcomes during a webinar that highlighted key findings and insights from two community college presidents.

Article

Econ Focus

Fourth Quarter 2024

Zooming in on Community Colleges

Tom Barkin
President and Chief Executive Officer

The Survey of Community College Outcomes aims to capture the positive outcomes and critical role community colleges play in the workforce development needs of their communities.

Article

Economic Brief

November 2024, No. 24-35

To Whom It May Concern: Demographic Differences in Letters of Recommendation

Beverly Hirtle and Anna Kovner

Recent research suggests that there are meaningful differences in the content of recommendation letters correlated with gender, race and ethnicity.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

November 14, 2024

Careers Evolve but Majors Matter: Career Pathways and College Majors in Virginia

Joseph Mengedoth
Regional Economist

People change jobs over time, but they are likely to remain in the industries that are most highly tied to their initial fields of study.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

November 7, 2024

Previewing Fall 2024 College Enrollment

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

A preview of the NSC's fall 2024 college undergraduate enrollment is here, and as anticipated, freshmen enrollment appears to have declined, although total enrollment is up.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

October 24, 2024

Funding Wraparound Services at Community Colleges

Kristin Vinagro

Wraparound services offer a wide range of support that may otherwise prevent students from completing their education. However, funding wraparound services at community colleges can be challenging.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

October 18, 2024

The Survey of Community College Outcomes: Pathways to Success and Sneak Peek of Results

Stephanie Norris and Laura Dawson Ullrich

A sneak peek at results provides some insights on what makes a community college successful, often influenced by the types of students they serve and their local workforce development needs.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

September 30, 2024

How Did Community College Students Fare after COVID-19 Disruptions? A First Look at the BPS:20/22

Stephanie Norris
Associate Director, Community College Initiative

Recently released evidence from the NCES indicates the prevalence of personal and educational disruptions on community college students, but more detailed data would be needed to see the entire picture.

News

Sept. 30, 2024

Embracing Outdoor Recreation and Tourism in Farmville, VA

Just 75 minutes from Richmond, Farmville and its surrounding counties are an idyllic setting for bargain hunters and outdoor adventurers alike. The area's economic landscape is notably shaped by its educational institutions and agricultural roots, alongside other attractions. Recently, our Community Conversations Team made a visit to the area to learn more about their economic strengths and opportunities.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

September 19, 2024

Are College Towns Recession Proof?

Adam Scavette and Robert Calvert Jump

Although the communities surrounding universities experienced some shielding effects from previous recessions, the unemployment rate actually increased in these areas following the COVID-19 recession.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

September 12, 2024

The Survey of Community College Outcomes: Past, Present, and Future

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

As we wrap up data collection for 2024 and prepare to release our results in November, this post highlights what we've done so far, what we're working on, and future plans for the project.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

September 6, 2024

New Data Confirm Community Colleges Are Leaders in Dual Enrollment Education

Stephanie Norris
Associate Director, Community College Initiative

Initial IPEDS estimates show community colleges serve almost 75 percent of dually enrolled students nationwide, and there is significant variation across states, institution types, and student demographics.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

August 16, 2024

Credential-Job Misalignment in Middle Skills Occupations

Anthony Tringali and Laura Dawson Ullrich

The credential-jobs misalignment among middle-skill workers has an impact on the economy, causing inefficiencies in employer-employee matching. Rethinking how community colleges and universities approach transfer agreements could provide better alignment.

Article

Econ Focus

Third Quarter 2024

Preparing to Work: The Demand for Postsecondary Education and How It's Changing

Stephanie Norris, Laura Dawson Ullrich and Sonya Ravindranath Waddell

With an anticipated decline in the college-age population, high costs of four-year degrees, and changing demands among employers, parents, and students, higher education seems to be at a crossroads.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

July 25, 2024

Unfinished Business? A Closer Look at the "Some College, No Degree" Population

Stephanie Norris and Laura Dawson Ullrich

College degree attainment is associated with higher labor force participation, and although better data is needed to understand fully, this seems to also be true for those who have some college but no degree.

Article

Economic Brief

July 2024, No. 24-23

Tracking College Tuition Growth

Grey Gordon, Aaron Hedlund and Brennan Merone

How has college tuition trended recently, and why?

Blog Post

Community College Insights

July 2, 2024

Inclusive Pathways to Success: Why Community Colleges Require Different Criteria

Stephanie Norris
Associate Director, Community College Initiative

Community colleges serve students in many ways depending on their educational goals, so much of the value these institutions provide for their communities is overlooked when measuring success.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

June 21, 2024

June Update: The 2024 FAFSA Crisis

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

The looming FAFSA crisis has continued into June, likely leading to a decrease in enrollments for grant and federal loan dependent schools. In turn, community colleges may see an enrollment increase.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

May 24, 2024

Following the Money: State and Local Funding for Community Colleges in the Fifth District

Laura Dawson Ullrich and Stephanie Norris

Historically, most higher education state and local spending has gone to four-year institutions. As community colleges play an increasing role in training workers for high-demand jobs, have funding patterns kept up?

Blog Post

Community College Insights

April 25, 2024

The FAFSA Crisis: Will Delayed Completions Result in Enrollment Declines?

Stephanie Norris and Laura Dawson Ullrich

Issues surrounding the new FAFSA form have led to a sharp decline in form completions for the coming academic year. This could result in overall enrollment declines across higher education, but it is likely to hit some groups of students and institutions harder than others.

Article

Econ Focus

First/Second Quarter 2024

The End of the Student Loan Repayment Moratorium

Matthew Wells

Borrowers didn't have to make payments for three and a half years. How will they — and the economy — weather a rapidly changing student loan landscape?

Blog Post

Community College Insights

March 28, 2024

Gainful Employment Take Two: Concerns for Rural Community Colleges

Stephanie Norris and Laura Dawson Ullrich

The motivations behind the new gainful employment policy are noble, but community colleges, especially in rural areas, could be disproportionately harmed by the earnings premium test.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

March 22, 2024

Gainful Employment Take One: Motivation, History, and the Reality of the New Rules

Laura Dawson Ullrich and Stephanie Norris

In this article, we discuss the history and motivation of federal gainful employment legislation and what the new rules entail.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

March 7, 2024

Funding Dual Enrollment Across the Fifth District

Erika W. Bell and Matthew Wells

Dual enrollment programs can play an important role in creating a strong, educated workforce, but they need to make sure the funding policies are available and effective.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

February 22, 2024

Non-Credit Workforce Programs at Community Colleges

Laura Dawson Ullrich and Jacob Walker

Community colleges offer non-credit workforce training programs that prepare students for high-demand jobs. Data on these programs and their students are limited. The Richmond Fed's Survey of Community College Outcomes aims to bridge the data gap.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

February 9, 2024

Pell Grants and Community Colleges

Jacob Walker

Pell Grants make community college more accessible for low-income students, but those enrolled in non-credit coursework aren't eligible. Expanding eligibility would be significant for both institutions and students.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

December 21, 2023

New Insights on Dual Enrollment Students From the Survey of Community College Outcomes

Jacob Walker

Data on dual enrollment programs is limited, but through the Richmond Fed's Survey of Community Colleges Outcomes, we now have a better understanding of how Fifth District community colleges serve high school students and how these students perform.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

December 14, 2023

A Brief Community College Origin Story

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

Community colleges started out as junior colleges and meant to restrict access to higher education. However, they have evolved to increase access to higher education and the workforce.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

November 17, 2023

Results From the Survey of Community College Outcomes Extended Pilot

Jason Kosakow, Laura Dawson Ullrich and Jacob Walker

In order to observe Fifth District community college outcomes, we decided to collect consistent data that would enable us to calculate a new success metric: the Richmond Fed Community College Success Rate.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

October 20, 2023

Why We Need a New Outcome Measure in the Community College Space

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

Community colleges differ from four-year institutions in important ways, but they are often measured by the same metrics.

Blog Post

Community College Insights

September 29, 2023

The Complications of Full-Time Equivalent Funding Formulas

Laura Dawson Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

Funding formulas for higher education have traditionally been based primarily on full-time equivalent enrollment. This creates disparities between funding for four-year institutions and community colleges that may worsen over time.

Blog Post

Regional Matters

September 28, 2023

Creating a STEM Employment Pipeline in Eastern North Carolina Schools

Laura Dawson Ullrich and Matthew Wells

The STEM East initiative aims to show students in eastern North Carolina how they can stay and thrive in their home communities.

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