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Science, technology, engineering and math jobs are booming in Colorado. Last year, the state had the fourth highest concentration of STEM workers in the country. To help prepare more homegrown talent, including women and people of color, the state is increasing access to bachelor’s degrees.

Despite overall increases in Latino college enrollment over the years, large gaps in attainment still persist. One group in Weld County is organizing funds to help women pay for classes and earn their degrees.

As Colorado’s Hispanic and Latino population grows, so does their college enrollment rates. The strong growth in enrollment over the last two decades has led to several two-year and two-year schools in Colorado receiving the Hispanic-serving institution designation. This unlocks new funding opportunities for schools like Colorado’s latest HSI, the University of Colorado Denver.

The Colorado Community College System has pledged to make secondary education more equitable and accessible to all students. But some faculty in the system feel excluded from that mission.

On today’s episode of Colorado Edition, we hear how a Colorado town that is almost entirely vaccinated is still being impacted by the spread of COVID-19. We also learn about a new ballot proposal to fund educational programs, and talk to a Community College instructor about the lack of benefits for adjunct faculty.

The University of Northern Colorado in Greeley is anticipating Hispanic and Latino students will soon make up 25% of total enrollment. This is a key metric in in becoming a Hispanic-serving institution, a designation from the U.S. Department of Education that would allow UNC to get additional funding to better serve those students.

Today, Moscow’s brief history as a probable sundown town seems a continent away. The northern Idaho town of 25,000 saw multiple racial justice protests last year. Black Lives Matter signs line the windows of Moscow’s downtown restaurants and cafes. But some people of color still feel uneasy here.

Students drop out of college for a variety of reasons. But thanks to a new state law, they could earn an associate degree if they’ve already completed a set number of credits towards a bachelor’s degree. The big sticking point is the large postsecondary attainment gap between whites and several other racial and ethnic groups. This disparity could have long-term economic impacts.

The Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges recently announced a $1 million investment from a health care industry leader to help diversify the workforce. The Kaiser Permanente Colorado Equity Scholarship Fund will provide financial assistance to students from underrepresented communities.

In recent years, some Colorado cities and colleges have publicly recognized the land they are on as the traditional and ancestral homelands of Indigenous nations and peoples. These are known as land acknowledgment statements. A new class at Colorado State University is using them to help examine the reconciliation work that still needs to be done.