Lincoln University president discusses race, social mobility at D.C. higher education forum

Lincoln University President Brenda A. Allen (third from left) speaks at an education event in Washington, D.C. on June 25, 2019. Also pictured, from left, Lehman College (CUNY) President José Luis Cruz, Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy Hall, and Georgia State University President Mark Becker. (Courtesy photo/Jack Fleming)

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – Speaking at a higher education event in Washington, D.C., yesterday, Lincoln University President Brenda A. Allen called on education to “evolve its practices” in order to continue to drive social mobility for students of color and students from low income families.

“We have to acknowledge that the positive effects of social mobility are being challenged today.”

Allen joined other college leaders, researchers, students, and higher education policy makers and influencers from organizations such as the Brookings, Lehman College (CUNY), the American Council on Education, Georgia State University, and Pace University for a fast-paced, interactive event that combined short talks, big ideas, and breakout sessions.

“Social mobility remains an area of great racial disparity in this country,” Allen wrote in a prepared paper for the event. “Education has the potential to lessen the gap, if and only if it focuses on training individuals to thrive in today’s marketplace.” 

“A liberal arts education continues  to be the most powerful  educational approach to  developing strong intellect and  interpersonal savvy. The liberal  arts’ use of curricular and  co-curricular opportunities as  vehicles for honing important  skills, such as writing and  problem-solving, along with  developing interpersonal skills  like leadership, ethics, and  teamwork will surely produce  graduates able to thrive in  today’s economy, thus  ensuring long-term success.” Attendees at the event, titled  “How Colleges Can Drive Social  Mobility for Students of Color  and Students from Low-Income  Families,” identified the barriers  that students and their colleges  face when trying to climb the  economic ladder with the help  of higher education. The event  was hosted by the TIAA  Institute and The Education  Trust, a national nonprofit that  works to close opportunity gaps  that disproportionately affect  students of color and students  from low-income families.

View this article online at 
www.lincoln.edu.