Blackboard, WE's policy newsletter, provides regular updates on our work to improve the college system in Illinois to ensure that adult students achieve success.

January 22, 2024

2024 Legislative Agenda| FAFSA | Paid Leave for All | Summer Leadership Program | And More

In this issue, check out our 2024 legislative agenda, learn about the redesigned FAFSA, get the scoop on student loan forgiveness and debt repayment, read new guidance for campus equity plans, and learn about the Pattis Family Foundation Summer Leadership Program!

July 31, 2023

2023 Legislative Updates | Affirmative Action | Student Loan Forgiveness | And More

Check out some of our 2023 legislative wins, read about the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision and how you can continue to advocate for equity and diversity, learn about President Biden’s new student loan forgiveness plan, and more in the July 2023 issue of Blackboard.

January 24, 2023

Paid Time Off For All Illinois Workers | 2023 WE Legislative Agenda | TWL Nominations | And More!

Check out Women Employed’s 2023 full legislative agenda, share your student success stories with us, register for College Changes Everything 2023: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, stay updated with which new employment laws are in effect as of January 1, 2023, save the date for The Working Lunch, submit a nomination for an honoree, and more!

November 11, 2022

Minority Serving Institutions | Student Debt Cancellation | Dev Ed Reform | Career Foundations

Women Employed staff member Corinne Kodama, who formerly worked in MSIs, talks about what we can learn about racial equity and supporting students of color as institutions adapt to post-pandemic challenges for community college students, student parents, and Students of Color, learn what’s next for the Biden Administration’s student debt cancellation, watch the Forum for Excellence, where Shawnee College, Almy Education, and Women Employed discussed what we are learning and doing on the journey to increasing equity, access, and student success in developmental education, and more!

September 20, 2022

Excellence In Action | Equitable Funding Commission | Student Loan Forgiveness

Register for the 2022 Forum for Excellence, learn what’s on the agenda for the Equitable Funding Commission, read about the Biden Administration’s announcement of federal student debt cancellation, join us for Silenced No More and learn your rights related to sexual harassment, and more!

July 8, 2022

College Changes Everything | 50 Years of Title IX | Share Your Experience | And More!

Register for the College Changes Everything conference, read about the far-reaching impacts of Title IX, tell us your experience balancing work and school, read the report on COVID’s impacts on women in the workforce in Chicago, and more!

May 11, 2022

Federal Student Loan Forgiveness | Legislative Wins | Dev Ed Stories | College Changes Everything

Learn about the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, find out about our 2022 legislative wins, tell us your developmental education story, join us at College Changes Everything, and more!

March 11, 2022

2022 Legislative Agenda | Student Loan Forgiveness | Intersecting Barriers

Check out WE’s 2022 Legislative Agenda, find out if your student loans could be forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, read our new Intersecting Barriers report, and more in this issue of Blackboard!

December 22, 2021

Happy Holidays + Women Employed is Hiring!

Happy holidays from Women Employed! In this issue, we take a moment to thank you for your support and commitment to improving the lives of working women. Plus, hear from former summer intern Reyna Moreno, and read about an exciting job opportunity at Women Employed for a Senior Career Pathways Manager!

October 19, 2021

Rethinking Dev Ed | Student Parents Need Childcare | Policy Supports for MSI

Learn about our recently-launched ASPIRE Project and the ten colleges partnering with us to rethink and rework developmental education, see what happens when student parents can’t find child care, help us better support Illinois’ Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) by taking our survey, learn about HB 12—a new law which makes more education support staff eligible for family and medical leave, and more!

Together, we will ensure more women, families, and communities can build their economic power and thrive.

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