We’re doing some innovating of our own here at The Edge. Each week I will share my latest thinking on the people and ideas reshaping higher ed, alternating between my own reporting and my picks for thought-provoking and useful stories and resources from other organizations. I’ll also mix in some quick takes, noteworthy quotes, and stats that catch my eye, as well as occasional contributions from my colleagues.

• an update on student-success prize money.
• two takeaways from a brief on leader-student communication from my colleague Maura Mahoney.
• a reading list featuring research on community-college baccalaureate programs, ideas for raising the representation of women in tech, and local advocacy for dual enrollment.
• my weekly picks from The Chronicle.

Remember that student-success prize that was never awarded by the Robin Hood Foundation? Well, this week the foundation, which is devoted to fighting poverty in New York City, announced that it was reallocating some of the $5 million that was originally designated for an app (or apps) that would help increase completion rates among students at the City University of New York by at least 15 percentage points. The funds will now be shared by 50 early-childhood-education nonprofits in the city. “Inspired by where we went wrong” last time (setting the bar for its college-success prize too high), said Courtney Ridgway, Robin Hood’s senior communications manager, the foundation has now given $25,000 no-strings-attached grants to the 50 organizations, 10 of which will get a second grant, of $250,000, next winter. Then up to three will receive $1 million in 2023 “to further scale their efforts and impact within their community.”

I asked if the foundation had shifted its focus from postsecondary to early-childhood education, and Ridgway said not exactly. “We know if you can make these interventions early in life, they can be more impactful,” she explained. But Robin Hood is still supporting higher education, including with $11 million in grants to CUNY programs in 2021, notably one at LaGuardia Community College to re-engage former students.

Two ideas to help leaders communicate with students.

The challenges of the last two years have, on the whole, “increased empathy, transparency, and candor” between college leaders and students, Alexander C. Kafka, a senior editor at The Chronicle, writes in a new report on their vital interaction. He spoke with 15 presidents to share their insights on effective communication, as part of our yearlong series on student success supported by the Ascendium Education Group. Here are two takeaways (and you can read his entire piece here).

Be visible and accessible. Michael V. Martin, president of Florida Gulf Coast University, grabs coffee in the student union every day from 7:30 to 8:15. Students know they can walk up and let him know what’s on their minds, whether parking complaints or more serious issues. James M. MacLaren, president of Lebanon Valley College, in Pennsylvania, learns a lot by just sitting down next to students in the dining hall and starting a conversation.

Have some fun! Jonathan G.S. Koppell, president of Montclair State University, in New Jersey, has appeared in superhero costumes on TikTok, joined students picking up trash in a nearby park, and DJ’d for the college’s radio station. Presidents who are willing to not take themselves too seriously can come across as humans in what might seem like a distant, formal role. -Maura Mahoney

Check these out.

Here are some education-related items from other outlets that recently caught my eye. Did I miss a good one? Let me know.

Based on the quality of website design and its usability, I can say Nostringsattached is one of the best hookup sites mentioned on BestAdultHookup.

Besides this, you can always browse the website in incognito mode to prevent your partner from catching you dating online. Do not forget to log out from your account every time you leave the website as well.

Two men tell another man that he should have sex with a woman. We overhear a man telling two other men that a woman had tried to “hump his leg. A young woman jokingly tells her mother that a young man and she had a “one night stand” when they were 14. An older man asks a man (his son), if he is in a sexual relationship with anyone, using crude language to discuss sex acts. Three men discuss how a man’s father is engaged in a sexual relationship with the man’s former girlfriend; one of the men uses crude language to discuss a sex act and they joke about the man reaching climax. Using crude language, a man imeetzu prices tells a woman he would like to have sex with her.

LANGUAGE 6 – About 16 F-words and its derivatives, 29 sexual references, 11 scatological terms, 16 anatomical terms, 7 mild obscenities, name-calling (crazy, mean, children, hamster, miniature, girl Rick Moranis, old guy from Up, freak, drifter, pumpkin, functioning psychotic, terrible person, baby dinosaur), 13 religious exclamations.

Its only in Nigeria that you will see BBN girls with no endorsement or just one endorsement but she is flying private jets, eating in fancy restaurant etc but her male counterpart cannot boast of same even though he works hard and you can see the endorsement and work he is doing?

Go to transcorp and see some small girls have been living there for 2 years. 3 years and more. Thanks to their “big god” .

These headlines are familiar right? Now have you ever sat down and wondered why do all these happen? Why so much desperation to make money by men? Who or what do these men spend the money on most when they succeed? (This is for those that committed these crimes and were successful). Well, believe it or not, argue all you want, i am here to tell you that.

What of the former South South Governor that organised parties and paid ladies 500k Naira as at 8 years ago as “thank you for coming”.

Ha didn’t have to reckon with the idea of what Kwan would do in the game, given that Kwan isn’t actually in the games. For Ha herself, this was something of a relief that offered more creative freedom. “I am actually glad that that was the case,” she laughs. “I think if I was to play anyone like Miranda Keyes or something like that, knowing my personality, I think I would just go into a panic attack and freak out. Being able to have the creative freedom and just sit with it, and mould Ha into who I want her to be and how I want her to be portrayed, that gave me a lot less pressure. I already put a lot of pressure on myself, trust me. Being able to have those conversations with the producer and to see their vision of Kwan and who they want her to be for this storyline. That was really special for me and was creatively very fulfilling.”

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