Jack Bruening wants to tell Americans about their history.
Scott Smallwood
Co-founder of Open Campus.
Posted inThe Dispatch
The Difference Between a College Town and a Town with Colleges
We’re on the road. Our first stops are in Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, where we’re talking with people about the role of college in their lives and neighborhoods.
Posted inVoices from the Road
‘The Degree Doesn’t Lead You to Your Passion’
Sammy McDowell built a bustling cafe in North Minneapolis—without a college degree.
Posted inThe Dispatch
What Do College Accountability Metrics Really Tell Us Anyway?
We’re not being very thoughtful about how we judge how much good a college is doing — for students or for society.
Posted inThe Dispatch
Most People Go to College Close to Home. What If There Isn’t One Nearby?
More than one in two public-college students go to college within 50 miles of home. What does that mean for rural America?
Posted inThe Dispatch
Launching Our Weekly Newsletter and Mapping Out Our Road Trip
A reporting job covering colleges wasn’t something either of us set out to get. But we grew to care deeply about higher education.
Posted inLocal Journalism
Why We Need More Local Reporting on Higher Ed
Public resentment of colleges is on the rise — more aggressive and thoughtful coverage can help.