Tuition aid program gets high marks for value, strives to reach more
One of Michigan’s largest financial aid programs offers great promise in boosting college affordability as well as the number of college graduates — with room to reach many more who qualify for it. The Tuition Incentive Program provided roughly $94 million in financial aid to about 32,000 students across the state in the 2023-24 school year. Yet many eligible students don’t participate in TIP — which covers community college tuition and some fees for students receiving Medicaid during childhood — unaware of the aid or facing difficulty navigating the process to get it. The findings come from research by the University of Michigan’s Education Policy Initiative at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. The research reveals while more than a third of high school graduates are eligible, only 14% of those who qualify participate within two years — and 29% of eligible community college students do. Read more about this research.
Dow Sustainability Fellows Program secures renewed support
The Dow Sustainability Fellows Program, supported by Dow and administered by the Graham Sustainability Institute, will award more than $800,000 in student funding this year. The 2025 funding will support 32 outstanding graduate students from 12 U-M schools and colleges, continuing the program’s tradition of fostering sustainability leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration. This year marks the beginning of a renewed three-year commitment from the Dow Company Foundation, further strengthening the program’s impact. The program also welcomes its new director, Shelie Miller, the Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems and co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability. Miller also is a professor of environment and sustainability in SEAS, professor in the Program in the Environment in SEAS and LSA, and professor of civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering. Read more about these developments.
High-speed internet linked to drop in COVID-19 death rates
The mortality rate from COVID-19 was about 50% lower in U.S. counties with higher internet access in the summer and early fall of 2020. A new U-M study found that broadband connection was a key factor in reducing mortality and incidence during the early months of the pandemic. The average county with high internet access had 48%-53% fewer new COVID-19 deaths and 19%-34% fewer new COVID deaths per 100,000 residents than the average county with low internet access. The research, published in SSM-Population Health, also showed that residents of counties with high internet access reported slightly higher rates of mask-wearing in July 2020 and fewer new COVID-19 cases were reported in counties with higher internet access in July-October of that year. The study adds to growing evidence that internet access is a critical “social determinant of health,” especially during public health crises. Read more about this research.
Academic support platform offers on-demand help at UM-Dearborn
One-on-one peer tutoring sessions through UM-Dearborn’s Office of Academic Success have increased 287% since the last academic year. Director of Academic Success Jess LaGrange said a new-to-campus online peer tutoring platform called Knack, which was added in fall 2024, is a big reason for the increase. Through the platform, users connect with fellow UM-Dearborn students through an online and mobile app 24/7 for tutoring assistance. “It acts like an Uber or Lyft, in that it sends out the request to all available tutors in real time for the course someone needs assistance with. Then tutors can choose to accept,” LaGrange said. Once connected, students can work together right away or make an appointment at a time that works best for them both. They can choose to work online or in person. “In winter 2024, we had 40 completed appointments. In fall 2024, after adding Knack, we had 155. It’s making an impact on student success,” LaGrange said. Read more about this program at umdearborn.edu/news/knack-peer-peer-tutoring.
Light, flexible and radiation-resistant: Organic solar cells for space
Radiation testing suggests that solar cells made from carbon-based, or organic, materials could outperform conventional silicon and gallium arsenide for generating electricity in the final frontier, a U-M study suggests. While previous research focused on how well organic solar cells converted light to electricity following radiation exposure, the new investigation also dug into what happens at the molecular level to cause drops in performance. Space missions often land on gallium arsenide for its high efficiency and resistance to damage from protons, but it’s expensive and, like silicon, is relatively heavy and inflexible. In contrast, organic solar cells can be flexible and are much lighter. This study is among those exploring the reliability of organics, as space missions tend to use highly trusted materials. Read more about this research.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
