News
MCAN shares the latest data, research, and resources from the field so that educators, leaders, and partners are empowered with knowledge that is relevant to their work.
News
Press Releases
Higher Education Innovation
MCAN partners with EAB to launch statewide direct admission program
August 12, 2026
Michigan College Access Network is proud to announce MI College Match, a new partnership with education company EAB and Michigan higher education institutions to roll out a statewide, next-generation direct admission program.
High School Innovation
Steelcase Foundation awards $160,000 grant to MCAN to boost college attainment in West Michigan
July 7, 2026
MCAN is proud to announce it has received a two-year, $160,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation to fund the Kent County Attainment Accelerator, a place-based initiative designed to expand and strengthen college access and success efforts already underway across the region.
All Areas of Work
MCAN applauds continued commitment to education in fiscal year 2027 state budget
July 3, 2026
Earlier today, the Michigan legislature passed its fiscal year 2027 budget bills, which the governor is expected to sign. Michigan College Access Network is excited to see increased funding for K-12 and higher education, continuing vital investments in our students.
Blogs
All Areas of Work
15 Years Forward: The Archive
August 20, 2026
Over the past year, we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate the people, partnerships, milestones, and moments that have shaped Michigan College Access Network over the past 15 years. We’re grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey and helped make MCAN what it is today. As we close out the anniversary, we wanted to make it easy to revisit some of the content we shared throughout the year.
High School Innovation
Skilled and Educated: How David Urlaub is Connecting Career Preparation with Lifelong Learning
August 11, 2026
For 20 years, David Urlaub has helped students at the Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center imagine what life after high school could look like. As a student counselor and the center’s lead SkillsUSA adviser, Urlaub works closely with 11th- and 12th-grade students as they explore careers, build technical skills, and consider the education they’ll need to reach their goals. His work is rooted in a simple belief: students shouldn’t have to choose between becoming skilled and becoming educated.
All Areas of Work
15 Years Forward: When Policy Meets Purpose | Michele Strasz
April 23, 2026
As director of the Capital Area College Access Network (CapCAN) and a leader at United Way South Central Michigan, Michele has spent her career at the intersection of community impact and public policy. As we reflect on 15 years of postsecondary progress through the lens of policy, Michele's story is exactly the one we want to tell.
In the News
Higher Education Innovation
Education officials meet to discuss the basic needs of college students
September 11, 2026
WILX
Education leaders met in Lansing to talk about how to help college students who are struggling to meet their basic needs. The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential and the Michigan College Access Network hosted the gathering, called “Braiding Community Support for College Student Basic Needs.” The meeting focused on how schools and local groups can work together so students can stay in school and finish their degrees.
Higher Education Innovation
Michigan, Alabama Embrace New Model for Direct Admissions
September 8, 2026
Inside Higher Ed
This fall, a group of private and public colleges in Michigan are joining the dozens of states where students can be admitted to college without sending in an application.
Higher Education Innovation
MI College Match Launches in Michigan, Flipping the College Application Process
August 31, 2026
Fox 17 West Michigan
Michigan's college admission process is getting turned on its head. MI College Match, a new statewide program from the Michigan College Access Network and EAB, officially launched this week, flipping the traditional application process by having colleges proactively offer acceptance to students instead of the other way around.