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
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.
Adult Student Attainment
Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison announces Jeff Abernathy as founding president
May 27, 2026
The Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP) has appointed Jeff Abernathy as the organization’s founding president. MiCHEP is a statewide consortium of Michigan colleges and universities devoted to expanding and improving higher education for incarcerated students through collaboration, shared best practices, and policy leadership. The consortium partners with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to strengthen educational quality and access across prison learning sites statewide.
Blogs
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.
All Areas of Work
Q&A with Ryan Fewins-Bliss: 15 Years of Policy & Progress
April 15, 2026
As MCAN celebrates its 15th anniversary, we sat down with Ryan to talk about policy — the wins, the work, and what it takes to move a state.
Higher Education Innovation
Rewriting the Story of College Access: How Equitable Opportunities Change Trajectories
March 4, 2026
For students who have long faced systemic barriers, these ripple effects don’t happen by chance. They happen when systems are intentionally redesigned to expand opportunity — not restrict it.
In the News
Higher Education Innovation
What does the federal "Do No Harm" provision mean for Michigan students?
July 17, 2026
CBS News
On July 1, the U.S. Department of Education began rolling out an accountability test that aims to hold colleges accountable for the earnings outcomes of their graduates.
High School Innovation
Tuition rising at Michigan’s public universities as budgets tighten
July 10, 2026
Michigan Public
Michigan’s public universities are raising tuition price this fall as they grapple with rising costs and years of flat or uncertain state funding. All 10 of the state’s largest public four-year universities have approved increases for the coming school year, but many say they are expanding financial aid to soften the impact for students.
High School Innovation
Michigan public university tuition on the rise due to fading investment from state
July 10, 2026
CBS News
According to the Michigan Association of State Universities, state funding used to account for 70% of the operating budget for public universities in Michigan. That was 45 years ago. Today, that number is only 22%.