When we turn on the television today, to our news channel, there is a high chance that our news announcers will be discussing something that has happened in America. With the variety of events in America that are constantly taking place, they have a variety of newsworthy topics to discuss. However, we want to discuss the change that may possibly happen within higher education when Joe Biden takes his position in the White House. Higher education has always been a popular topic in America, due to their quality of education offered and high international student numbers.  However, in recent years, there has been a lot of controversy on the depiction of education due to different opinions that have been said through media and various governments. In the past four years, education has been up in the air to “DREAMers” and international students from Muslim-majority countries. Due to anti-immigration rhetoric and newer restrictions, there has been a lot of nail-biting scenarios that pertain to education. Higher education in the US has a humanitarian influence to help students who have been vulnerable against immigration restrictions and rhetoric, but this has become a challenge for institutions due to the government confliction. However, as Biden takes seat in the White House, he has claimed to want to make changes in higher education to benefit people in the country, and out. 

Before we dive into the changes that Joe Biden wants to make for the future of higher education in the US, it is important to understand what has happened in the past to put into perspective on what Biden wants to change. History enables us to have a deeper understanding with the world we live in, which means that we need to understand how education has evolved in the US before diving to the near future. If you are not familiar with the term “Education President” it refers to presidents who have made an impact in the US due to their positive strive with education. Here is a list of several presidents who have had influence on education in all forms, not just higher education: 

• President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953 – 1961) – Eisenhower made a momentous change in the foundation of education in America by initiating the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. He introduced a large of amount of resources to education to help increase its quality for students. Eisenhower also took part in desegregation of schools following the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case in 1957. One of Eisenhower’s most famous quotes pertaining education was: “There must be no second-class citizens in this country.” 
• President Lydon B. Johnson (1963 – 1969) – Johnson was a teacher himself, so he believed that education should be accessible for all individuals. He wanted to ensure that education became a national priority to ensure the success for future generations, which is why he passed the law on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This act made sure that public schools provided quality education for all kids. 
• President Bill Clinton (1993 – 2001) – Clinton signed the Goals 2000 Educate America Act; the goal was to improve public education throughout America. It was also used as a funnel to help increase the number of students who attended post-secondary once completing secondary schooling. 
• President Barack Obama (2009 – 2017) – Obama signed Every Student Succeeds Act which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act in 2015. This act was made to provide all children with the opportunity to gain an education that is fair to all and in high-quality. 

Although not all their presidents had impact directly on higher education, elementary and secondary school leads students to become inspired and motivated for post-secondary education if they are taught the importance of learning. The educational realm has had a lot of growth since 1789; there has been growth in inclusivity, quality, and availability to those who want to pursue an education passed secondary. Although it seems like a lot has been advanced in the two-hundred and thirty-two years, there is still much work to be done in education in America. Which may, or may not happen, with Joe Biden as President. 

As of January 20th, 2021 Joe Biden, took leadership as the 46th President of the United States of America. Biden has claimed a multitude of changes that he wants to make to education that could benefit the millions of American’s across the nation. To begin, we need to have a better understanding of how humans tend to understand something better, if they have endured it themselves. There is also the case that one may understand another’s experience if they put themselves into another shoes. The reason we are mentioning this is because Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, is a community college professor. She has a passion for education, and continues to be the first, First Lady to continue her career, while residing in the White House. Besides Joe Biden’s wife being proactive towards education, there is also the fact that higher education, mainly international students, are one of America’s most successful imports bringing in an estimate of $45 billion dollars per year, according to research conducted in 2018. Biden has proposed a multitude of proposals to help further the middle-class through better access to education, which are some of the following:

• Biden wants to invest more into community colleges and training to increase student success, which will benefit the economy. With this, his plan is to provide two years of community college or high-quality training without debt to help individuals quick start their careers. 
• Biden wants to make public colleges and universities tuition free for families who have an income under $125,000. 
• Biden wants to make a $50 billion (about $150 per person in the US) investment to help ensure that business partnerships and apprenticeships are included in community college. This will give students experience in the workforce which may make it easier to get a job after graduation. 
• Biden wants more support flowing towards colleges and universities who play a vital part in their communities; this would include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving institutions. 
• Biden wants to offer student loan forgiveness, which would allow borrowers $10,000 off their debt. 
• Biden wants to increase Pell Grant Awards, which may allow for students to receive over double the previous amount at around $6300. By awarding more students with an increase in grants, it may allow them to borrow less or not at all. 

Some of these factors that Biden plans to ensure, may need some significant improvement to ensure that it is an improvement for all, not just some. Although there are roadblocks that may arise as Biden tries to further education in America, it is important to value the importance of education regardless. It is important to value the “DREAMers”, value those from other countries who bring in diversity, and value those who are dreaming to achieve greatness. Quoted by John F. Kennedy: “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” 

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