Envisioning Success In The Postsecondary Path

Daniel A. Lopez, Managing Director of Program, OneGoal

Daniel Lopez is a lifelong educator and college access leader. He has gained deep educational perspectives from his previous roles as a teacher, college advisor and program leader in one of the largest school districts in Texas and across Massachusetts. His mission is to transform the educational experience to encourage young minds to realize their passions post high school and motivate education practitioners to extend their careers without burning out. Daniel believes artificial intelligence can serve as a catalyst for transforming education and is exploring the potential of AI in education through a practitioner lens.

In an interview with Education Technology Insights, Mr. Daniel A. López, Managing Director of Program at OneGoal, discusses the challenges and emerging trends in the world of postsecondary education and shares his insights into effectively navigating them.

Roles and Responsibilities

In my current role as a managing director, I oversee programs and partnerships across all our high schools and colleges in Massachusetts. The vision is to create an encouraging experience for the students, presenting them with opportunities to envision their future after graduating high school. Our Curriculum, training initiatives and other programs are designed to offer the students an environment that helps them navigate the postsecondary landscape in their junior and senior years of high school. Students are urged to explore their options and engage in thorough planning for postsecondary opportunities.

"What education requires right now are bold, courageous leaders willing to listen, ask the right questions and situate students and educators at the center"

We collaborate with colleges to connect them with high school students, guiding these students toward exploring college and career pathways. This partnership breaks down barriers, creating opportunities for students eager to apply and pursue their future goals.

Assessing and Navigating the Spanner in the Works

As an industry leader, working with several high schools and colleges has provided me with an in-depth understanding to comprehend the challenges pertaining to the industry. The challenges span four domains—financial, academic, social and mental.

One of the most significant issues the postsecondary sector faced last year was how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was handled. Many obstacles, including a massive delay in the application rollout process, resulted in a lot of apprehension among students regarding their future.

Thanks to our forward-thinking strategies, the students in our program bypassed the FAFSA complications. The first strategy involved extensive preparation in early fall, including setting up logins for students and parents before applications opened. The second strategy focused on working closely with students to ensure they understood and completed advocacy letters, allowing them to request deadline extensions from schools when needed.

Moreover, the advent of AI introduced a new setback, prompting students to question their roles and potential in the future. It has reshaped the job market, drawing young minds into a loop of reflection on how to succeed in this competitive landscape. To overcome this challenge, it's crucial to explore AI's potential in education carefully rather than avoid its influence altogether.

The way to help students navigate bigger challenges in the postsecondary scenario is to implement smaller strategies throughout.

Leading Along the Curve: Insights from Industry Leader

We are at a pivotal moment in history, where rapid technological innovations are transforming the traditional school experience. To navigate students through this evolving landscape, educational institutions need to develop a vision for the future they want their students to walk into. Those visions need to be actualized through actionable steps—modifying the students' schedules, integrating new learning models or strategically aligning with certain partners to create the right environment. To reach the end goal, the schools need to begin by answering some specific questions: what do students have to learn? What skills do they have to develop?

The enhancement of the education industry rests upon courageous leaders who are willing to think outside the box and not adhere to practices that have existed over the past century. As an enormous amount of technology competes for students' attention, the need of the hour is to structure an ulterior model of education that engages and allows students to feel reinvigorated by learning. What the industry requires are leaders who are willing to prioritize students and educators above anything else.