Newswise — WHATDr. Bridget Terry Long, a renowned higher education researcher who specializes in the transition from high school to higher education and beyond, will deliver a public lecture titled “Supporting College Student Access and Success: Making Sure Hard Work Pays Off,” as part of the American Educational Research Association’s Centennial Lecture Series. The event is free and open to the public.

Long, Academic Dean and the Saris Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, will discuss the state of college access and success in the United States and discuss evidence-based ways to better support students striving for a postsecondary credential.

Higher education holds the promise of helping individuals achieve economic and social success while also providing numerous public benefits. Unfortunately, college access remains stratified by income and race, and less than half of students complete their intended postsecondary degrees. Even those students with strong academic preparation often falter in the quest to get a credential. However, there is a growing body of evidence on policies, programs, and other supports that are effective in helping students reach their postsecondary goals.

Long’s 20-minute-long talk will be followed by a discussion moderated by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, education reporter at Southern California Public Radio. During the discussion, several policy experts will comment on Long’s talk and join her in fielding questions from the audience.

AERA’s Centennial Lecture Series is a series of six education research lectures held across the country as part of the association’s centennial celebration.

WHO Bridget Terry Long is an economist at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her work focuses on college student access and choice and the factors that influence students’ postsecondary and labor market outcomes Long’s current projects examine the roles of information and assistance in promoting college enrollment and persistence. Other work examines the effects of financial aid programs, the impact of postsecondary remediation on academic preparation, and how to better support families saving for college. Read more.

WHENWednesday, January 11, 2017, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. PSTInformal buffet reception to follow

WHEREDorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center 135 N. Grand AvenueLos Angeles, CA

TO RSVPTo RSVP to attend the lecture, visit http://www.aera100.net/bridget-terry-long.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTENNIAL LECTURE SERIESVisit http://www.aera100.net/cls.html

Social MediaThe hashtag for the AERA Centennial Lectures is #AERALectures.