To watch on the Diverse YouTube channel, click here.
In today’s episode, we sit down with Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, for a powerful conversation about unlocking opportunity in STEM education.
This discussion focuses on the Last Mile’s mission to support students in the final stretch of their degrees—especially those in high-demand fields like cybersecurity. Farmer also describes how the fund provides crucial support for tuition, certification exams, and even basic needs, helping students stay on track when it matters most.
The conversation looks at the fund’s innovative partnership with Microsoft to boost community college cybersecurity programs, and its recent expansion into graduate-level support. With data-driven impact in hand, Farmer explains how every graduate supported by the Fund delivers a $510,000 lifetime return—and a ripple effect on the broader economy.
Tune in as Farmer, and Diverse host Ralph Newell, also explore the real-world consequences of proposed changes to Pell Grant eligibility and why addressing students' basic needs isn’t just compassionate—it’s smart policy.
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