Shrinking In-state Enrollment; Korean Americans on the Singapore Summit; Biking the Rock River Trail
Photo courtesy of Hana Center
On the 21st: We're speaking with two Illinois senators about the higher education brain drain in Illinois. Plus, Korean Americans here in Illinois weigh in on the upcoming summit. Finally, two Illinois natives are trying to be the first to finish the 320-mile Rock River Trail.
Many seniors across the state have been celebrating their graduation and are spending their summer preparing to leave for college. But, more and more they’ll be leaving for somewhere out of state.
Since 2000, the number of Illinois residents enrolled as freshman at colleges outside the state has increased by 73 percent. That means that almost half of high school grads choose an out-of-state option, leaving our 12 public universities with shrinking enrollment.
This is an issue we’ve talked about before on the 21st. But, it’s one that’s now receiving bipartisan attention in Springfield thanks to Senator Chapin Rose and Senator Pat McGuire, both on call with us during the show.
"Our biggest competitor is nowhere."
— The 21st (@21stShow) June 11, 2018
That's what a number of college administrators told @PatMcGuire43 about students who aren't coming to their schools in Illinois.#HigherEducation #twill @SenChapinRose
Plus-
If you’ve been following the news this weekend - or this morning - you’ve been hearing analysis about President Trump’s lack of diplomacy following the G-7 Summit in Quebec - and what that means for his next trip - and historic meeting that starts this evening in Singapore.
We wanted to check in with Korean Americans living in Illinois to hear how they’re feeling about tomorrow’s big summit, but first we wanted to make sure we were up to speed with what’s on the agenda.
We were joined by Karl Friedhoff from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Albert Lee, a Korean American living in Champaign, Rev. Nayoung Ha and Sik Son from KA Voice.
"People ask me, 'Where are you from? Are you Korean?' and they follow up with 'North or South?' And that's a really hard question to ask me."
— The 21st (@21stShow) June 11, 2018
- Albert Lee, Champaign Urbana area resident and Korean American
And-
The Rock River Trail stretches through 11 counties in both Wisconsin and Illinois.
Although a handful of Illinoisans have completed the trail by foot, car or paddle, two northern Illinois natives are hoping to become the first to complete the 320-mile Rock River Trail by bike.
Carl Nelson is a host and producer at WNIJ and Dan Libman is a writer and English instructor at Northern Illinois University. The pair set out yesterday at the intersection of the Rock River and the Mississippi in Wisconsin and they’re working their way down as part of the five day trek.
They were on line with us from Southern Wisconsin to talk about how they might see themselves completing the trail.
.@TeamFurBandit really wants to hear what the river has meant to people and talk to folks along the way.
— The 21st (@21stShow) June 11, 2018
Go out and say hello!
Follow along at https://t.co/NubDnB6i0X@WNIJNews