Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Join us in celebrating the addition of Dr. Michael Highfield, Carla Kirkland, and Mayor Errick D. Simmons to the boards of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) and the Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation (MHEAC). Their diverse expertise and passion for education will be invaluable as we continue to enhance higher education opportunities in Mississippi.

We are thrilled to introduce four new staff members that joined the organization this spring. Read more in our latest blog post! https://buff.ly/3ONT4pD

We are thrilled to have Dr. Cedric Bradley join the WHEF and MHEAC board! He is the Vice President of the Harrison County Campus, Keesler Center, and Naval Construction Battalion Center at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC). His passion for postsecondary access and success, particularly for underrepresented students, aligns perfectly with our mission of driving positive change. https://buff.ly/45tii2H

WHEF hired a director to lead the Mississippi Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MCHEP). “We are excited to bring Yolanda Houston’s experience to the table to lead the efforts to increase higher education access for incarcerated students,” said WHEF President and CEO Jim McHale. https://buff.ly/41VmxRU

We are thrilled to share our 2021-2022 Impact Report, “Expedition to 55,” which showcases our journey towards Ascent to 55% and the steps we’ve taken and plan to take to reach this goal. View our Impact Report: https://buff.ly/3KFv3yT

Getting to and through higher education has never been more important for long-term economic success; but the past few years have made it very difficult for many Mississippians to enroll in and persist through college. We recently shared our new five-year strategic plan, which outlines how we will work toward our statewide goal of ensuring that 55% of working-age adults in Mississippi have a postsecondary credential by 2030. https://buff.ly/3mAiZFn

WHEF is excited to announce the hiring of three employees and the promotion of five employees! Read more in our latest blog post.

New WHEF Faces and Titles The Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) welcomed three new employees in December and January. With the revamping of WHEF’s organizational structure, several employees have undergone title changes to support its new strategic plan and levers of change. Three New Faces Josephine Dunigan joi...

We are pleased to introduce our new five-year strategic plan, which will drive our work to help more Mississippians obtain postsecondary credentials, college certificates, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment. Over the next five years, we will not only enhance the services we have historically provided, but also scale up promising practices and test new ways to address the rapidly evolving needs of Mississippi students. We look forward to building on the foundation of more than 40 years of work to equip individuals with greater opportunity and to build stronger communities across our state. Check out the new plan to learn more: https://woodwardhines.org/strategic-plan

“This report highlights why the Ascent to 55% effort is so important to Mississippi and offers essential guidance to help reach our north star of increasing postsecondary attainment for Mississippi’s future,” said WHEF President & CEO Jim McHale.

A new report by Ithaka S+R estimates that if the state increased its attainment rate from the current 44 percent to 60 percent, the state could potentially gain over $376 million annually in increased tax revenue and decreased social services spending. Our state will have the greatest fiscal returns for individuals and the state when we invest in programs for underrepresented populations, invest in postsecondary training for high-need occupations, and invest in training for high-wage jobs.

Currently, 44 percent of Mississippi residents possess education and training beyond high school, yet experts say 70 percent of all jobs will require a postsecondary degree or credential by 2027. Our goal is to achieve 55 percent attainment for 25 to 64-year-olds by 2030 and 60 percent attainment by 2035. Read more about the new report at

New Report Highlights Economic Return on Postsecondary Investment New Report Highlights Economic Return on Postsecondary Investment JACKSON, MISS. - Today, Ithaka S+R released a new report commissioned by Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) highlighting the economic impact of increasing access to and completion of postsecondary credentials in Mississippi. T...

If you are a non-profit or government employee with federal direct student loan debt, you may be eligible to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) voucher, available until October 31, 2022. This waiver gives qualified borrowers the unique opportunity to receive credit for past payments, even if they didn’t make previous payments on time, in full, or under the correct repayment plan.

Visit our blog to learn more: woodwardhines.org/blog/posts/public-service-waiver

"It is our hope that this moment leads to increased discussions and actions around college affordability. In the meantime, we will continue to serve Mississippi students directly through our Get2College program and engage stakeholders in conversation around increasing college attainment and meeting our workforce needs."

Read more on the Foundation's statement on federal student loan forgiveness here: woodwardhines.org/blog/posts/student-debt