By Peter Hancock
July 18, 2025

Article Summary
A new study shows there are barriers to upward mobility in Illinois, especially for women and people of color.

People who grow up in lower-income families tend to earn less as adults than those from wealthier families, even after earning similar degrees and going to work in similar fields.
Educational attainment and career choices are still the biggest factors that influence future earnings.
 
For generations, America has been thought of as the land of opportunity, a place where anyone who worked and studied hard could grow up to achieve any goal they set for themselves.
 
That idea has had especially strong roots in Illinois, the “Land of Lincoln,” where a young man born in a log cabin on America’s frontier rose from rail-splitter to self-taught lawyer and president of the United States.
 
But a new study suggests that the American dream is still more elusive for some people in Illinois than for others, and that the pathway up the economic ladder is not easily scaled.

By Walter Hudson
Jul 7, 2025

Higher education leaders and student advocacy organizations issued sharp condemnations following congressional passage of President Trump's signature reconciliation bill, warning that the legislation will significantly harm college access and affordability for millions of students.

The bill, which passed both chambers of Congress along party lines, combines major tax changes with deep spending cuts that critics say will undermine higher education funding and student support programs.

"Over great public outcry, President Trump signed his signature legislation - a grave mistake that will have devastating repercussions for years to come," said Kristin McGuire, President and CEO of Young Invincibles. "By slashing access to health care, forcing millions out of coverage, and restricting access to essential programs like SNAP, this legislation will be deadly."