In episode 7, we talk with Eric Waldo, Executive Director of Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative and Chief Access and Equity Officer at The Common Application. Before joining the White House, Waldo was Deputy Chief and Staff at the Department of Education, where he helped lead the initiatives for The Recovery Act under former president Barack Obama. Waldo also helped manage the Department of Defense global K-12 school system as the co-chair for the Advisory Council for Dependence Education and served as Deputy Staff Council for Obama’s presidential campaign. Through policy, advocacy, and community engagement, Waldo encourages all students to strive for a post-secondary education. Topics discussed include A Student’s Guide To Your First Year of College, the importance for colleges to be student-ready, the key to success is being a lifelong learner, higher education credentialing, making education the great equalizer, the role of socioeconomic status in equity and diversity, democratizing education, bettering teacher compensation, fixing a broken accrediting system in higher education, and popping the bubble of elitism.

You can listen to Waldo’s educational podcast, SwampED, or follow him on twitter @ewwaldo or @swampEDpod