By Under Secretary Nicholas Kent
Late on Friday, I was greatly honored that the U.S. Senate confirmed me as 15th Under Secretary of Education. As a first-generation college student who received a Pell Grant from this very Department, it is now my privilege to lead this talented team in ensuring that each rung in the ladder of postsecondary success is in reach of every American citizen. President Trump has entrusted me with a weighty task: to restore the greatness of American higher education and ensure that our taxpayer-supported colleges, universities, vocational schools, and other postsecondary programs are genuinely helping young Americans launch and grow their careers.
The American people have great expectations for the Trump Administration in our approach to higher education. In 2024, only 31% of American adults said the industry is headed in the right direction, according to Gallup. A Knight Foundation-Ipsos study found that only 8% of college students felt their free speech rights were “very secure.” And a study from the Burning Glass Institute showed that less than half of American college graduates were now working in a job that requires a college degree.
We must right the ship of higher education to better serve students, employers, and taxpayers. High school graduates should enter college with a clear direction. The taxpayer money spent on their education should have a direct impact on their ability to contribute to the workforce. The federal government should be less focused on making legacy institutions “too big to fail” and making students skilled enough to succeed.
The American people have also put trust in us to stabilize the federal student loan portfolio to benefit both students and taxpayers. By no means should this Department administer a $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio—the fifth largest financial servicer in the country—that is 25% in default. Colleges should not be increasing their tuition each year, enabled by generous federal loan subsidies, without having to answer for their students’ outcomes. Congress and the Department are dedicated to ensuring that taxpayer funds support educational pursuits that lead to real success for American citizens.
I have spent my career working to better the higher education system that gave so much to me; both in the private sector, where I represented institutions as chief policy officer of Career Education Colleges and Universities, and as the Deputy Secretary of Education for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. I am proud to continue this mission in service of the American people under the Trump Administration.
Since my first role in education at a Department-recognized accrediting agency, I’ve worked to refocus the mission of higher education on serving students rather than protecting entrenched interests. If colleges and other postsecondary institutions merit taxpayer investment, it is because they equip American citizens with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in this rapidly-evolving economy. Only a world-class higher education system based on innovation and merit, scaled on a national level, can disrupt the status quo that has left too many graduates burdened by debt and underemployed. The “higher education industrial complex” must be shaken up by competition, accountability, and a future-focused mindset.
As Under Secretary, I have a responsibility to oversee policies, programs, and activities of this Department related to postsecondary education, career, technical, and adult education, and federal student aid. This includes implementing our action plan and advancing President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act—a landmark reform that lowers costs, simplifies student loan repayment, authorizes Workforce Pell, and holds institutions accountable for degrees that don’t pay off.
I look forward to embracing alternatives to the traditional four-year degree—promoting vocational training, apprenticeships, and innovative credentials that align education with the in-demand needs of today's workforce. I stand by the Secretary’s final mission of working with Congress to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and waste. I want to restore our elite institutions to places that prioritize excellence and merit over discrimination and division.
My foremost benchmark for success is that incoming cohorts of high school students and working adults seeking to reskill or upskill are empowered by their postsecondary options. We all agree that students should be able to choose the education and career path that will best achieve their ambition and best fulfill the needs of our Nation’s economy. I am eager to work with you all to help align our Department’s policies and investments with the needs of students and employers, restoring trust in higher education and delivering the American dream for the next generation.
Lastly, I want to personally thank each of you for the contributions I know you will make to this mission. I am grateful to rely on your expertise and dedication as we restore the postsecondary ladder to prosperity for all Americans and make higher education great again.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Kent
Under Secretary of Education