States step up as federal loan caps go into effect As the federal government limits the amount graduate students can borrow to pay for higher education, state organizations are creating their own lending programs. Read > Doctoral programs shrink amid unpredictable federal funding Erratic federal funding for U.S. research institutions has constricted enrollment of new Ph.D. students across critical industries. Educators say the decline will deprive undergraduates of mentors and harm the nation’s capacity for research and innovation, The New York Times reports. Read > Even ‘modest’ scholarships can be life-changing for students with high financial need Leaders at the University of Maryland say that comparatively small scholarships, layered on top of federal, state, and other institutional financial aid, can help students afford basic needs and engage more fully in campus life. Read > One college makes the case for mandatory academic-intervention programs Inside Higher Ed highlights the success of a program at Virginia’s Ferrum College that proactively intervenes to connect students on academic probation with resources and support. Read > How the Trump administration’s new rules could affect international students > Amid nurse shortage, a university rolls out the welcome mat for men > New initiative targets transfer credit loss > A new Excelencia report says 91% of new workers will be Latino by 2031, but only 31% have a postsecondary credential > College students were facing homelessness. These New York nuns had room in their convent. Even failing dual enrollment students more likely to enroll in college >