Thoughts from Legal Fellow Janine Nanez, 2L Northeastern Law, reflecting on the importance of higher education following their time working on higher education policy in our office.
Like many others, I moved to Massachusetts in pursuit of higher education. I was lucky enough to have a quality education growing up, but after working in my county’s school district as a substitute teacher post-COVID I was repeatedly hit with the reality that this was not true for everyone. My ultimate goal is to improve education policy in the United States and my home state of Florida. I decided that the best way to do this was to learn the policies in one of the most educated states in the country. With gratefulness, I have been interning in Senator Comerford’s office and focusing on higher education policy since May 2025. While I already knew it to be true, I am repeatedly reminded of the important role higher education plays in the Commonwealth.
Higher education can be the most transformative personal endeavor in an individual’s life. I have friends who pursued philosophy degrees just so they could understand the world better. Many of my friends pursued engineering degrees for financial stability and a love for creation. A high percentage of my high school class of 2019 has obtained graduate degrees or is pursuing them for deeper knowledge of their fields and professional opportunities. I am proud of all of them, not only for their hard work toward self-improvement, but also for their devotion to bringing their knowledge and experience back to their communities after graduation. I extend this sentiment to all that pursue higher education. In Massachusetts, the majority of students enrolled in public higher education are from the Commonwealth and stay in the Commonwealth after graduation. These students enrich their communities with their new skills and experiences and help their neighbors. Though higher education is not the only pathway toward personal growth and giving back to our communities, those who wish to take this path should be able to.
While I most value the personal growth that education allows, the economic impact of higher education in the Commonwealth cannot be ignored. Institutions of higher education, such as those in the UMass system, are often the largest or one of the largest employers in their communities and greatly affect the local economy. UMass itself contributes $8.3 billion to the Commonwealth. Private nonprofit universities in Massachusetts contribute $71.1 billion in economic impact. This is partially attributed to the attractive potential workforce that a highly educated state creates. Companies, as recently as Hasbro, move here and create jobs due to the population’s higher level of education.
Research conducted within and made possible by these institutions also showcases the importance of higher education. Life-changing discoveries and innovations are made within the Commonwealth. Due to MIT, Kendall Square is the center of the biotech industry and, in 2023, attracted 31 percent of all venture capital dollars in biopharma. Nationally known companies, such as Moderna, were founded in Kendall Square. UMass Chan Medical School in central Massachusetts has 90 core research facilities available to scientists in government, academia, and industry. The innovative spirit of Massachusetts, buoyed by the Commonwealth’s championship of its universities, helps all.
Unfortunately, the benefits that we reap due to higher education in Massachusetts may soon be a thing of the past. At a hearing on the economic impact of higher education, almost all institutions stated that the good that they do is made possible by federal and state funding. With federal funding cuts to higher education research and financial aid, and new visa restrictions, institutions cannot obtain the proper resources or attract and support the people that make their institutions great. Many programs are seeing their most promising individuals take offers outside of the United States.
Providing high-quality education is a core trait of Massachusetts. It’s what attracted me to the Commonwealth in the first place. If Massachusetts loses this quality, it loses a part of what makes this place great. However, if the Commonwealth continues to take initiative to support higher education, our public and private institutions will be able to continue their work and remain global leaders in research. Bills, such as the BRIGHT Act, invest in higher education to broaden opportunities for current and future students and are supported by the institutions they aim to help. The Commonwealth needs to meet the gap left by the federal government’s withdrawal from its commitment to higher education.
