Amherst College’s president talks about adding more community college transfers after receiving an award for supporting low-income students.

Inside Higher Ed reports.

Amherst president discusses college’s welcoming environment for low-income students

At a time when many highly selective colleges are looking for ways to enroll more low-income students, Amherst College President Carolyn (Biddy) Martin often finds herself discussing the issues that can stem from diversity on the campus of an elite higher education institution.

“Conversations are as focused — not more, but as focused — on the challenges and opportunities once a diverse student body has actually chosen to come,” she said.

Martin is in a place to talk about those challenges and opportunities after Amherst, a liberal arts college in western Massachusetts with nearly 1,800 students, spent years building a track record of reaching out to low-income students. The track record doesn’t start with Martin, who was elected Amherst’s 19th president in 2011. She’s quick to say it goes back to her predecessor, Anthony Marx, who made low-income students a priority.