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Episode 1398May 22, 2025

Higher education is a major U.S. export. And it’s under threat.

Plus, Kai’s last goodbye (for now).

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Higher education is a major U.S. export. And it’s under threat.
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It’s Kai’s last day as a regular co-host of “Make Me Smart” and he’s got a solid rant (and two bleeps). We’ll get into the Trump administration’s push to block international students at Harvard, thretening one of American’s biggest exports: higher education. Plus, we’ll unpack the Supreme Court’s 4-4 split over a separation of church and state case. And, could penguin poop be a tool against global warming?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Make Me Smart” is going on a break! Kimberly and Reema will be back with new episodes June 9. We’d love to hear from you while we’re away. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The Team

Higher education is a major U.S. export. And it’s under threat.