Connecticut's strategy for higher education focuses on one central goal: to increase student success. While other states in New England and beyond are increasing the percentage of adults with degrees, Connecticut's rate of increase for young adults has dropped to 34th out of 50 states. For a state among the nation's richest and home to world-class universities, falling behind other states in educational attainment is simply unacceptable. Fortunately, with a new unified Board of Regents soon to assume leadership, Connecticut is on its way toward preparing more young adults to thrive in the increasingly competitive world of the 21st century. For the past 30 years, Connecticut higher education has been led by the Board of Governors for Higher Education, a coordinating agency created with the best of intentions but beset by the realities of limited authority over institutions, entrenched bureaucracies and competing academic hierarchies. Outwardly, the results appear impressive--growth in enrollments and degrees granted, expanded campuses and program offerings, and a well-known reputation for maintaining high academic standards. Yet at some point along this path, Connecticut lost its national ranking as first in educational attainment, outpaced by other states acting more aggressively and with greater foresight in anticipating future economic and demographic challenges. It is imperative that Connecticut turns this around "now," or else it forever plays catch-up. This article describes a few of the steps Connecticut is taking.