How Cross-Sector Partnerships Help Adult Learners Return, Persist, and Complete Degrees

With over 41 million adults in the U.S. holding some college credit but no degree, colleges and universities are under pressure to implement effective adult learner enrollment strategies. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Malik Brown, President and CEO of Graduate Philadelphia, about how institutions can re-engage students who have stopped out through cross-sector partnerships that support enrollment, retention, and degree completion.

Drawing on their real-world experience in higher education and workforce development, McNaughton and Brown discuss how adult learners face unique barriers—including affordability, caregiving responsibilities, and outdated enrollment systems—and how intermediaries like nonprofits and employers can play a crucial role in supporting their return to college. The episode outlines practical, replicable strategies that institutional leaders can adopt to build sustainable pipelines for adult learner success.

This conversation is especially valuable for higher ed presidents, provosts, and enrollment leaders tasked with addressing demographic shifts and declining enrollments while aligning with workforce and community needs.

Topics Covered:

• The economic and social reasons over 41 million Americans have stopped out

• Why adult learners need support from application through graduation

• How partnerships with nonprofits, employers, and funders extend institutional capacity

• The importance of stackable credentials aligned to labor market needs

• Why re-enrollment strategies must include systems changes and credit articulation

• Reducing friction in the application, financial aid, and credit transfer processes

Real-World Examples Discussed:

• Graduate Philadelphia’s intermediary role connecting students, colleges, and employers

• How employers can provide scheduling flexibility and tuition assistance

• Use of workforce credentials as an on-ramp to degrees

• Models for credit articulation and co-governed partnerships

• Community-based navigation support that increases persistence and completion

Three Key Takeaways for Leadership:

1. Build integrated partnerships that extend institutional reach. Nonprofits, workforce boards, and employers provide essential wraparound services that help adult learners succeed.

2. Design stackable pathways that start with workforce credentials. These programs allow adults to earn income and confidence while progressing toward a degree.

3. Fix enrollment systems that weren’t built for adults. From transcript access to unpaid balances, institutions must streamline re-entry to remove avoidable barriers.

This episode provides a framework for institutional leaders seeking actionable strategies to re-enroll adult learners and support them through to graduation.

Recommended For:
Presidents, provosts, chief enrollment officers, board members, continuing education leaders, and workforce development professionals focused on adult learners and institutional sustainability.

Read the transcript:
https://changinghighered.com/adult-learner-enrollment-completion-partnerships/

#AdultLearners #HigherEdEnrollment #WorkforcePartnerships #HigherEducationPodcast #DegreeCompletion #ChangingHigherEd

Higher education leaders are searching for better ways to engage students, improve retention, and close equity gaps—especially in the wake of COVID-related learning disruptions. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Justin Shaffer, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Teaching Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. They discuss Dr. Shaffer’s book, High Structure Course Design, which offers a proven framework for transforming student outcomes.

High structure course design—built on clarity, repetition, feedback, and engagement—originated in STEM education but is now widely recognized as effective across disciplines. This approach doesn't water down rigor; it scaffolds the learning process so students at all levels can succeed. The result: better retention, higher achievement, and greater equity in academic outcomes.

This conversation is especially relevant for institutional leaders seeking to scale evidence-based instructional practices and boost institutional performance.

Topics Covered:

• Why many students struggle in gateway courses and what faculty can do differently

• The long-term effects of post-COVID learning disruptions on student readiness

• Three structural layers that drive student engagement and retention

• Four foundational principles that support learning across all disciplines

• How high structure pedagogy closes equity gaps without lowering standards

• The undervalued impact of teaching-focused faculty on student success

• Infrastructure and leadership decisions that enable faculty innovation

• How structured courses also improve career readiness and workforce outcomes

Real-World Examples:

• 40–60% failure rates improved through course redesign

• A biology field course that teaches both science and professional skills

• Centers for teaching and learning that support faculty-wide improvements

Three Takeaways for Leadership:

1. Course design is one of the most powerful and underused levers for retention and equity.

2. Teaching-focused faculty are essential institutional assets and must be supported.

3. Scalable infrastructure for instructional quality is not optional—it’s a strategic necessity.

Recommended For:
Presidents, provosts, academic leaders, board members, and faculty development directors who want scalable ways to boost student success and institutional outcomes.

Read the transcript:
https://changinghighered.com/high-structure-course-design-for-student-engagement-retention-and-success/

#HigherEdLeadership #RetentionStrategies #StudentSuccess

Shared services and consolidation strategies are helping struggling small colleges stabilize operations, reduce costs, and pursue sustainable growth—without compromising institutional identity or student outcomes. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, host Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Jason Duggan, CEO of Thesis Elements, about how these approaches are being used to help small colleges strengthen efficiency and financial sustainability.

Drawing on his experience helping small colleges modernize their operations through cloud-based student information systems, Duggan explores how shared services, academic partnerships, and digital transformation are enabling institutions to manage costs and expand capacity. He also offers insights into how leadership teams and boards are approaching these strategies in the current financial and demographic environment.

This conversation is especially relevant for presidents, trustees, and senior leadership teams evaluating whether shared services or consolidation strategies could support their institution’s long-term mission and sustainability.

Topics Covered:

• The financial and operational pressures driving small colleges to explore shared services and consolidation

• How administrative shared services are helping reduce overhead and improve service quality

• Strategic approaches to institutional consolidation and how they can support enrollment and operational goals

• Academic resource-sharing models and their role in expanding offerings while managing instructional costs

• Innovative financial and academic strategies to strengthen institutional resilience

• The role of cloud-based systems and digital transformation in supporting shared services and operational agility

• How presidents and boards are facilitating leadership conversations about shared services and consolidation

• Key considerations for aligning shared services and consolidation initiatives with institutional mission and values

Three Key Takeaways for Leadership:

1. Clarify institutional mission and target audience to guide strategic planning and resource allocation.

2. Prioritize student success and retention as core drivers of institutional resilience.

3. Evaluate shared services and consolidation strategies as potential options for improving efficiency and long-term sustainability.

This episode offers valuable insights for institutional leaders exploring new operational models to support their mission and navigate today’s higher education landscape.

Recommended For: Presidents, trustees, board members, chief financial officers, provosts, and senior administrative leaders focused on institutional sustainability and operational strategy.

Read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/shared-services-and-consolidation-strategies-for-small-colleges/

#HigherEdLeadership #SharedServices #ConsolidationStrategies #HigherEducationPodcast