#United States #Indianapolis #Lumina Foundation #CollegeAPP #StrategyForward

Revolutionizing Adult Education in Rural Areas

In an innovative collaborative effort, Lumina Foundation, CollegeAPP, and StrategyForward Advisors are embarking on a transformative project aimed at enhancing the connection between community colleges and adult learners in rural areas. The partnership has unveiled the Rural Community College Adult Learner Engagement initiative, seeking to empower six selected community colleges by reimagining their approach to enrollment and recruitment of adults who for various reasons have not completed their college education.

The participating institutions include:

• - Chattahoochee Valley Community College (Alabama)
• - BridgeValley Community Technical College (West Virginia)
• - Columbia Gorge Community College (Oregon)
• - South Central College (Minnesota)
• - Manhattan Area Technical College (Kansas)
• - Athens Technical College (Georgia)

The Need for Change

In the United States, over 43 million adults between the ages of 25 and 64 have attended college but left before earning their degree. This initiative aims to bridge that gap by better understanding the unique circumstances and needs of adult learners in rural settings. As Lumina Strategy Officer Mary Laphen Pope wisely noted, many rural community colleges continue to serve as undiscovered gems, capable of unlocking significant economic opportunities for their communities.

Project Objectives

The key goals of this two-year project involve exploring various strategic approaches:
1. Understanding Enrollment Demographics: Identifying and analyzing the potential adult student population that the colleges aim to serve, based on their unique locale.
2. Strategic Messaging: Utilizing effective communication strategies, informed by data, in social and digital marketing campaigns to draw in prospective students.
3. Marketing Development: Crafting tailored marketing plans, implementing diverse campaigns to successfully enroll adult learners.
4. Brand Perceptions: Gaining insights into how prospective students perceive community colleges' branding and the value they offer.
5. Sustainability Planning: Creating robust business cases and sustainability plans that outline educational ROI (Return on Investment) while ensuring ongoing support for marketing investments beyond the project's duration.
6. Knowledge Exchange: Fostering a collaborative environment for the colleges to share best practices and successes with one another and the wider higher education landscape.

Financial Support and Resources

The initiative has been bolstered by significant financial resources, with CollegeAPP and StrategyForward Advisors receiving $582,000 to enhance technical support and guidance for these community colleges. The colleges will draw lessons from Lumina Foundation's previous initiatives, such as Intent Matters and The Million Dollar Community College Challenge. CollegeAPP specifically focuses on identifying and understanding adult demographics in their communities, especially those groups that have historically been underserved. Meanwhile, StrategyForward Advisors will aid in refining the branding strategies of these institutions, ensuring they resonate more deeply with adult learners.

Conclusion

Lumina Foundation, a prominent independent private foundation based in Indianapolis, is dedicated to improving accessibility to higher education across the nation. With community colleges often at the forefront of local educational initiatives, this project represents a vital opportunity to equip these institutions with the tools and strategies necessary to engage adult learners effectively. By addressing the barriers faced by adults seeking further education, these community colleges can play an essential role in empowering individuals to achieve their academic and professional goals, thus contributing to their local economies and communities at large.