Serving Adult Students – a Sometimes Frustrating Venture
I just returned from a conference last week where I was presenting on the state of higher education and the need for many institutions to rely more heavily on their adult student market. The message was well received but the tone of general frustration was apparent among the audience. It seems that many institutions are still slow to give credit to their adult student programs for the revenue, community visibility, diversity, and entrepreneurial spirit that they bring to the school. And while this is certainly frustrating, I also recognize that this is nothing new. Adult student programs have been ignored and taken for granted for decades in the world of higher education, but even still, we must keep raising our voices.
While I completely understand the irritation many of us feel with our senior administrations who continue to place the bulk of their energies on the traditional residential student, it is imperative that we continue to ask for a seat at the table and strive to encourage a balance at our institutions. Both audiences (traditional and adult) are important to the institutions that serve them. Both audiences need to have a voice and the ability to be considered when issues such as policy and procedure are being implemented. And this will happen only if we continue to put ourselves out there, ask for a seat at the table during these discussions, and continue to make the case for the role we play in higher education.
It is easy to become frustrated, especially after beating the same drum for years, but please know that there are institutions where the importance of the adult population is being recognized. Things are changing and evolving in higher education. Now is the best time to be involved with all that is going on in adult student education.
If you find yourself feeling a bit frustrated, needing advice from colleagues who have similar positions to yours, as well as some data and research to back up your position, I invite you to attend the Stamats Adult Student Marketing Conference in February. Not only will this event be held in a beautiful location at a revitalizing resort, but I will personally guarantee you will have a networking opportunity that is both educational and invigorating. Join us! You’ll be glad you did.
Photo By: Joriel Jimenez
