National Spotlight Reinforces the Importance of Reconnecting Adult Learners

Community College Daily highlights strategies to help stopped-out students return to college, featuring myFutureNC's work to increase educational attainment across North Carolina.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Every year, thousands of North Carolinians put college on hold because life happens. A job change, a growing family, financial hardship, or unexpected life circumstances can interrupt a student's educational journey—but those barriers shouldn't prevent someone from earning a credential that leads to greater opportunity.

A recent article in Community College Daily, published by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), explores how colleges across the country are shifting from waiting for former students to return on their own to proactively helping adult learners re-enroll and complete their education.

The article highlights national strategies for reconnecting stopped-out students, including personalized outreach, streamlined enrollment processes, and wraparound supports that help adult learners succeed. It also features myFutureNC's work to support North Carolina's educational attainment goal through collaborative efforts focused on adult learner success.

Adult Learners Are Essential to North Carolina's Future

North Carolina's future workforce depends not only on today's high school graduates but also on adults who started college and never finished or who are ready to pursue education and training for the first time.

Re-engaging adult learners is one of the most effective strategies for increasing educational attainment while helping individuals access better careers, higher wages, and greater economic mobility.

Through partnerships across education, workforce development, philanthropy, government, employers, and community organizations, myFutureNC is working to reduce barriers and expand pathways that help more North Carolinians earn credentials of value.

One example is NC Reconnect, a statewide initiative supported by the John M. Belk Endowment that helps adults with some college but no degree reconnect with higher education and complete their credentials.

A Growing National Conversation

As states respond to workforce shortages and changing economic demands, there is growing recognition that increasing educational attainment requires more than recruiting recent high school graduates.

It requires meeting adult learners where they are, providing the support they need to navigate life's challenges, and creating clear pathways back to education and training.

The Community College Daily article reinforces what partners across North Carolina have long understood: helping adult learners return to college benefits individuals, employers, communities, and the state's economy.

myFutureNC remains committed to working alongside partners across North Carolina to ensure every learner has the opportunity to complete a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree and contribute to a stronger future for our state.

Why It Matters

North Carolina's attainment goal is ambitious—and achievable.

By 2030, 2 million North Carolinians ages 25-44 should hold a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree. Re-engaging adults who paused their education is one of the most effective strategies for reaching that goal while strengthening the state's workforce and expanding economic opportunity.

Learn more about the attainment goal: https://www.myfuturenc.org

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Read the full Community College Daily article: Stop Waiting for Stopped-Out Students to Come Back on Their Own