Adult learners at Elizabeth City State University are set to benefit significantly from a recent $125,000 grant. The Lumina Foundation awarded the grant as part of its ongoing Adult Learner Initiative. This funding aims to enhance post-secondary education opportunities for adult learners.
The Lumina Foundation is renowned for its collaborations with educational institutions, business leaders, civil rights organizations, and policymakers, all working towards the ambitious goal of ensuring that 60% of adults possess a college degree, industry certification, or other credentials of value by 2025. ECSU’s campaign, “ECSU is For You,” aligns seamlessly with this mission, focusing on increasing accessibility and completion rates in higher education among Black adult learners.
“We are thrilled to receive this additional support from the Lumina Foundation, which will significantly enhance our efforts to support adult learners. This investment underscores ECSU‘s commitment to providing lifelong learning opportunities and addressing the diverse needs of our community,” said ECSU provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs, Farrah Ward.
Removing Hurdles
Recognizing the unique obstacles faced by adult learners, ECSU has adopted a holistic approach aimed at removing barriers to academic success. The university’s initiatives under the first phase of the HBCU ALI initiative, supported by a previous $175,000 grant, have already laid a strong foundation for these efforts. Key accomplishments include the formation of a chancellor-appointed task force, the implementation of a policy for Credit for Prior Learning, and a cultural shift within the institution to prioritize adult learner issues.
The introduction of CPL is expected to be transformative for ECSU, allowing adult students to receive academic credit for their prior experiences, thereby streamlining their path to degree completion. This approach aims to close the equity gap for adults who aspire to obtain higher education but face significant challenges.
Additionally, the initiative has sparked what ECSU calls “courageous conversations” among faculty and staff. As a result, the university has established a central hub dedicated to adult learners and identified key academic programs where these learners tend to excel.