Expanding the "Promise": Implementation Lessons From SHEEO's Adult Promise Pilot

Most college promise and free tuition programs, which aim to pave a path for an equitable and accessible entry into higher education, have been designed with traditionally-aged students and recent high school graduates in mind. Such programs often neglect the distinct needs of older, adult students. Adult students, who are more likely to juggle school, work, and family, have different social and academic needs.

The webinar takes a closer look at Indiana’s statewide Adult Promise Program, which is leading the way in strengthening student supports and services for adult students, as well as Indiana’s Workforce Ready Grant program, a new financial aid opportunity to help working-age adults gain 21st-century workforce skills.

Whether you run an Adult Promise Program or are thinking about extending eligibility to non-traditionally-aged students in an existing free tuition program, view this recorded webinar to learn how these pilot programs are leveraging existing state and institutional efforts to best serve adult students. Presenters provide lessons learned from implementation as well as resources that states or institutions can use to set up promise programs geared towards adult students. This webinar was co-hosted on Oct. 30 by MDRC and SHEEO. 

Slides from the webinar.