How colleges are adapting for today’s students
COURIER L M BR B G IFE, MAY 31–JUNE 6, 2019 33
In years past, neighborhood
street corners
were places people met to
exchange the news of the
day. The Kingsborough
Corner is no exception. I
am excited to author this
monthly column where I
will share the latest and
greatest news to inform
and inspire you, and ignite
your curiosity about
happenings in the communities
around you.
Launching this inaugural
column in the month
when we celebrate mothers,
I credit my mother—
a former teacher and assistant
principal—for
sparking my interest and
subsequent career in education.
I am honored to
serve as Kingsborough
Community College’s
7th president.
I have vivid memories
of my mother setting
up her classroom
at the beginning of the
school year, and of her
outfitted in her cap and
gown on graduation day
as she received her college
degree. I also have
memories of the many
nights she would come
home late after taking
evening classes or those
times she would be gone
most of the day on Saturday
taking classes at
college. There are countless
people like my mom
who were able to make
the sacrifices needed to
obtain their degree; but
there are also countless
others who are unable to
pursue their educational
goals because they juggle
multiple responsibilities
and for whom going
to campus several times
a week is an impossible
task.
Fortunately, these
days there are more options
for adults pursuing
college degrees like high
quality, flexible, and
adult-oriented online degree
programs. If you’re
one, or know one, of the
nearly half a million
adults in Brooklyn who
have some college, but
no degree, and who may
have difficulty managing
a face-to-face schedule,
an online degree
program is for you.
You can find an online
program that will give
you a solid liberal arts
foundation and prepare
you for entry level employment
in a number of
careers such as a teaching
assistant, police officer,
paralegal, office
manager, or for transfer
to a four-year college.
Additionally, some are
designed so that you
can pursue an accelerated
pathway and complete
your degree in 18
months or less, and with
online advisors who will
be available to provide
you with the necessary
support for you to be successful.
If you started, but did
not finish your college
degree, then an online
degree program may be
just the program you
need. If you are looking
for a way to meet your
educational goals while
balancing your life and
family, today, you have
so many more affordable
and flexible options
than my mom did. Don’t
give up on your dream
of earning a college degree.
It’s more accessible
to you now than ever before.
Dr. Claudia V.
Schrader is president
of Kingsborough Community
College located
in beautiful Manhattan
Beach, Brooklyn and offers
the affordable, flexible,
high-quality KCC
Online Degree Program
in Liberal Arts.
Visit kbcc.cuny.edu/
kcconline or call (212)- K-
Online or (212) -566- 5463)
and get on board with
meeting your educational
goals.
BUS INES S , B ROOKLYN S T Y LE
The Kingsborough Corner
EDUCATION
Today’s college students bring a wide variety of
needs and manage a constant juggle of responsibilities
while pursuing a degree.
According to the Department of Education, 74 percent
of undergraduate students, described as the “new
normal,” have at least one nontraditional characteristic
such as being a fi rst-generation student, having
at least one dependent, or working either full or part
time. Further, nearly half of students enrolled today
are age 25 or older and are working to complete an unfi
nished degree, returning to advance their career or
re-skill for a new opportunity.
As students are redefi ning their roles, higher education
is reimagining pathways for today’s rapidly
growing number of nontraditional students who are
committed to earning a degree by offering more robust
support programs, new technologies and fl exible
course schedules.
Supporting students beyond the
classroom
Considering today’s college students are seeking
a work-life-school balance, there is an increased demand
for student support services to deliver helpful
tools, resources and programming designed to aid students
from enrollment to graduation.
Many online students are stepping back into school
after years of taking time off and greatly benefi t from
personalized resources and support like those offered
at ASU Online where students are paired with an online
success coach from day one. Success coaches are a
lifeline as these learners juggle life with studying and
coursework. By proactively reaching out to students,
coaches can quickly assist in overcoming obstacles
and work to ensure online students stay on the path
to graduation.
Technology in the classroom
A recent study found that the number of students
taking online courses grew to over 6.3 million students
in the U.S. and that number continues to rise.
More degree specializations are now available as universities
scale and expand to meet the evolving needs
of students. ASU Online offers more than 200 degree
programs ranging from traditional degrees to specialized
programs - many of which are infusing emerging
technologies bringing forward an entirely new kind of
learning environment.
New technologies are also changing the way professors
deliver information and how students can apply
key learnings in real time. Virtual reality tools
enabling completion of lab sciences courses are helping
to expand the types of degrees available to online
students. At ASU Online, courses are designed using
state-of-the-art technology and tools providing students
with a direct connection to the knowledge and
expertise of university faculty.
Introduction of fl exible class
schedules
Universities are now designing fl exible learning
models and accelerating course offerings that better
fi t the modern-day student’s schedule as they balance
work, parenting, education and family. Online learning
provides an opportunity for students to design
their own path - putting them in control. Being able to
study at a time that’s most convenient - whether it’s late
in the evening, early morning before kids are awake or
over a lunch break - is a game changer for many busy
adults. Dealing with a commute or missing class is no
longer an issue as students can manage their time and
create a schedule that works best for their lives.
The fl exibility allows online students to be anywhere
in the world while studying or attending a lecture.
Further, online learners are now able to log into
class at their convenience, which allows students to
work at a pace that best suits them.
Online learning allows universities to meet students
where they are both academically and personally.
The power of innovation in online learning is
visible with each new program, each new tool and the
promise of each student that is able to complete a degree
in a way that was simply not possible before. For
more information on Arizona State University’s online
offerings, visit asuonline.asu.edu. — BPT
/kbcc.cuny.edu
/asuonline.asu.edu