Western’s ADC Puts Colorado Grant Money to Use

The Adult Degree Completion program at Western Colorado University recently partnered with the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative to bolster student scholarships, staffing and recruiting for Western’s first 100% online undergraduate program. In all, Western’s ADC program will receive $780,000 in COSI grant funding over four years.

Boosting Student Support

With COSI Back to Work and Finish What You Started support, qualified in-state ADC students now receive up to $2,000 of scholarship monies, or about 35% of the cost of completing five online courses per year—the recommended load for adult learners working full-time, often managing a family and going back to school. Out-of-state students may also qualify for the annual Legacy Scholarship, but COSI funds are for Coloradans by state statute.

A New Position

Along with student scholarships, COSI funding has allowed for a new position for wrap around student support. The ADC Associate Director, Eliza Worley-Ekstrom, is responsible for academic advising of ADC students, as well as aiding recruitment and outreach efforts. Other accomplishments for Eliza, since December, include:

• the oversight of all day-to-day communications with prospective ADC students,
• completion of a needs assessment instrument for incoming ADC students,
• development of an ADC Coaching program to be staffed by ADC work-study students fall of 2022,
• designed a network marketing program to recruit ADC students via large organizations.

Better Serving Students

Western’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bill Niemi, Ph.D., added, “we are fortunate to once again partner with CDHE’s Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative as their support increases Western’s ability to serve students seeking the university degree. Our new online ADC program strategically aligns with Colorado legislative goals of increasing degree attainment and career development for the estimated 800,000 Coloradans with some college credit but no degree.”

Learn More About the Program

To learn more about Western’s Adult Degree Completion program and the Business Communication major, and to apply, visit western.edu/buscom. Or contact the Director of Adult Degree Completion Terry Schliesman (tschliesman@western.edu), Ph.D., ADC Associate Director Eliza Worley-Ekstrom (eworley-ekstrom@western.edu) or the Extended Studies office (970-943-2885).

Author Credit: Terry Schliesman