Adult education for the 21st century
Too many are unable to make the leap from community college to a four-year degree
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I have had the pleasure of handing diplomas to some unusual people at commencement. Still, it was startling to see the child walk toward me. He was 9. He looked younger.
He wasn't accepting the diploma for himself, of course. It was for his dad, on active duty in Iraq. He'd sent his son, living on a base in Germany, to get it for him.
"Congratulations," I said. He and his dad deserved it.
At University of Maryland University College (UMUC), our graduates are America's adult learners. Almost all work full time. Half are parents. Their diplomas often reflect the work, sacrifice — and triumph — of an entire family.
The personal achievements of our students, though, are the exception rather than the rule. They highlight a national problem. UMUC graduates often begin studying at the "unsung heroes" of higher education: America's community colleges. But each year, thousands of community college students who want to earn a bachelor's degree — particularly those from modest-income or minority families — cannot continue. America's four-year colleges don't accommodate them.
This is not just a tragedy for them. It is a tragedy for our nation. Researchers estimate that baby boomer
