National Summit Highlights Success of "Dual Mission" Colleges

Fourth annual National Dual Mission Summit elevates the success of colleges and universities that offer an intentional mix of undergraduate programs and blend skills-training with liberal arts to address growing workforce needs

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst steep declines in enrollment, a growing number of colleges and universities are embracing an emerging and promising model. So-called dual mission institutions offer an intentional blend of stackable, undergradute programs and pair degree programs with workforce-relevant certificates and training. Graduates of all backgrounds, often in rural parts of the country, earn valuable credentials along with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving labor market. Today, an estimated 400 colleges and universities operate as dual mission institutions.

"A growing number of Americans view getting a job and earning a college degree as at-odds. Dual mission institutions, are challenging that false dichotomy," said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, president and CEO of Colorado Mountain College, host of this year's convening. "We offer learners – regardless of age, background or educational sequening – a one stop shop to pursue career-relevant pathways and credentials along with degrees that ready them for what will likely be multiple careers over their lifetimes."

With major underwriting support of Lumina Foundation, the National Dual Mission Summit will be held from November 2 to November 4 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The convening will bring together national, federal and state-level postsecondary education leaders and policymakers, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis and former U.S. undersecretary of education Dr. Ted Mitchell, who now leads the American Council on Education which is undertaking a major initiative to re-think the 50-year old Carnegie Classification System of higher education institutions.

"Lumina Foundation is proud to support emerging models in postsecondary education, particularly when those models prioritize educational equity and offer pathways that are closely aligned with local and regional workforce needs," said Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. "At a time when the nation's learners are more diverse and come to postsecondary education with experience, skills and knowledge, we commend the nation's dual mission institutions for their open-access orientation and their willingness to put learners on a path toward economic prosperity."

Contacts:

For more information about the National Dual Mission Summit, contact Alison Griffin, Senior Vice President, Whiteboard Advisors, at [email protected] or visit coloradomtn.edu/dualmission.

For more information about Colorado Mountain College, contact Brian Barker, Director of Marketing & Media Relations, at [email protected] or 970-901-0144.

About Colorado Mountain College: Colorado Mountain College is a public dual mission institution serving approximately 15,000 students annually with bachelor's degrees, associate programs, and specialized certificates at eleven campuses located in the mountain resort region of Western Colorado.

SOURCE Dual Mission Summit