North Carolina Community Colleges to Host Inaugural Adult Learning Conference Focused on Strategies for New Majority Learners

The North Carolina Community College System will host the Adult Learning Conference: Strategies for Serving New Majority Learners on November 21-22nd at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel. The two-day event will bring together community college leaders, educators, workforce development partners, and thought leaders to explore strategies for improving outcomes and experiences for adult learners, a growing demographic within higher education.

This year’s conference focuses on how North Carolina’s 58 community colleges can enhance support for non-traditional students, whose challenges often include balancing education with work, family, and financial responsibilities. Sessions will examine emerging practices, innovative teaching models, and strategic partnerships designed to meet the needs of this vital student population, often referred to as the “new majority.”

The conference is an extension of the REACH Collaborative, a consortium aimed at enhancing access and success for underrepresented adults in higher education and will serve as a platform for sharing innovative strategies to better serve the needs of new majority learners.

“For the past three years, the System has been working diligently on adult learner initiatives across departments and institutions, and this conference marks the first statewide convening explicitly focused on successful strategies for serving adult students,” said Ivana Hanson, REACH Coordinator and Adult Learning Specialist at the System. “Our focus has been on intensive adult learner work, and this event gives us the opportunity to bring faculty and staff from across the state together to share strategies. As we wrap up the REACH Collaborative, the lessons we’ve learned will become part of the system’s daily operations.” 

Key highlights of the conference include, but are not limited to:

• Fireside Chat: Hearing Their Voices – This session features adult learners sharing their experiences, highlighting the role of DEIB initiatives, support challenges, and recommendations for improving advising, financial aid, scheduling, and campus culture to better meet their needs. 
• Adult Learner Storytelling Through the Five P Framework – This session highlights the experiences of adult learners and explores strategies from the NC Reconnect initiative’s Five P Framework to help community colleges better support this vital student group, contributing to North Carolina’s goal of 2 million credentialed citizens by 2030.
• Breakout Sessions – Topics will include childcare services, pathways from work to degree programs, Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) practices, holistic student support models, and workforce-aligned certifications. 
• Panel Discussion: Bridging the Gap to Advance Careers – This session highlights how community colleges, through programs like BioWork and Bioprocess Technology, equip adult learners with industry-relevant skills and certifications to advance in biotechnology careers and meet regional workforce needs. 

With adult learners comprising 40% of higher education students, this conference aims to address the evolving needs of this key demographic. Through expert-led panels, discussions on the latest DEIB initiatives, and insights into programs like biotechnology training, participants will share best practices for improving advising, financial aid, course scheduling, and campus culture.

“This gathering will highlight the importance of serving adult learners with intention, creativity, and adaptability. The insights shared here will help us transform our colleges to better support the new majority of students and ensure that our institutions are truly student-ready,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, System President. “Together, we are building a more inclusive and responsive system that meets the evolving needs of our communities and workforce.”  

This sold-out event will feature over 200 attendees from community colleges and organizations dedicated to helping adult students thrive in education and career pathways. 

“Serving adult learners requires intentional change—these students don’t fit into traditional processes, so we must adapt to meet their needs. It’s about building student-ready colleges that can support the new majority learner rather than operating under outdated models,” Hanson said.

This conference represents a critical step forward in advancing the educational experiences of adult learners in North Carolina. By fostering collaboration and sharing innovative strategies, the event will help equip community colleges with the tools necessary to create more inclusive and supportive environments.