Campus News

National Recognition for Efforts to Educate Adults

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2010) UK’s efforts to encourage and support adult students to  finish their college degrees gain national recognition.

 

The American College Personnel Association (ACPA) has awarded the UK Office of Adult Student Services the 2009 Outstanding Adult Learner Program Award.  ACPA specifically applauded the UK office for its success in implementing Project Graduate, a statewide initiative to encourage Kentucky adults to come back and complete their undergraduate degrees.   

 

“This award was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise,” said Cecile McKinney, director of UK’s Office of Adult Student Services.  “It is especially meaningful to the dedicated staff of Adult Student Services who serve and promote adult learners and other nontraditional students at the University of Kentucky.

 

Project Graduate has been very successful at UK.  “Through universitywide efforts, of the 926 former students identified as eligible participants, over 460 have contacted us and 56 have graduated,” McKinnney said.

 

McKinney is quick to point out that the award does not just recognize the work of those in her office.

 

“The award must be shared by our team of academic advisers in all the colleges and staff in enrollment management, and, at the state level, with Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education and other Kentucky public institutions who support Project Graduate,” said McKinney.  “Through excellent collaboration, many adult students have returned to complete their degrees.”

 

“Through the excellent collaboration with Cecile McKinney and Jerry Price, many adult students have been able to reconnect with their academic colleges and advisers to complete their degrees,” said said Don Witt, assistant provost for enrollment management at UK.  “Because of the excellent collaboration across enrollment management and all of the academic colleges, this award must be shared with all of the advisers and the EM team who support Project Graduate.”

 

The success of this program is closely aligned with the mission of the university.

 

“With the University of Kentucky’s mission to provide outreach and service to students – especially the adult learner, we should all be very proud of this recognition,” Witt said.

 

Staff in the Office of Adult Student Services realize their efforts must continue in the new year. 

 

“As individuals across the country are faced with many challenges related to the current economy, there has never been a more important time to serve our adult learners,” said Witt. “Our goal will be for UK to continue to provide streamlined services related to admission, registration, academic and career advising to help these students graduate.”

 

For more information, contact Cecile McKinney, UK’s Project Graduate representative, at (859) 257-3802 or toll-free 1-866-900-4685 or cmckinn@email.uky.edu.