N.C. Reconnect, a pilot initiative to recruit adult learners at five North Carolina community colleges, will expand to five more schools this spring. MC Belk Pilon, president and board chair of the John M Belk Endowment, announced during the November State Board of Community Colleges meeting that Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, Wilkes Community College, Lenoir Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College, and Central Carolina Community College will join the adult learner initiative.

“There is a lot of excitement in this room,” Board chair Burr Sullivan said.

N.C. Reconnect started with five schools: Blue Ridge Community College, Durham Technical Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Pitt Community College, and Vance-Granville Community College. The initiative focused on intentional outreach to adult learners and helped identify specific strategies to support them.

Working with InsideTrack, the five colleges called, texted, and emailed the 12,000 individuals who had completed at least 50% of a degree or credential.

The initial message was simple.

“You can get a better skill and a better job,” said Mike Krause, outside senior advisor to the John M Belk Endowment.

EdNC reported on the adult learner initiative in September. You can read the series here.

Read the full article about adult learners by Emily Thomas at The 74.