Innovative Higher Education

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09716-6

The Five Ps of the Adult Learner Journey through the

Community College: A Conceptual Framework

Emily R. VanZoest1 · Dion T. Harry1 · Micara Lewis-Sessoms2 ·

Audrey J. Jaeger1

Accepted: 23 May 2024

© The Author(s) 2024

Abstract
A significant demographic shift in community colleges reveals that more than half
of enrolled students are adults aged 25 and older. In response, states are instituting
reconnect programs aimed at recruiting and reengaging adult learners. Despite these
initiatives, existing processes and practices within community colleges often inad-
equately address the unique needs of adult students. This qualitative work employs
focus groups and individual interviews involving community college presidents,
faculty, staff, and adult learners to formulate a robust conceptual framework meant
to guide community colleges toward positive adult learner outcomes. Termed the
“Five P Framework,” it strategically poses critical questions that align with the
five areas of the adult learner journey: public messaging, partnerships, processes,
pathways, and proximity. Acknowledging the distinct characteristics and diverse
backgrounds of adult students, the framework incorporates essential theoretical
perspectives. It sheds light on the intricate interplay among personal, social, and
institutional factors influencing adult learners’ educational experiences. Serving as
a practical guide, the framework is intended for administrators, educators, and poli-
cymakers facilitating the development of targeted policies and practices to elevate
educational outcomes and overall well-being for adult learners in community col-
lege settings. The research concludes by offering implications for practice, policy
enhancements, and directions for future research to support adult learners.

Keywords Community college · Adult learners · Conceptual framework ·

Access · Retention

Emily R. VanZoest
ervanzoe@ncsu.edu

1
The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC, USA
2
The Center for Workforce Engagement, Durham Technical Community College, Durham,
NC, USA

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Introduction

Diminishing funding for public higher education coupled with ever-rising tuition
costs have made access to higher education unobtainable for prospective students
around the United States (Oh & Kim, 2023). This financial burden not only dis-
courages postsecondary enrollment, but leaves students with detrimental amounts
of student loan debt. Hence, it comes as no surprise that undergraduate enrollment
at four-year institutions is projected to decline starting in 2025 (Dorn et al., 2020).
Community colleges serve as an accessible option for adults looking to return to
school. These institutions play a crucial role in providing access to higher education
for students who may not have pursued further studies otherwise (Marcotte et al.,
2005). Almost half of community college enrollments consist of adult learners aged
22 and above (American Association of Colleges and Universities, 2024), underscor-
ing the vital support these colleges offer to mature students and recognizing their sig-
nificant contributions to campus dynamics. Therefore, prioritizing support for adult
learners in community colleges has become increasingly imperative in the current
educational landscape. Statewide reconnect programs, like North Carolina Recon-
nect (NC Reconnect), are becoming increasingly popular in the United States to
address this focus on adult learner access and attainment (Collom & Cooper, 2022).
In 2023, in the state of North Carolina alone, there were 1.55 million (57.0%)
adults ages 25–44 who had obtained a degree or credential, with roughly 1.17 million
(43.0%) who had no degree. Across the state, enrollment in K-12 and postsecondary
institutions has declined since 2020 (Dukes, 2022), and postsecondary enrollment
declined 6.2% between 2020 and 2021 (myFutureNC, 2023). Educational attain-
ment is particularly important in North Carolina – which was named America’s Top
State for Business for the second year in a row in 2023 (North Carolina Governor
Roy Cooper, 2023) – given the state-wide educational attainment goal of two million
adults over the age of 25 with a high-quality degree or credential by the year 2030
(myFutureNC, 2021). In order for North Carolina to reach this goal and provide
economic and social mobility for its citizens, colleges must engage and enroll more
adult learners. There is increased national attention to recruit and retain adult learn-
ers to diversify student bodies and close the skills gap by creating a more educated
workforce (Laboissiere & Mourshed, 2017). To bridge this gap in North Carolina and
help the state reach its goal, the John M. Belk Endowment established NC Reconnect,
a partnership between public, private, and nonprofit organizations with the goal of
increasing adult learner enrollment and completion rates at community colleges in
North Carolina (Breeden et al., 2022; VanZoest et al., 2023).
Reconnect programs, specifically those focusing on adult learners at community
colleges, have grown substantially over the last decade as free-college and/or schol-
arship programs that help community colleges enroll adult learners and increase adult
learner degree and credential attainment rates (Collom et al., 2021). To date, there
are more than 17 reconnect programs across the country supporting community col-
leges and alleviating barriers that prevent adult learners from obtaining a certificate
or postsecondary degree (Schwartz, 2021). Many of the reconnect programs, includ-
ing those in Tennessee and Michigan, provide financial aid in the form of last-dollar

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grants or free-tuition scholarships to adult learners (Collom et al., 2021; Lee et al.,
2019; Quealy, 2021).
What makes NC Reconnect unique from other programs is how it builds upon
funding assistance for community colleges and also provides institutions with pro-
fessional development, marketing, and research support. To aid this process, part-
nerships with not-for-profit student coaching organization InsideTrack and external
communication support from local and regional marketing firms have served as key
resources for participating colleges to utilize as they reenroll adult learners who had
previously taken classes but not earned a degree or credential (Breeden et al., 2022).
Over the past three years, the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and
Research at North Carolina State University (the Belk Center) has led research and
evaluation efforts about the adult learner student journey as a part of NC Reconnect.
As a result of NC Reconnect’s engagement, Breeden and colleagues (2022) mapped
out the adult learner student journey, identifying four primary journey stages: the
decision to return, moving into the college, moving through the college, and moving
on to the next stage of their academic or professional lives. Succeeding this jour-
ney mapping, the research team identified five critical components to recruit, retain,
and support adult learners in community colleges – named the “Five P Framework”
(VanZoest et al., 2023). These five components include public messaging, partner-
ships, processes, pathways, and proximity. This framework supports community col-
leges by identifying critical questions around each of the Five Ps that map back to
the adult learner student journey, helping community college leaders think critically
about access, retention, and adult learner student success. This case study and the
Five P framework are grounded in scholarship that prioritizes adult learners and their
success in community college.

Framework Development

North Carolina’s efforts to re-engage adult learners have been more successful
through a partnership with various stakeholders. The Belk Center’s research required
collecting valuable data from those stakeholders, such as college presidents, execu-
tive leadership, and key college employees who are a part of NC Reconnect teams
at each institution. Additionally, researchers spent time interviewing adult learners,
who shared their experiences returning to college. In the research, the key question
focused on understanding the successes with NC Reconnect within each college and
cohort, which allowed researchers to collect and analyze data relating to processes
and procedures involved in launching the reconnect program. Common themes
among colleges became evident during data analysis and connected to the success
of NC Reconnect at each institution. Recognizing those commonalities highlighted
the need to organize the themes from the research into a framework that encapsulates
five key aspects of the NC Reconnect work being done at participating institutions.
This grounded analytic approach allowed the researchers to develop a framework by
creating larger themes from the data and linking them together to create an emergent
concept – the Five Ps Framework. Approaching each college as a case allowed the
team to utilize strategies related to case study research. Organizing data files is an
essential component of analyzing qualitative research (Creswell & Poth, 2018), and

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the Five P Framework was conceptualized as data, and later, analyzed and compared
across each case. Making this a critical step in this project, the team observed how
NC Reconnect colleges transformed public messaging, including marketing efforts,
websites, and various communication strategies. Data on connecting the internal and
external community stakeholders (e.g., faith-based community, K-12) to re-engage
adult learners provided context on the importance of partnership. Many colleges
reported shifting in processes, such as flexible and extended student services office
hours and availability during the holidays and weekends. Data collected included
stories on how colleges utilized advising approaches to make re-engaged students
aware of the correct academic pathways. Lastly, each college examined the closeness
to completion, which pointed to proximity – the distance and space between students
and the resources they need to be successful. Through in-depth analysis of interview
data, the Five P Framework was conceptualized and will help researchers to under-
stand the needs and supports of adult learners across the state of North Carolina and
beyond.

Data Collection and Analysis

A case study is an empirical inquiry that allows the researcher to investigate a phe-
nomenon – the case – within a specific context (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015; Tracy,
2020, Yin, 2018). This qualitative case study is exploratory by nature and employs
a multi-case study approach (Yin, 2018). The case is defined as participation in NC
Reconnect, and the embedded units of analysis are the individual NC Reconnect
colleges. Since 2021, the research team has conducted 15 individual interviews and
55 focus group interviews with stakeholders from institutions participating in NC
Reconnect. These stakeholders included 15 community college presidents, 44 faculty,
and 125 staff that were working directly with their respective institution’s efforts to
re-engage and support adult learners, in addition to 54 current adult learners enrolled
at their respective community college. In total, 238 individuals were interviewed to
gain more insight into leadership decisions, understand the day-to-day operations of
support staff and faculty, and explore the experiences of adult learners. Participating
NC Reconnect colleges consisted of 15 North Carolina community colleges across
three cohorts (five institutions each) from various regions of the state. This group of
community colleges varied in size, geographic region, degree of urbanization (e.g.,
rural, urban), and racial and ethnic student demographic makeups.
All interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and uploaded to Otter.ai
for transcription and editing. After interview transcripts were edited, they were then
organized by cohort and institution for analysis to remain true to case-study research
and analyze each set of data within their own embedded case (Yin, 2018). To ana-
lyze the data, the research team utilized a process that combined holistic analysis,
to examine each community college as an individual entity separate from the other
community colleges, and categorical analysis, to identify similarities and differences
across community colleges (Josselson, 2011). To begin, the research team engaged
in open coding of interview and focus group transcripts (Tracy, 2020) to gain a bet-
ter understanding of the narratives shared and capture preliminary themes emerging

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from the study. Researcher field notes were also used as supplemental resources to
support this process. Next, the research team met to review emergent themes, dis-
cuss similarities and differences among the participating community colleges, and
begin the construction of a codebook to aid the next phases of the coding process.
Simultaneously, researchers also created community college profiles for each institu-
tion to highlight some of the unique offerings, experiences, and narratives shared by
employees and adult learners.
Upon the finalization of the codebook, the research team engaged in a round of
deductive coding (Saldaña, 2021) using the codes that were developed from their
open coding process. Through deductive analysis, five overarching themes, specifi-
cally each component of the Five P Framework, emerged as critical aspects of the
adult learner re-engagement and support process. To enhance the level of trustworthi-
ness of this study, the team utilized various data collection methods (e.g., interviews,
focus groups, research field notes) to collect different types of data. Furthermore, they
also engaged heavily with community college stakeholders leading the adult learner
efforts on their campus to identify prospective participants and coordinate interview
and focus group logistics. As a result of this data collection and analysis, the Five P
Framework was developed to encapsulate the holistic experiences of adult learners
and how colleges can support them in and through the adult learner journey at a com-
munity college. The colleges have been assigned pseudonyms to protect anonymity.

The Five P Adult Learner Framework

For each of the Five Ps, the research team presents an overview, multiple critical
questions that frame each component, and research to support that component. The
first component addresses public messaging.

Public Messaging (Marketing and Communications)

Public messaging focuses on intentional communications happening at the college to

recruit adult learners.

Critical Questions

● What does the college’s current communication process look like when market-
ing to adult learners? How can this process be improved?
● What types of public messaging currently exist at the college that are catered
toward recruiting adult learners (i.e., social media, text message, mailers, etc.)?
● Where is public messaging currently viewed/heard to reach adult learners? Where
should it be viewed/heard?

From fall 2020 to fall 2022, higher education institutions across the United States
experienced a 4.2% decline in undergraduate enrollment, with community colleges
experiencing some of the largest declines throughout the pandemic (NSC, 2022).

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While gains have been made, enrollment at all community colleges have not returned
to pre-pandemic levels, particularly among adult learners (NSC, 2022). With enroll-
ment declines, increased competition among colleges, and funding decreases, institu-
tions will need to implement outreach that is both relevant and informed (Copeland,
2007). Building an informed strategy starts with audience knowledge, which requires
that higher education institutions understand who they are recruiting and how those
individuals make decisions and receive communication.
Students aged 25 and older, categorized as adult learners, represent nearly 40%
of all those currently enrolled in a postsecondary institution (NCES, 2019). A 2019
snapshot from the National Student Clearinghouse reported that 36 million Ameri-
cans hold some postsecondary education but have not earned a degree or credential.
The majority of those former students, often referred to as the Some College, No
Degree (SCND) population, are adult learners with an average age of 42 (Shapiro
et al., 2019). For those who chose to re-enroll, community colleges were the most
common choice among the SCND group (Shapiro et al., 2019). With adult learners
making up nearly half of all enrollees, and having the potential for more to enroll,
postsecondary institutions – particularly community colleges – will need to employ
informed marketing and communication strategies to reach this specific population.
Regardless of the message or delivery method, all forms of communication can
be understood as a process. The process is often represented as a model with distinct
elements delineating how an idea is transmitted from a sender to a receiver. In a basic
communication model, a sender has an idea, produces a message, and then transmits
that message through a communication channel (Boshear & Albrecht, 1977). When
the message is received, the audience decodes the message and chooses whether to
respond. Despite the sender’s intentions, barriers exist that can disrupt or distort the
sender’s message (Boshear & Albrecht, 1977).
Radical connectivity, a term coined to describe the ability to send information
quickly and constantly, means that people can access information 24/7 (Mele, 2013).
This constant connectivity provides space for the delivery of thousands of messages
daily. Though not always consciously aware, consumers make decisions to either
engage or ignore the sender’s message (Boshear & Albrecht, 1977). The same pro-
cess is true in higher education marketing (Guilbault, 2016). Thousands of messages
each day from various sectors create a competitive landscape for postsecondary
institutions seeking to communicate with prospective students. Beyond competing
messages, institutions do not always understand which messages resonate most with
prospective students. Additionally, the marketing challenges are compounded for
community colleges because they often serve a broader, more diverse student popu-
lation, which makes marketing communication decisions complex.
Crafting messages and choosing communication channels that cut through the
noise is multi-layered but starts with knowing the needs and wants of the intended
audience (Guilbault, 2016). While the experiences of adult learners vary, there are
enough similarities to create marketing messages that resonate.
Adult learners are most often concerned with tuition cost, child care availabil-
ity, the ability to quickly earn a credential, and job outcomes for their desired pro-
gram (Quiggins et al., 2016). However, a saturated market and increased competition
among postsecondary institutions necessitate succinct communication with the ben-

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efits of enrolling highlighted almost immediately (Sutton, 2017). Messages must be

compelling, informative, and invoke a response from the receiver. For example, NC
Reconnect’s general marketing message, “Better skills. Better jobs.” was simple
and succinct (Breeden et al., 2022). Those four words told prospective students they
could enroll in college, pursue a credential to gain better skills, and apply for a better
job with more earning potential.
Choosing communication channels to deliver messages to adult learners poses
unique challenges. Unlike recruiting high school students for college, there is no spe-
cific space where adult learners gather, making it difficult to disseminate the benefits
of earning a credential (Breeden et al., 2022). Marketers suggest that institutions con-
duct a thorough analysis of their service area to better understand how information
travels among community members (Guilbault, 2016). An institution’s geographic
location can also influence desired communication channels. In more rural areas, tra-
ditional marketing, like print newspapers and billboards, is still effective, while urban
and metro areas can see diminished results from these types of channels (Breeden et
al., 2022). If a market analysis cannot be conducted, on-campus focus groups with
recently enrolled students can help community colleges assess which messages reso-
nated, the students preferred communication delivery, and where community mem-
bers receive most of their communication about educational and career opportunities.
A basic understanding of the communication process, coupled with audience
knowledge and desired message delivery, allows for strategic communication deci-
sions when engaging adult learners.

Example of Public Messaging in Action

Rivertown Technical Institute is using Watermark, a higher education communica-

tions and data software, to directly text and communicate with their students. This
software allows their adult learner success coach to be more intentional about student
communication. Similarly, Mountain Ridge Community College sends personal let-
ters to prospective students with messages about free college and potential salaries
for various careers. When asked what messaging connected them to the college, one
adult learner said, “It was the envelope. It said ‘hey, you can get free tuition’ and it
had my name on it.” Adult learners cited the importance of this personalization on
the marketing materials in their decision to return to the college, in addition to the
messaging about free tuition for adult students.

Partnerships (Collaboration)

Community colleges foster a number of external partnerships with community enti-

ties, employers, and government agencies, as well as internal partnerships with cross-
institutional teams and departmental collaborations.

Critical Questions

● What external partnerships exist that support adult learner success at the college?

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● What external partnerships does the college hope to build in the future?
● How will the college foster internal teamwork and buy-in from faculty and staff
to support adult learners?

An important and well-documented element to achieving community college stu-

dent success is the partnerships that exist between the colleges and external agencies
within their communities (Soares, 2010). These partnerships commonly appear as
collaborations between community colleges and local industries, area high schools
and universities, and community agencies serving citizens in multiple ways (Bourke
et al., 2020; Byrd et al., 2018; McClellan, 2022; Griffin et al., 2021; Thornton, 2013).
For example, McClellan (2022) highlights one North Carolina community college’s
continued partnership with local Black faith leaders to serve citizens in the com-
munity in a multifaceted approach. The result of this partnership birthed a “back to
school” event, which not only served as an opportunity for the institution to recruit and
engage prospective students, but also an opportunity for citizens to receive important
resources, such as COVID-19 vaccines and voter registration. Additionally, Griffin
et al. (2021) emphasizes the benefits of community colleges collaborating with local,
four-year institutions to establish clear and supportive transfer pathways for com-
munity college students to go on to attain a baccalaureate degree. As a result of the
pathways and articulation agreements established by institutional partnerships, stu-
dents are often able to earn their associate’s degree, successfully transfer, complete
a bachelor’s degree that aligns with their career goals, and increase their likelihood
in obtaining higher paying jobs (Bartek, 2021; DeSantis et al., 2021). In addition to
these cross-sector partnerships (e.g., industries, businesses, universities, community
organization) being vital in preparing community college students for future careers
or to further their education, the partnerships also help to alleviate potential economic
barriers for adult learners, as they create more avenues to assess high-wage jobs upon
credential attainment (Griffin et al., 2021). Whether it is for immediate job place-
ment or furthering one’s education through credentials or degree programs, external
community partnerships are shown to have a significant impact on the trajectories of
community college students.
While these partnerships can have a positive impact on students, there has been a
lack of attention paid to adult learners and the ways community partnerships could
foster experiences that benefit them specifically. That said, researchers are beginning
to place more focus on how community colleges are navigating local partnerships for
the benefit of their adult learners. In their analysis of NC Reconnect, Breeden et al.
(2022) and VanZoest et al. (2023) highlight community colleges’ collaboration with
churches, local industries, transportation services, and child care centers to alleviate
barriers (i.e., bus tokens, child care services). In addition, college leaders in this study
also highlighted regular engagement with local partners and employers as an integral
part of the colleges’ awareness of the needs of employers, learning more about how
colleges could do a better job of preparing adult learners for future job opportuni-
ties, and determining ways colleges could connect their adult learners with these job
opportunities (e.g., job fairs, internships, hands-on and work-based learning oppor-
tunities). Community colleges that establish these types of services are addressing

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and overcoming the potential roadblocks that could adversely impact adult learners’
journeys to and through their college experience (Breeden et al., 2022).
In addition to engagement with external entities, internal buy-in and partnerships
– such as buy-in from faculty and staff and collaboration across offices and depart-
ments – are also integral to the success of adult learners at community colleges.
For example, research on the Tennessee Reconnect Grant Program (Spires et al.,
2022) and the NC Reconnect program (Breeden et al., 2022; VanZoest et al., 2023)
emphasize the importance of community college employees continuing to center
the needs of adult learners and taking a forward-thinking approach to addressing
those needs. For example, some community colleges participating in NC Reconnect
allocated funding and support to establish Adult Learner Centers on their campuses
that served as “one-stop shops” for adult learners to receive intrusive advising and
get connected to services on- and off-campus to support them with transportation,
childcare, and other wraparound needs. Similarly, one Tennessee community college
addressed these needs head-on by creating an Office of Student Care and Advocacy
to centralize student support services like housing, social services, and food secu-
rity. In line with resource allocation, some community colleges in the NC Reconnect
study also provided additional pay to enrollment specialists who opted-in to work-
ing through winter break (late December to early January) – an opportunity to serve
and enroll prospective students who had more schedule flexibility during this time
period (Breeden et al., 2022). These examples, among many, offer specific ways that
community college employees continue to keep the in-class and out-of-class needs
of adult learners at the forefront and allocate time, money, and resources to alleviate
potential barriers to their success.

Example of Partnerships in Action

Metro Community College collaborated with faith-based partners to host a com-

munity-wide event to celebrate the coming school year. Those in attendance could
receive COVID-19 vaccines and tests, dental care kits, and book bags filled with
school supplies. Community members could also register to vote and learn more
about short-term training programs at the college. Additionally, one church lent their
buses to assist with transportation access issues for students. Similar mutually ben-
eficial partnerships like those with the faith-based community discovered through
empirical research supports its inclusion within this framework.

Processes (Shifting the Approach)

Community colleges can no longer take a one-size-fits-all approach to serve students.

It’s essential to shift existing processes to meet the needs of adult learners and reduce
barriers to their success.

Critical Questions

● What shifts in processes and practices are necessary to re-engage adult learners?

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● What opportunities are there to engage adult learners early/pre-enrollment?

Community colleges open doors to learners who want to enhance their lives through
education (Lewis et al., 2014; Malcom-Piqueux, 2018). Adult learners may choose
to enroll in a community college because they are pursuing a program that leads to
a vocational certificate or degree (Compton et al., 2006), but unfortunately, institu-
tional processes and practices can pose challenges to their enrollment and academic
credential completion (Osam et al., 2017). Decreasing barriers – like cost of atten-
dance, admissions requirements, and course scheduling – is an opportunity for com-
munity colleges to relieve emotional burdens from adult learners who may also have
additional hurdles to face as they return to school (Karmelita, 2018). In examining
financial aid award processes, Osam and colleagues (2017) suggest colleges consider
exploring ways to lessen the financial obligations of adult learners to support their
return to college. For example, community colleges are soliciting corporate grants
and donations from alumni and board members to support student needs (Kisker
et al., 2013). Community colleges can also consider engaging their foundation to
provide direct support, like the Foundation of Rivertown Technical Institute, who
matched foundation funds to support adult learners at the college. Colleges can also
lessen the burden by strategizing ways to eliminate past tuition bills of returning
students and using resources (apart from federal financial aid) that provide colleges
the opportunity to create equitable and innovative practices in awarding funding, as
the qualifying requirements may be less prohibitive. This is essential, as finances are
often identified as the most important situational barrier for adult learners (Osam et
al., 2017).
Adult learners desire an expedient way to learn about educational choices as they
make decisions to return (EAB, 2019). Engaging in processes that examine com-
munication strategies provides colleges with information on how to best reach adult
learners. For example, using secret shoppers as a way to observe if messaging is
timely and personalized.
According to Karmelita (2018), Scholssberg’s transition theory examines the
context of development and helps create an understanding of how adults decide to
return to college. Pre-college transition programs can be implemented to prepare
adult learners as they make their decision to return to college (Kallison, 2017). These
types of programs can also be beneficial to returning students as they re-engage with
the institution and learn how to navigate it successfully. Transition programs are
designed to provide adult learners with knowledge on information about the college,
such as career development, academic advising, campus orientation, and financial
aid counseling (Karmelita, 2018). These programs can also be paired with external
partners to support students on how to navigate community resources that support
non-academic needs like child care, transportation, housing, and employment.

Example of Processes in Action

The president of Pine Valley Technical Community College hosted a series of student
focus groups, which included adult learners, to understand how to better serve this
unique population. They discovered that having students who had previously stepped

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away from a program reapply was a barrier towards re-enrollment. They developed
an abbreviated application for these students to share what changed since they were
last enrolled, rather than having to go through the entire application process again.
This was a process that was easily amended at the college and was discovered through
focus group research.

Pathways (Academic and Career Advising)

Colleges are building academic and career pathways for students to decrease their
time-to-degree and guide them on career options that lead to family sustaining living
wages.

Critical Questions

● What does academic advising look like at the college for adult learners? How is
this similar or different compared to students right out of high school?
● What does career advising look like at the college for adult learners? How is this
similar or different compared to students right out of high school?
● How does the college connect continuing education/workforce development and
curricular pathways?

Community colleges have been engaged with structural reform, including guided
pathways, to help students with persistence and degree completion efforts (Baker,
2018), although some have questioned their ability to close equity gaps for students of
color (Rose et al., 2019) and students with family responsibilities (Huerta et al., 2022;
Rose, 2016). Guided pathways is a national model to simplify academic choices and
career pathways for students (Bailey et al., 2015). This model focuses on four key
pillars: (a) Mapping pathways to student end goals; (b) Helping students choose and
enter a pathway; (c) Keeping students on path; and (d) Ensuring students are learning
(Jenkins et al., 2018, p. 3). Guided pathways involve mapping programs to specific
courses, milestones, and outcomes so students have a plan for future career and edu-
cational endeavors (Jenkins et al., 2018; Klempin & Lahr, 2021). More than 400 col-
leges have adopted this reform effort (Jobs for the Future, n.d.), and although guided
pathways can be a helpful starting point during career conversations, the model may
not recognize the lived experiences of adult learners (Klempin & Lahr, 2021; Rose
2016; Rose et al., 2019; Williams & Freeman, 2022) because their educational and
occupational choices often differ from students entering community college directly
from high school.
There are various on- and off-ramps to support career pathways for adult learn-
ers. Institutional responses that go beyond guided pathways, such as ensuring stu-
dents can navigate the enrollment process and award them credit for prior learning,
is one example of an on-ramp (Klempin & Lahr, 2021; Williams & Freeman, 2022).
Creating career communities or “co-curricular opportunities such as career panels,
engagement activities, mentoring, and networking that allow students to gain career
knowledge in informal social settings,” (Rose et al., 2019, p. 67) allow students to

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build upon prior experiences and knowledge to keep them on their path. Removing
institutional barriers and extending career advising services also help to keep adult
learners on their path (Klempin & Lahr, 2021). Offering work-based learning (WBL)
– internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, clinical placements, etc. – (Bragg et
al., 2012) in innovative scheduling formats can provide re-skilling opportunities
for adult learners to succeed in the workforce. Understanding who does or does not
engage in WBL and developing offerings to support and encourage diverse learners
in WBL participation is also important (Rose et al., 2019). Sharing data about jobs
and salaries in the labor market allows students to have a better understanding of liv-
able wages and skills needed by industries in the regional economy as they move off
the ramps into the workforce (Rose et al., 2019).
Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit, is providing a response for engaging
students in career pathways. The organization developed a new framework called
Guided Career Pathways (Pathways) to better reflect how to help learners succeed
in the changing economy (McDonough, n.d.). The framework is designed around
regional economic needs, expanded on-ramps to reach underrepresented populations
(e.g., adult learners, opportunity youth), and integrated WBL throughout educational
journeys. Guided Career Pathways helps students complete employment and transfer
plans – which help with postsecondary attainment goals and local talent retention
– and better serves diverse learners, addresses gaps in access and equity, and con-
tributes to lifelong learning (McDonough, n.d.). Adapting or re-imagining guided
pathways or offering services that go beyond guided pathways are a few ways com-
munity colleges and partners can evolve to meet the career needs of adult learners
and address equity gaps.

Example of Pathways in Action

Greenfield Community College is introducing career advising into the student

onboarding process at the college. One of the first things an adult learner will do
before beginning classes is meet with a career counselor to discuss career options.
Adult learners attend community college for many different reasons. Some choose to
move up the career ladder in their current field while others pursue a completely dif-
ferent career path. Including career counselors in the advising process can help bridge
the career path for adult learners.

Proximity (to Access and Completion)

Adult learners face a myriad of barriers when deciding to return to college. When
thinking about proximity to the community college space, distance, time, and rela-
tionships to others can expand or close an adult learner’s proximity to their degree.
Improving access to college and improving support during college can afford adult
learners a clearer pathway to a credential or degree.

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Innovative Higher Education

Critical Questions

● How can the college increase access and reduce barriers to education for adult
learners?
● What one-on-one supports are available to students that give them a sense of con-
nection to the college?
● What innovative ways can the college reduce time-to-degree for adult learners?

Community colleges have employed a number of strategies to increase student access

and completion, particularly for the adult learner population. However, understand-
ing the proximity to credential completion for adult learners is crucial to address-
ing issues of access and completion. Several scholars have highlighted barriers that
could prevent adult learners from reaching their educational goals, including per-
sonal and family commitments and work schedules (Jameson & Fusco, 2014; Ritt,
2008). Reconnect programs can help alleviate financial barriers that cause partici-
pants to leave college or not enroll at all by providing free or heavily discounted
tuition (Collom & Cooper, 2022; Collom et al., 2021). Additionally, adult learners
may run into conflict with competing obligations, such as work and family commit-
ments, that impede the time they dedicate to their studies (VanZoest et al., 2023).
Helping remove these barriers is essential for adult learner success.
Investing in initiatives that prioritize adult learner access and completion can
have a positive effect on student outcomes. For example, one NC Reconnect college
embedded tutoring in high-risk classrooms where students most often fail. Develop-
ing robust tutoring programs or supplemental online resources to help students in
these high-risk classes are a few strategies to improve student success rates (Brown,
2020). Earning a strong GPA, completing more credits in the first year compared to
subsequent years, and having more than one simultaneous completion initiative on
campus are strong predictors of postsecondary credential completion (Sutton, 2018;
Turk, 2017). Several NC Reconnect colleges also introduced adult learner success
coaches or champions to serve as advisors and mentors specifically for adult learn-
ers on campuses. Proximity to people and relationships who can support the adult
learner journey and understand adult learner experiences can address retention issues
for these learners.
Further, delaying enrollment into college – which is often the case for adult learn-
ers who are entering postsecondary education for the first time – and enrolling part-
time were indicators of a lower likelihood of degree or credential attainment (Turk,
2017). Several colleges in NC Reconnect’s first and second cohorts, like Lakeside
Community College, Cedar Grove Technical Community College, and Mountain
Ridge Community College, have adopted shorter, eight-week courses so students can
progress through their programs more quickly, increasing completion rates. Reducing
time to degree and giving adult learners time back in their already busy lives can help
them move through the college faster and toward their next career goal.
There are a number of strategies colleges can take to improve access and comple-
tion for adult learners, including proactively connecting students early with faculty
and advisors as mentors, working to affirm academic competence, and providing

13
 Innovative Higher Education

them with additional guidance and resources (Deil-Amen, 2011). Proactive advis-
ing and the implementation of cohort-model programs can further improve adult
learner completion (Sutton, 2015), and receiving credit for prior learning also has
a significant positive effect on graduation rates (Hayward & Williams, 2015). Addi-
tional tactics include aligning noncredit and credit programming in the same field so
that credits are transferable amongst these programs, expanding systems that pro-
vide credit for prior learning, and expanding financial aid for adult learners (Brock
& Slater, 2021). Engaging in programs like NC Reconnect can help colleges think
strategically about the access and completion initiatives in place specifically for their
adult learners.

Example of Proximity in Action

By building relationships with students, community college employees can learn

about why students are interested in returning and how they can be successful. River-
town Technical Institute hosted a “speed dating” event in the first four weeks of
the term where faculty met with students one-on-one to learn about their interests
and needs. Adult learners cite faculty relationships as some of the most important
that they cultivate at the college. This event took place in the first four weeks of the
semester, as data shows if a student can persist to the four-week mark, they are more
likely to persist to the end of the semester (Breeden et al., 2022).

Qualitative Quality

The research team adopted Tracy’s (2020) values of qualitative quality through which
to frame their work. These “Big Tents” of quality constitute criteria for excellent
qualitative research, serving as a pedagogical tool that promotes dialogue amongst
research from a variety of paradigms, and encouraging viability and credibility
(Tracy, 2020). They established a worthy topic, as adult learners are a relevant and
timely social topic of discussion in higher education scholarship. In North Caro-
lina, 50% of students enrolled in community colleges were adults over the age of
25 (Crane, 2023), affirming that understanding the experiences of adult learners is
timely and relevant.
Further, the establishment of a conceptual framework grounded in empirical evi-
dence makes a significant contribution to the literature on adult learners and com-
munity college students. This framework builds disciplinary knowledge, allowing
community college practitioners to apply the theory in a new context (Tracy, 2020).
It is the goal of the research team to inspire heuristic significance through the use of
this framework, prompting curiosity and moving community college practitioners to
act in the best interest of adult students (Tracy, 2020). In summary, establishing quali-
tative quality ensures the rigor, credibility, and trustworthiness of the framework,
allowing scholars and practitioners to use this framework in their respective higher
education environments.

13
Innovative Higher Education

Significance to Higher Education and Community Colleges

Creating a holistic conceptual framework to support adult learners in community

colleges is paramount to today’s higher education landscape. With higher education
enrollment declining nationwide, those who eventually did enroll were more likely
to attend a community college (58.5%) compared to a four-year institution (33.3%)
(Blake, 2023). Given this choice to attend a community college, it is essential that
colleges critically evaluate their public messaging, partnerships, processes, path-
ways, and proximity to completing a high-quality degree or credential.
Adult learners often face a myriad of unique life circumstances, ranging from
childcare, full-time and part-time work, serving as care-takers for family members,
and bridging gaps in their prior education (VanZoest et al., 2023). The Five P Frame-
work provides a roadmap for community colleges to tailor their programs, support
services, and teaching methodologies to meet the diverse needs of this demographic.
It promotes inclusivity and equity, enabling adult learners to access higher education
and upskill for career and educational advancement. Furthermore, a strong concep-
tual framework fosters a culture of continuous improvement in community colleges
to help them meet the workforce demands of tomorrow. Ultimately, it empowers
community college presidents, faculty, and staff with knowledge and tactics to sup-
port the adult learners at their colleges.

Implications for Practice, Research and Evaluation, and Policy

This versatile framework serves as a valuable tool for a broad spectrum of stake-
holders seeking to engage and support adult learners, spanning community college
practitioners, administrators, faculty, and researchers alike. Tailored to address the
unique needs of each group, the framework offers practical applications personalized
to their respective roles and objectives. As such, the research implications encompass
application for practice, research and evaluation, and policy, ensuring relevance and
utility across diverse audiences.

Practice

As community college leaders continue to prioritize the needs and academic success
of their adult learners, the research team urges them to utilize the critical questions
for each “P” to aid them as they design, implement, and revise their campus offerings
and sources of support. For example, as community colleges design adult learner-
specific marketing content to aid their recruitment strategies, they should assess what
their institution is already doing, determine the most effective ways to communicate
with adult learners, and think through areas of growth for how their marketing strate-
gies could be improved to better engage adult learners. In another example, com-
munity college leaders could also use the critical questions from Pathways to revamp
their academic and career advising strategies in ways that specifically target needs of
adult learners through the duration of their educational trajectories and moving away
from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to advising students.

13
 Innovative Higher Education

Research and Evaluation

In addition to influencing practice, elements of the Five P Framework could serve as

a guide for researchers, evaluators, and institutional leaders looking to assess com-
munity colleges and their efforts to support adult learners. For instance, the critical
questions provided for each “P” could be used or adapted as research or interview
questions to guide research processes. For example, researchers wanting to learn
more about the impact of specific communication strategies could adapt critical
questions from public messaging to craft a study that engages communication and
marketing practitioners that work with the adult learner efforts at their institution. In
addition, researchers could adapt critical questions presented in the proximity section
to assess and compare factors influencing student access and completion at different
types of community colleges (e.g., rural and urban settings, institution size, etc.).
Altogether, researchers studying community colleges can assess the productivity
in each of these areas through these interviews and provide recommendations for
improvement. Moreover, evaluators could also use the model as a guide when evalu-
ating programs and campus offerings for adult learners. In addition, the research team
believes applying this model and its critical questions to future research could serve
as an opportunity to empirically test and evaluate the framework and its contribution
to research about adult learners at community colleges.

Policy

There are several implications for policy when instituting the Five P Framework at
community colleges. First, at the institutional level, community colleges can evalu-
ate their business processes and policies to be more inclusive of adult learners. For
example, one college in NC Reconnect’s third cohort developed a policy allowing
students to bring their children to class if other childcare accommodations could not
be made. This flexibility allows adult learners the ability to attend class while not
having to worry about last-minute childcare. Other institutions are implementing
similar efforts, reviewing and revising policies to reduce barriers to adult learner suc-
cess. Additional policies that warrant evaluation are admissions policies, attendance
policies, remote learning policies, and financial aid policies. Second, higher educa-
tion leaders, researchers, and politicians can leverage qualitative and quantitative
data from research projects that focus on adult learners, like NC Reconnect, to lobby
for additional funds for community colleges. This research can inform future policy-
making decisions of community colleges.

Dissemination

In addition to this framework contributing to scholarship and expanding the knowl-

edge on the adult learner experience at community college, the research team has
also begun, and plan to continue, disseminating this knowledge in two versions of
an adult learner guidebook (Breeden et al., 2022; VanZoest et al., 2023) and to com-
munity college leaders throughout North Carolina. Moreover, the team also plans to

13
Innovative Higher Education

publish this knowledge in scholarly journals in the coming years and use aspects of
the framework to guide future research on adult learners at community colleges.
The Five Ps provide community colleges with a framework for their continued
work with adult learners. By asking critical questions about public messaging, part-
nerships, processes, pathways, and proximity, community college leaders can assess
how their institutions are recruiting, retaining, and graduating adult learners.

Author Contribution All authors contributed to the conceptual design of this manuscript. Material prepara-
tion, data collection and analysis were performed by Emily R. VanZoest, Dion T. Harry, Micara Lewis-
Sessoms, and Audrey J. Jaeger. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Emily R. VanZoest, Dion
T. Harry, Micara Lewis-Sessoms, and Audrey J. Jaeger, and all authors commented on previous versions
of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, or publication of this
manuscript.

Data Availability NC Reconnect is funded by a private funder. Those interested in obtaining the data
should reach out to the authors directly.

Declarations

Conflict of Interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License,
which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative
Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this
article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line
to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use
is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission
directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/4.0/.

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Innovative Higher Education

Emily R. VanZoest Ph.D. is a postdoctoral research scholar at the Belk Center for Community College
Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University. She earned her doctorate in Educational
Leadership, Policy, and Human Development from the Higher Education doctoral program at North Caro-
lina State University. Her research centers on adult learners and perceptions of campus climate in com-
munity colleges.

Dion T. Harry Ph.D. is a research associate at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and
Research at North Carolina State University and an incoming tenure-track assistant professor at Okla-
homa State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development
from North Carolina State University in the Higher Education Opportunity, Equity, and Justice doctoral
program. Dion’s research explores the success and well-being of college student populations that have
historically been overlooked, excluded, and/or marginalized.

Micara Lewis-Sessoms Ed.D. currently serves as Durham Technical Community College’s (Durham Tech)
Director of Work-Based Education and Apprenticeship. In this collaborative role, she serves as a leader in
connecting the value of WBL to labor market outcomes. Micara is also a graduate of the Community Col-
lege Leadership doctoral program at North Carolina State University. She joined NC State’s Belk Center
for Community College Leadership and Research as a Research Affiliate in 2021. Her research agenda
with the Center focuses on strategies to support the community college agenda of equitable outcomes and
aligning practices and policies to meet the needs of adult learners.

Audrey J. Jaeger Ph.D. is the founding executive director of the Belk Center for Community College Lead-
ership and Research and W. Dallas Herring Professor of Community College Education at NC State Uni-
versity. Jaeger’s commitment to the accessibility and attainment of high-quality postsecondary education
for all students is a natural expansion of her decades of research that illuminate issues of transition, access,
climate, and agency. Through applied research and executive leadership development, Jaeger supports
North Carolina’s 58 community colleges to advance student success that leads to economic and social
mobility.

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