The Dalles, Oregon — Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) has been selected to participate in the Rural Community College Adult Learner Engagement initiative, a new national project supported by Lumina Foundation, CollegeAPP, and StrategyForward Advisors. The effort will help rural colleges reach, engage, and enroll more adult learners across the country.
The two-year initiative focuses on developing and testing innovative strategies to support the more than 43 million U.S. adults between the ages of 25 and 64 who have not yet completed a post-secondary training or education program.
“Supporting adult learners in career training and retraining is central to our mission of expanding inclusive prosperity in the Columbia Gorge,” said Karly Aparicio, vice president of student services. “Many of our students are balancing jobs, families, and other responsibilities while gaining new skills. Being part of Lumina’s initiative strengthens our ability to reach adults 25 and older and connect them with the equitable access to education CGCC provides.”
CGCC is one of just six rural institutions selected to participate, along with:
- Athens Technical College (Georgia)
- BridgeValley Community & Technical College (West Virginia)
- Chattahoochee Valley Community College (Alabama)
- Manhattan Area Technical College (Kansas)
- South Central College (Minnesota)
“Adult learners bring their life experience to the classroom,” said Dr. Kenneth Lawson, CGCC president. “When we meet them where they are, remove barriers, and design programs that reflect their reality, we unlock new opportunities—for individuals and for the vitality of the entire community. We are grateful to be selected for this initiative and eager to work with Lumina Foundation and our partners to better connect with more adult learners in our region.”
Goals of the Initiative
Through this project, CGCC will:
- Analyze data to identify and reach adult learners across the region
- Implement targeted messaging and marketing strategies designed for adults
- Refresh brand strategies and student engagement tools
- Develop long-term plans to sustain enrollment momentum
- Share lessons learned with peers in the cohort
The initiative builds on Lumina’s earlier efforts—Intent Matters and The Million Dollar Community College Challenge—to help colleges become more student-ready and community-connected. CollegeAPP will provide data insights to identify local adult learners, and StrategyForward Advisors will guide brand strategy development.
“In many rural communities, community colleges are still the best-kept secret for achieving economic progress,” said Mary Laphen Pope, strategy officer at Lumina. “We’re grateful to partner with StrategyForward and CollegeAPP to equip colleges to better connect with potential adult students.”
About Columbia Gorge Community College
Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) is the heart of higher education in the greater Columbia River Gorge. CGCC, the first Oregon community college certified as a Hispanic Service Institution (HSI), offers a flexible schedule of credit and non-credit courses taught by faculty members who have studied, taught, researched and volunteered around the globe.