CCC initiatives help adult learners return to college and succeed

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College

EDUCATION — Cleveland Community College is seeing encouraging results from two statewide initiatives designed to help students overcome barriers, return to college and complete their education.

“Adult learners are essential to our community and regional workforce,” said Dr. Jason Hurst, CCC president. “They have the determination, but are often balancing a job, family obligations, and finances that can make it difficult to imagine that returning to school is possible. We want to help them see that it is possible, and that we will be with them every step of the way.”'

Through NC Reconnect, CCC reached out to former students who left college before completing a credential. The initiative provided personalized outreach and coaching to help adults explore their options for returning. Of the 1,658 former students identified for outreach, 73 re-enrolled for Fall 2026.

Although the formal NC Reconnect initiative has concluded, CCC plans to build on what it learned about the challenges facing adult learners, including financial concerns, scheduling conflicts and navigating the enrollment process.

The College is also celebrating the first-year success of Boost, a program that provides dedicated advising, academic resources and financial support to help eligible students complete their education.

Boost, which began in fall 2025, enrolled 72 students during its first year, ranging in age from 18 to approximately 60, and currently has 95 students enrolled. The program achieved a 97% fall-to-spring retention rate during its first year, with students earning an average cumulative GPA of 3.29. Eighty-six percent passed all their classes, and 21 earned recognition on the President's or Dean's Lists.

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The program also celebrated its first 13 graduates in May 2026, including 11 practical nursing students, a nurse aide student and an Associate in Arts graduate continuing her education at East Carolina University.

Together, the initiatives reflect CCC's commitment to creating accessible educational pathways for adult learners, whether they are returning after time away, changing careers or pursuing new opportunities for themselves and their families.

“We want adults in our community to know that returning to CCC is possible, that their previous experience has value, and that they will not have to navigate the journey alone,” said Hurst. “We are grateful to the John M. Belk Endowment and the NC Reconnect partners for helping us remove barriers, strengthen completion, and become a more adult-ready institution.”

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Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT.