The Michigan Center for Adult College Success

08/25/2026

Spark Collaborative has launched their Family-Friendly Toolkit, a great resource for colleges and universities looking to better support student parents.

The Toolkit offers a flexible process and set of tools designed to be used in any institution. Complete a free registration form to gain access today!

This award-winning self-assessment system is a guide for improving supports and outcomes for students who are raising children. It is intended for those in higher education—staff, faculty, and students—who want to improve outcomes and conditions for student parents and others. The Toolkit offers...

08/24/2026

Interested in helping Michigan college students access basic needs? Please join the Michigan College Access Network and Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential for a one-day event to connect and align services that support student success. They are looking to engage higher education, workforce and community partners supporting college student basic needs — housing, food, transportation, healthcare, mental health and childcare — including student affairs professionals, advisers, benefits navigators, student advocates and nonprofit organizations.

Register at https://cvent.me/4eYn5K.

08/21/2026

The jury's out! MI-LEARN Design Lab participants rated convenings consistently high across every session, reflecting how relevant content was to their institution's specific needs and goals.

We have a new report available that synthesizes feedback from both the MI-LEARN and MI-RAISE Design Labs. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ie0eCm

08/19/2026

ICYMI: We have a variety of storytelling features from some of the Michigan institutions we've helped with their adult learner populations!

Check out our Innovation Investment Award webpage to read about the great work being done across the state.

Interested in implementing some of these best practices on your campus? Reach out to us to get started: https://bit.ly/4hI1TO9

Innovation Investment Awards help postsecondary institutions implement best practices or pilot new ideas to better serve adult students.

08/14/2026

We've had the best time launching our Adult Learner Navigator Community of Practice! Our next gathering is less than a week away — next Thursday, August 20.

Are you committed to supporting adult learners on your campus? Could you benefit from learning about best practices from other institutions? We'd love to have you!

Join our community to get started: https://bit.ly/4cdIwdI

08/12/2026

Registration is now open for Braiding Community Support for College Student Basic Needs! This cross-sector convening will be hosted by the Michigan College Access Network and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential on September 9 in Lansing.

Too many college students are postponing or abandoning their educational goals because of nonacademic issues like lack of housing, food, transportation, or childcare. Supporting student basic needs is essential to advancing student success, increasing certificate and degree attainment, and achieving the state’s Sixty by 30 goal.

We hope to see you there! Register today! https://bit.ly/3SrxdZq

08/05/2026

Have you heard the news?

Following the passage of the FY27 State Budget, the Michigan Reconnect program will be expanded to include ages 21 and up — and it's starting THIS FALL.

Keep an eye on the Reconnect website to see when the application launches - https://bit.ly/4bt8ryr

07/31/2026

Our friends over at the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential recently released their AY2025 CPL Incentive Payment Program Report!

Some highlights:
⭐ 20 participating community colleges offering CPL credits to Reconnect students
⭐ 4,728 CPL credits earned by Reconnect students at participating institutions
⭐ 47.1% of Reconnect students earning CPL in AY2024 earned an associate degree by the end of AY2025

Adult learners bring vast experiences with them when they enter higher education. When we honor that experience and transform it into college credit, they're more likely to persist and complete.

See the full report: https://bit.ly/4yR34mU

07/30/2026

Our team works hard to ensure the programming we put together is meaningful for participants — and we bring in the right partners to ensure the work is moving the needle!

If you're interested in learning what institutions had to say about our MI-LEARN Design Lab, check out our third party evaluation - https://bit.ly/4gOYi2z

Are you ready to start making a difference for adult learners on your campus? We're here to help! Reach out today to get started - https://bit.ly/4hMlmwd

07/28/2026

Dr. Steven VandenAvond from Northern Michigan University shares what he enjoyed about participating in our Design Lab — like gaining access to thought-leaders from across the country.

Everyone wins when we work together to share best practices and innovative solutions! To learn more about the work we're doing, visit our website: https://bit.ly/4hI1TO9