About the Episode
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About the Episode:
Access to affordable, high-quality education is a challenge many institutions aspire to solve, but few approach it as boldly as Campus. From free college credits for high schoolers to personalized student support services, Campus is an innovative new approach to online community college that is redefining what accessibility and success mean in higher education. In this episode Ray is joined by Mike Belicose, CFO of Campus, to discuss the ways institutions can build a more inclusive and the future for higher education.
Key Takeaways
- Affordable and Accessible Education: Campus combines affordability with access to top-tier educators from renowned institutions to solve a market supply imbalance in higher education.
- Eliminating Student Debt: Campus operates on a "no student debt" philosophy, using institutional grants and government aid to ensure graduates emerge debt-free.
- Tech-Enabled Learning: Campus leverages proprietary technology, CampusWire, to deliver flexible, fully online, synchronous classes.
- Comprehensive Student Support: Students receive free laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, success coaches, mental health resources, and tutoring to improve retention and graduation rates.
- Agility in Addressing Workforce Needs: Campus offers degrees aligned with in-demand careers, such as AI, cloud administration, and phlebotomy, while planning for global expansion to meet international education demands.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: By analyzing persistence and drop-out rates, Campus continuously improves the student experience and adapts to market demands.
What Does "World-Class Education" Mean to Campus?
Campus defines world-class education as more than affordability—it’s about providing unmatched access to high-caliber educators and personalized support. Unlike traditional community colleges that often rely on geographically limited faculty pools, Campus taps into adjunct professors from institutions like Princeton, UCLA, and Columbia to bring diverse expertise to students nationwide. Additionally, their tech-first approach with CampusWire enables seamless course delivery and fosters collaboration between students and professors.
Michael also emphasizes Campus' commitment to eliminating student debt. Since its inception, no Campus student has taken out a loan, thanks to institutional funding and federal aid programs like Pell Grants. This bold approach positions Campus as a model for reducing financial barriers in higher education.
How Does Campus Address Gaps in Traditional Community Colleges?
Campus’s startup agility allows it to address challenges that traditional colleges often can’t. For instance, they offer free laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, and a dedicated success coach to every student, ensuring equitable access to learning tools and personalized guidance. Unlike brick-and-mortar institutions constrained by local resources, Campus can recruit faculty and students globally, delivering innovative programs that traditional colleges struggle to replicate.
Michael notes that the proprietary CampusWire platform helps scale the institution while maintaining a high-touch experience for students. Beyond the classroom, Campus's annual pitch competition offers unique opportunities for students to interact with industry leaders like Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, a testament to the real-world value they bring to their community.
How Does Campus Align Programs with Workforce Needs?
Campus designs its programs with an acute focus on workforce readiness. Their current online offering includes an Associate in Business Administration with a concentration in AI, preparing students for rapidly growing industries. At their brick-and-mortar Sacramento campus, they offer vocational programs in high-demand fields like phlebotomy, cloud administration, and legal assistance.
What sets Campus apart is its flexibility to adjust programs based on market demand. Michael shares their plans to scale globally, citing Brazil’s demand for IT and engineering degrees as an example. Their approach also includes migrating general education coursework online to make programs more accessible while retaining hands-on components for degrees like phlebotomy.
How Does Campus Measure and Improve Student Success?
Campus takes a data-driven approach to track student success. By analyzing drop-out reasons—such as scheduling conflicts or technology challenges—they proactively implement solutions. For instance, introducing multiple class schedules saved over 120 students from leaving the program in one term alone.
Looking ahead, Campus aims to address more friction points by expanding class time options, providing additional technical training, and developing new degree pathways. Their goal is to continuously evolve their support services, ensuring that more students can persist and succeed in their academic journey.
What’s Next for Campus?
Michael envisions a future where Campus expands its impact globally, offering world-class education to underserved communities worldwide. For example, partnering with faculty from institutions like Cambridge to deliver education in Nigeria exemplifies Campus's vision of breaking down barriers to education on a global scale.
The team’s focus on innovation, analytics, and responsiveness ensures that Campus stays ahead of higher education trends. By remaining agile and market-driven, Campus is well-positioned to lead the charge in reimagining access and affordability in higher education.
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About The Enrollify Podcast Network: Mastering the Next is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
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