University of Wisconsin - Extension

ADULT LEARNING for all ages and stages

University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Wisconsin Colleges open the door to learning for high school graduates, working adults and retirees

Earning a bachelor's degree

Approximately 1.2 million Wisconsin working adults ages 20 through 45 have completed some college courses but have not earned a bachelor's degree. A recent UW-Extension study indicates 60,000 of these adults are very interested in enrolling in a degree program within the next year.

The Adult Student Initiative (ASI) aims to increase the number of Wisconsin residents with an undergraduate degree by making programs and services throughout the UW System more available to working adults. Because of their proven success in reaching and serving nontraditional students, UW Colleges and UW-Extension have been tapped by UW System to lead the initiative.

In announcing the ASI as a top priority, UW System President Kevin Reilly explained that an increased number of state residents with bachelor's degrees will "...create the kind of work force that can attract knowledge-economy businesses to Wisconsin."

An important component of the ASI is increasing accessibility to degree programs through flexible online learning opportunities. UW-Extension's division of Outreach and E-Learning plays a critical role in assisting UW campuses in developing online credit classes.

Outreach and E-Learning Interim Dean Lee Zaborowski says, "The ASI is resulting in the development of a targeted mix of highly accessible undergraduate degrees focused on business, health and human services, education and others that are in demand by nontraditional learners and employers. All of these degrees already exist across the UW System in some format. The ASI helps the campuses get the necessary upper-division courses online."

UW Colleges Vice Chancellor and Provost Margaret Cleek adds, "Since UW Colleges already offers an associate degree online, adult learners will be able to earn their entire degree while remaining in their communities. Students will also have the option of beginning their education in a face-to-face format at one of the UW Colleges campuses, then completing their degree online."

A new Web site to be launched at the end of this year will allow potential students to access application and enrollment information at anytime and anyplace. Academic advising will also be available online and in person.

For more information: Outreach and E-Learning Extension Interim Dean Lee Zaborowski, zaborowski@conted.uwex.edu, (608) 262-1034

Adult learners say:

Mary Beth Koski
photo by Dan Koski

"This program helped me gain confidence to participate in and complete college-level courses after being away from school for so long. All of these college credits will be utilized toward working to obtain my bachelor's degree in something related to gerontology."

Heydi Tembi
photo by Jim Gill

"It was really simple. I liked how I could apply to more than one school with the same application. I also liked that I could save my file and work on it at different times. In all, it probably took me 20 minutes to complete."

Barbara Otto
photo by Mike Schmitt

"The most important thing to me is all the new things I'm learning, new friends and new people I've met. It's like a new life for me."

Applying to UW online

Applying online to all 26 UW System campuses is quick, easy — and popular. During the 2004-05 academic year, the UW Higher Education Location Program (HELP) maintained nearly 97,000 undergraduate e-applications — almost 80% of all undergraduate applications submitted to UW System campuses for the year.

Using UW HELP is popular with students because the same form is used to apply to more than one campus simultaneously, streamlining the process and saving time. With a personal login and password, students can access their files anytime to work on their application and track the application process.

For more information: http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu, help@learn.uwsa.edu, (800) 442-6459

Learning in retirement

Seniors around the state are proving that learning isn't age-bound. Many UW continuing education offices at campuses throughout the state offer Institutes for Learning in Retirement (LIR), which focus on the many and wide-ranging interests of retirees. For example, the LIR affiliated with the UW-Green Bay's Outreach and Extension Office offers 72 programs each semester to its 700 members.

For more information: http://www.uwgb.edu/lir/, lir@uwgb.edu, (920) 465-2356

— Amy Pikalek