In early November 2019, Chlöe Swarbrick, a 25-year-old politician from New Zealand responded to an older lawmaker who interrupted her with “OK boomer,” as she spoke on climate change. The response, while perceived as innocent but snarky, was a critical signal regarding a future economic and political struggle on the horizon, as well as an intergenerational war. Shortly after the comment, AARP executive Myrna Blyth responded “OK, Millennials, but we’re the people that actually have the money.” This response, unknowing to Ms. Blyth, became a rallying cry for many angry and frustrated Millennials worldwide. Twitter and other social media channels exploded with angry Millennials expressing antipathy towards the Boomer generation and their arrogance and greed, leaving Millennials with college debt, personal debt and lower wages.
Four years ago I had my epiphany that Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, had it right and that they would be in control of the new economy as it heads towards automation. Two years ago, Millennials overtook Boomers, those born between 1944 and 1964, as the largest employed cohort in the United States. While Blyth was technically correct, Millennials had the numbers, but had not reached the boiling point of economic frustration … until now. Swarbrick’s remark followed by Blyth’s retort is the point where the pendulum begins swinging in the other direction in the new economy.
As the economy becomes more automated, data-driven, technology-dependent and increasingly complex, Boomers will start disengaging from day-to-day decision-making and sliding into retirement. The economy will change and has shown signs of it:
- Over 1.3 million drones are registered with the FAA. (Reuters, February 2019)
- There were over 38.5 million rides on electric rideshare scooters and 36.5 million rides on rideshare bikes in the U.S. during 2018. (National Association of City Transportation Officials, 4/17/19)
- eSports global revenues topped $1.1 billion in 2019. (Reuters, 2/12/2019)
- According to the IMARC Group, the cannabis market was worth $10.1 billion in North America in 2018 and is expected to be valued at $43 billion by 2024. (Financial Buzz, 11/1/2019)
- The plant-based protein market, which includes veggie burgers and other meat-substitute products, is expected to be valued at $12.1 billion worldwide in 2019. (Statistica, 10/25/2019). These products can be found at major restaurant and fast food chains including Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, Qdoba, Tim Horton’s and TGI Fridays.
The list above is NOT what we call Boomer products and services. While Boomers work within the plant-based protein, drone and cannabis markets, are they ready and willing to lead the industries and their respective companies into the next decade? Doubtful. They’ll be bystanders and tertiary consumers, and not necessarily leaders and influencers en masse.
With massive industrial and economic changes on the horizon, the workforce will dramatically change. Boomers will retire at the rate of 10,000 a day or roughly between 3.5 and 4 million annually. By 2025, about 16 million more Boomers will retire, totaling 49 million in retirement and leaving roughly 20 million in the workforce, not including about a million Boomers dying annually during this time period.
Figure 1 – Generational Voters
The rise of the Millennial will be determined by a number of major milestones:
- The rate of adoption of 5G and high-speed satellite communications (such as Elon Musk’s Starlink). While there is a great deal of hype around 5G, early tests show that it will deliver data and information at rates 10-100 times faster than current high-speed internet. This, like the adoption of smartphones to the current mobile or cloud economy, will be the backbone needed for the automation economy. Once the automation economy hits high gear, technologies will begin proliferating again, further alienating and dispersing Boomer power.
- The 2020 election and the role of Generation Z. The tragedy of the Parkland shooting and the rallying around the #MeToo movement has shown that Generation Z and young Millennials have a voice. Most recently, the cohort showed how loud its voice can be through the youth climate strike and Greta Thunberg. Previously passive Millennials finally exerted political power showing up for the 2018 midterm elections. If Millennials and Generation Z significantly influence the 2020 United States presidential election, it will empower the generations in so many other ways, including reshaping healthcare and fixing higher education. In 2016, Generation Z represented just 4% of eligible voters. In 2020, they will represent 10% of those eligible. Boomers, while showing a high participation rate at the polling booths, will decline from 31% to 28% of eligible voters. The outcome of the 2020 election may hinge on generational voting participation and party preferences, as Millennials and Generation Z are favoring or leaning Democrat (62% according to the Pew Research Center) while Boomers are split down the middle.
- Allies of Generation Z (those born between 1996 and 2010) and the passive leadership of Generation X. Generation Z, while unique in many ways to Millennials, share similar technological abilities, financial struggles, work-life beliefs, communication styles and tools, a desire for transparency and global concerns. They are very likely to align with Millennials, potentially overpowering or at least influencing the C-suite cohort in 2025, Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980). By 2025, Generation Z and Millennials could combine to be almost two-thirds of the workforce, overpowering Gen X’ers and Boomers by 100 million to 56 million. Generation X will resist and Boomers will complain, but Gen Z and Millennials will have the numbers and influence (i.e., crowdsourcing) to accelerate change.
Flash forward to 2025. Computing is more powerful. Digital communication is almost real-time. The transportation infrastructure is changing. Between one-quarter to a third of Boomers will be in the workforce, a far-less powerful foe for economic change. Millennials will seek to balance their economic woes, potentially moving wealth from the Boomer-rich to the open markets through higher product or service costs that the wealthy Boomer consumes or through taxes and other financial mechanisms.
Flash forward to 2030. The automation economy will be accelerating, but not in full gear. Data will transmit back and forth. More traffic signals will be sensor-driven. We will be at the beginning of the automated vehicle era. Our homes will be much smarter. Consumer behavior will be better predicted. Physical currency will no longer exist. More workers will be working from home offices and not be fully bound to a 9-to-5 schedule. Displaced retail workers will be absorbed by our new economy’s technological enhancements as well as an aging population and the support it will require.
What will become of higher education? The traditions of higher education will be replaced by the functionalities and intersections of the new economy. Many college degrees that are in alignment with the new economy will continue to flourish while new degrees, many of which may not exist today, will be approved faster than by the current processes and committees of today. These new degrees will have more influence from employers and will be guided by information such as competency data, assessments and outcome data. Predictive analytics may also play a greater role in the creation of education products and credentials. Analytics may also prove that 120 credit hours doesn’t define or guarantee competency and the credential.
New credentials will be important for jobs with quickly changing requirements and will be accepted and respected more broadly by employers and their Millennial managers and leaders. Students will still come to campus, but in smaller numbers and learn in different ways, including the use of virtual reality, online and new technologies. For many courses, an instructor may not even be present, being replaced by technology. Students might also participate remotely but synchronously. As a result of change, the industry of higher education is likely to constrict based on many colleges and universities unable to adapt to the demands of the new economy. Many higher education employees will likely shift into the development, delivery and support of education.
By 2030, the U.S. will have gone through three presidential elections and be gearing up for a fourth in 2032. Greta Thunberg will be an active 27-year-old and no longer dismissed as a child by change-resistant Boomers, the majority of whom will be in their 70s and 80s. There will be about 150,000 centenarians (those 100 years of age or older) in the U.S. Learning and education will likely look very different for the 18-to-22-year-old full-time, campus-based student and others entering, upskilling or reskilling for the new economy.
Jim Fong is the Chief Research Officer for UPCEA and is a passive, yet data-driven Gen X’er.
| Welcome to the November edition of Policy Matters. Each issue has the latest updates and actionable items in public policy for adult and nontraditional education stakeholders. |
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This post is produced in partnership with UPCEA.
Former associate provost for outreach and engagement at the University of Southern Indiana and current vice provost for continuing education at North Carolina State University, Mark Bernhard offers insight into success within the profession of continuing higher education.
Question: Tell us about your journey into and in the professional, continuing and online education field.
Answer: One of my favorite sayings is “the journey is the destination.” I would define my professional career as a very fulfilling journey filled with lifelong learning! While I’ve spent the last 21 years in the continuing higher education field, the early years of my career were a time of exploration and wandering.
In June 1998, I was hired at Penn State Outreach as a conference planner in Conferences & Institutes. After more than 8 years at Penn State, I then spent the next nearly 5 years at Virginia Tech as Director of Continuing and Professional Education. After nearly 5 years at Virginia Tech and more than 13 years at two land-grant institutions, I spent the past 8 years as the associate provost for Outreach and Engagement at the University of Southern Indiana, a public regional comprehensive institution in southwest Indiana.
Q: Can you share with us your lessons learned and biggest successes in your experience with partnerships?
A: Partnerships are most successful when they are mutually beneficial. What I’ve learned is that is really important to spend time both at the beginning of partnerships as well as through the evolution of partnerships to effectively communicate with partners to understand what is important to the partner and have them understand what is important to us. While we may not get to yes on every aspect within a partnership, finding effective solutions and resolution to any conflict through healthy, respectful communication has served me well.
Q: How important do you think entrepreneurialism/an entrepreneurial mindset is to the work that you do?
A: Having an entrepreneurial mindset has been critically important to the work I do. While some people may be innately entrepreneurial, I firmly believe it is a skill that can be learned and honed over time. I have spent my entire career growing my entrepreneurial mindset by reading lots of books and articles on creativity, growth mindset, innovation, and attending conferences and workshops. I’d suggest to anyone looking to grow as a leader in any field including continuing higher education that they work on adopting a growth mindset philosophy and surround themselves with colleagues, mentors and others who also have a growth mindset.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges for leaders in our field today? What new and exciting things do you see on the horizon?
A: Higher education in general is going through tremendous upheaval and transformation right now. There is increased competition not only from other universities but from big companies who have entered the higher education space. The seemingly daily change in technologies and keeping up with said technologies is also a challenge.
I think the future for higher education is truly exciting. I think we will see enhanced importance in credentialing. I think we’ll see new and emerging fields that will require in some cases degrees but also certificates or on-the-job training. The continued trend toward automation is positively forcing universities and other education providers to rethink what is valuable in terms of preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow.
Q: What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A: The best career advice I’ve ever gotten and what I’d pass onto others is the following: Never stop learning, stay resilient especially when times get tough, don’t be afraid to admit when you’ve made a mistake, be compassionate to others, and treat everyone with respect.
Mark C. Bernhard, Ph.D. is the Vice Provost for Continuing Education at North Carolina State University. He also serves as the executive director of the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education and is responsible for the Center’s program development and administration of a $44 million budget, and provides oversight of the management of Center operations and facilities. He oversees a division of more than 200 full-time and part-time staff.
Blockchain is advancing in higher education, as it is in all of society, with some interesting new applications and ramifications.
Blockchain is the technology that first gained recognition as the backbone for Bitcoin. It is best described as a distributed ledger system. Each entry is a block that is time-stamped, encrypted and replicated at all of the nodes along the chain. The most-discussed application of the blockchain in higher ed is to enable secure credential dissemination. Blockchain has been used by MIT for certificate dissemination since 2015 and diplomas since 2017.
In the intervening years, more universities have adopted blockchain for dissemination of credentials. This is an important step that affords security and can provide the student with ownership of the transcript. This offers the potential for automatic approval of credit transfer. In addition, it creates the potential for students, rather than the university, to take control of their transcripts. Much like medical records becoming personally available, rather than held only by medical offices and hospitals, many argue that a transcript should be the property of the student. This does not allow the student to alter any credentials, but the student can add credentials such as noncredit courses, internships and other experiences. In this case, the student may provide assessments, endorsements and other validating materials.
As EAB suggests, “Traditional educational routes are increasingly less normal and in this expanding world of providers, the need for verifiable credentials from a number of sources is growing. Producing a form of digitally ‘verifiable CVs’ would limit credential fraud, and significantly reduce organizational workload in credential verification.”
However, blockchain is enabling many more innovative and effective approaches in higher education beyond merely the transcript. One early example is suggested by Kevin Roebuck in Forbes: “Recently, colleges and universities have been creating consortiums to collectively aggregate their resources. One such effort, the Internet 2 Net+ Initiative, provides a range of application, compute, and other cloud-based services that participating universities can access. Blockchain’s peer-to-peer transaction-based model fits perfectly into such consortium efforts.”
Perhaps more importantly, blockchain will facilitate the difficult shift in higher education that we are now navigating. We are moving from a degree-centric environment in which the university is engaged in the life cycle of the student while on campus to one that is more of a supply-chain design providing lifelong learning. In the emerging mode, the university will engage the student prior to their first arrival on campus (or online) through their degree experience and far beyond. Michael Matthews of the Tambellini Executive Advisory Council suggests the magnitude of the impact is akin to other seismic changes we have seen in recent decades:
Just like the iPod, iPad, and smart phone revolutionized the music industry, blockchain technologies will eventually break apart the systems we have been using. The ability to put purchased data such as music in the hands of users eventually changed the systems and devices that were once needed. The whole music industry shifted the way songs were purchased and delivered once the supply chain was created to accommodate the devices.
Translated to higher education, that means a supply-chain approach of delivery of professional, continuing and online education will be made available to students from their teenage years to well into their senior citizen years. The continuous delivery and documentation of learning will be secure, learner owned, documented and certified. That is in stark contrast to the mostly degree-centric, institution controlled and very thinly documented approach of years past. And the movement to a supply-chain approach is one that will transform higher education as certainly and radically as the iPod and its derivatives changed music as well as our mobile society.
IBM suggests that blockchain may become a stimulus for collaboration in research and entrepreneurship across academe: “As intellectual property and assets have become more valuable, however, the sharing of innovative ideas has become more problematic in terms of tracking ownership, etc. … Setting up a consortium blockchain would allow individual professors and institutions to share information openly while also having an undisputed track record as to who owns what information.”
As institutions look to deliver curricula that support students seeking to enter into blockchain fields, universities are finding that they often are best served with cross-disciplinary programs. The new term is “fintech.” It crosses business and technological topics. Hallie Busta of Education Dive summarizes the new field well: “To tap into emerging industries, colleges often have to break through the walls that separate academic disciplines. One of the latest barriers they’re addressing stands between their business and technology programs. The emergence of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain and cryptocurrency is changing how money moves between people and organizations. That’s created a new industry — financial technology, or fintech — around which colleges are being asked to create new curriculum as employers seek hires with these specific skill sets.”
Opportunities abound in this emerging field. As is so often the case, so too do challenges. Implementing the technology where it solves shortcomings in traditional transcript and documenting collaborations should come rather easily in time. However, leadership is needed in the broad movement from a degree life cycle to a dynamic supply-chain model of providing learning. Who will lead this movement at your university? And who will break down the walls between disciplines to create fintech curricula that will meet the needs of society, employers and students?
Leadership is needed for the institutions that will survive and thrive in the coming few years.
This article originally was published on November 6 in Inside Higher Ed’s Inside Digital Learning blog.
Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? If you’re like millions of working adults (meaning, anyone reading this), of course you do. And, while most of us are referring to a lack of time between 9 and 5, the reality is that the most successful people are willing to sacrifice some of their “free time” on a weekly basis toward improving their career prospects. However, there can be little doubt that the temptation to not be disciplined has gotten significantly stronger the past few years.
What temptation am I referring to? The rise of streaming programs on Netflix, Amazon and other platforms. And with them, the urge to binge-watch. Americans have more leisure time than ever before, and we’re spending much of that free time looking at a screen.
Watching shows en masse can be fun, even satisfying in the near-term. My family is always happy to see new episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Peaky Blinders, or Grand Designs show up on our watch list. But what had once been reserved as a treat on a long-flight or an escape from a crummy-weather weekend has become a weeknight ritual for many. Research tells us it’s not great for our health. Watching more than three hours of television in one sitting is leaving us with less-focused brains – not to mention it’s sucking up time that we may have once used more productively.
Let’s change that. As a proponent of continuing education, I’m challenging Americans to reclaim some of that time as an investment in ourselves and our futures. I call it a “re-create” versus recreate decision. How can you plan to use some of your off time to invest in skills development?
Maybe you are a marketing professional and, instead of settling in for the first few episodes of (fill in the name of your favorite binge-worthy show here) on a Tuesday night, you enroll in an online data analytics professional certificate course and push the show to the weekend. Or, perhaps you’re currently employed in a less-than-rewarding role and you’re ready to take the leap to entrepreneurship. Netflix can wait; now is the time to be your own boss and call your own shots, so you engage an enrollment coach and evaluate your choices for the right program to put you on the path to success.
Rapid changes in technology and the role of automation displacing and even eliminating positions means it is up to us to own our professional futures with fierceness and intention like never before. Odds are that you are going to change your career –not job positions, but career– between three and seven times before you retire. And that number is only going to increase with longevity (did you know that an 18-year-old today has a 50% chance of living to 100?).
What do the factors of rapid change and longer lives mean for our relationships to education? As futurist Alvin Toffler told us, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” It means that walking across the graduation stage, diploma in hand, no longer symbolizes a walk away from our educational lives, but a walk toward the next step in lifelong learning.
It means that what you learned five years ago in college might already be out of date. It means that while you are a 25-year veteran of your trade, the new hire in your department has knowledge that you don’t have. It means that even with a master’s degree or a doctorate, our journey to mastery of our skill is never ending. It’s what we should expect of ourselves, and it’s what our employers are increasingly expecting of us.
So, what are some practical ways we can be intentional about re-creating our recreating time so that we can become the best version of our professional selves?
Get a handle on your free time. Take a look at a typical week and weekend and scrutinize where you spend your time. Once you have a clear handle on the breakdown of work vs. family vs. leisure, you can better assess how much you’re able and willing to dedicate to a continuing ed or career development program.
Talk to a career coach. With so many options available, it can be difficult to determine which course and modality (online, classroom, hybrid) is best for you. Enrollment coaching teams can help you think through your long-term career goals and evaluate your options.
Consider non-traditional education options. For many of us, a second degree isn’t feasible – it takes too much time and it costs too much. But there are options out there that can round out a resume´ or give you a competitive edge: professional certificate programs, degree completion programs, and bootcamps from reputable providers are all worth your consideration.
Don’t be a stranger to your network. No, not your television network – your professional one! The digital age has given us much more than great streaming TV options; it’s also given us the ability to create and maintain an expansive professional network. Identify an area you’d like to improve, search your LinkedIn network for someone with that skill set, and ask them to mentor you.
Cliffhangers keep us binge watching our favorite shows, but nobody like surprises when it comes to our lives and careers. Turning some of that recreation time into re-creation time will let you, not someone else, write your next episode.
Rovy Branon is the vice provost of Continuum College the University of Washington’s professional and continuing education institution and president-elect of the University and Professional Continuing Education Association. Follow him on Twitter.
Rather than rely on what Hollywood’s vision for the what the future could be, UPCEA interviewed 21 innovation leaders in U.S. cities and 14 Millennial leaders, many of whom are CEOs, business owners and community leaders. Hollywood portrays many scenarios, ranging from a technology-driven culture in Minority Report to the pandemonium of Mad Max to the class societies of The Hunger Games. Millennial and innovation leaders suggest otherwise, at least in the short-run of 2030. Many believe that our society will change dramatically through the adoption of many technologies and the evolution of Generation Z and Millennials in the workforce, the core of which will be Millennials taking the leadership reigns as we ride into the next decade.
Innovation and Millennial leaders have told us that automation, artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving cars, improved transportation and advancements in energy and healthcare are certainties in a new economy. These advancements will offer new educational opportunities for institutions of higher education, private providers of training or the employer itself. Higher education has choices to make regarding what they want to do … maintain the bread and butter of the degree in the new economy knowing that it potentially could be a smaller piece of the educational pie or by deepening its reach and portfolio through other credentials, such as certificates or badges.
In 2030, there will be fewer college-age students, as older Millennials delayed having children, waiting into their 30s and 40s. This coupled with many college-aged young adults sitting on the sidelines contemplating college, high tuition and college loan debt; will create new economic pressures for institutions of higher education and potentially drive more colleges and universities to produce new educational products and services.
Looking at the workforce in 2030 shows that it is likely to be roughly two-thirds Millennial (70 million+) or Generation Z (40 million). In 2030, Millennials will be 35 to 49 years old. They will be entrenched managers. Generation X will be senior leaders and will be 50 to 65 years of age and will represent about 45 million workers in the U.S. About 15 million Boomers will still be actively employed, but will lose influence in the new economy decision-making.
A Millennial-led economy will most likely be balanced by the level-headedness of Generation X, but tap into the information smarts of Generation Z. Generation Z will be advocates for greater adoption of newer technologies and align in support of Millennial principles. However, the Millennial will be the heart of the new economy, burnishing both the numbers and economic power to quickly challenge the legacies of Boomer processes and infrastructures. Millennials, while the pure digital natives of Generation Z, will have the level of technical abilities needed to guide others through significant economic and societal upheaval. They also have a global perspective with a greater appreciation for diversity, making them the perfect boundary spanners in a multi-generational workforce. 
Change is inevitable. Unless the Mad Max scenario plays out, there will be many industries experiencing major change over the next decade. However, with change comes great opportunity for higher education. Higher education will need to:
- Evaluate existing degrees for relevancy in the future economy. Progressive institutions will revise and improve their degrees for greater alignment.
- Develop new degrees for the new economy. These new degrees will need to have shelf-life, but also need faster approval processes. Should the higher education institution deem that the existing process for approval stay the same with great scrutiny, they run the risk of being outflanked by more nimble colleges or universities or opportunistic private providers.
On the Role of Higher Education:
“It needs to speed up, we’re all impatient. There’s a lot of fluff that people are required to pay for and that puts people in debt. I think the high schools need to do a better job preparing students for careers to know what they want to study rather than college becoming a very expensive career exploration process. When I look at what gets in the way of speeding up the delivery of credentials through higher education, it’s usually accreditation. Accreditation has kind of kept them in that flow of, “You need to take all of these classes and this is precisely what the classes need to look like”. Colleges and universities who have the will to offer micro-credentials.” – Millennial Workforce Leader, Utah
- Develop new program credentials for industries and employers not fitting the degree-based model. There will be many educational needs that will not require the rigor and credential of a full degree. Certificates and badges could provide the upskilling and reskilling needs of employers in rapidly changing industries. In addition to programming developed to address the new products and services of a future economy, new programs could also be developed as a result of workforce changes, such as how the new workforce will function. New issues will develop from a workforce that is more diverse, global, generational and technically different and dispersed geographically.
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- New leadership programs will need to be developed to address the unique and special qualities of emerging Generation Z employees.
- Proactive management and varied communications programs will be developed to address a more diverse workforce, such as a hypothetical scenario of a 23 year-old female graphic designer working in Burlington, Vermont on a videoconference call with a 72 year-old male engineer located in Abilene, Texas, both of whom are being managed by a 45 year-old transgender product manager working overseas.
- Programs designed to better manage a dispersed and time-flexing workforce may also arise, as Millennials and Generation Z may flex their work schedules to more personally-productive hours, while acknowledging the need to overlap their schedules with traditional 9-to-5’ers.
- New leadership programs will need to be developed to address the unique and special qualities of emerging Generation Z employees.
On the Changing Workforce:
“Because things are getting so digital, we have to communicate with people and people barely even use the phone anymore at this point. It’s texting, it’s email, so I think that communication is a big thing and being able to keep those alive because there are going to have to be face to face interactions, there’s going to be interactions via Skype or whatever kind of video medium and on the phone. So, communication needs to be big, especially if you’re not sitting next to these people anymore. You can’t just get up and go to someone’s office and ask them a question.” – Millennial Talent Retention Executive, Connecticut
- Revise existing programs to better meet the needs of employers. In earlier blogs, I identified that many employers want graduates that are better communicators and critical thinkers. Re-aligning the liberal arts degree and adding other credentials and badges to it could improve its value in the new economy.
A Millennial-led economy and society in the U.S. may even have a Millennial president that stands for similar values and principles of their generation. They may offer radical new ideas to the workplace, such as the execution of goals or the reaching of performance metrics, over the old currency of work … a forty-hour work week. The forty-hour work week may be challenged, along with the currency of higher education … the 120-credit degree. The role of higher education in this Millennial-led economy is TBD (to-be-determined), in that institutions can react, lead or share the stage with employers.
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 1, 2019 — UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2019 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award and the 2019 Marketing Awards.
The UPCEA Excellence in Enrollment Management Award recognizes an outstanding professional, continuing, and/or online organization (unit or individual) that models best practices and combines process excellence with superior results. The UPCEA Marketing Awards program recognizes the top marketing and creative work across the UPCEA membership.
The 2019 recipient of the UPCEA Excellence in Enrollment Management Award is K-State Global Campus for their “K-State Global Campus Benchmarking Tool” award entry.
This year, UPCEA is honoring 173 recipients with Marketing Awards for their excellence in 27 awards categories across 8 divisions: Print Publications, Print Advertising, Outdoor/Exhibit Signage, Broadcast Advertising, Mixed Media Campaign, Most Improved, Strategic Recruitment Marketing Plan, and Interactive Media.
“Today’s continuing and online education marketers and enrollment managers must be forward-thinking, innovative, and creative to reach contemporary learners,” said Mary Angela Baker, UPCEA Awards Committee Chair. “These awards honor the complex work done by these professionals in our field, and showcase the varied styles and strategies of the winning entries. Bravo to all of the 2019 award recipients!”
Award recipients will be honored at the 2019 UPCEA Marketing and Enrollment Management Seminar, on December 5 in New Orleans.
The 2019 Marketing Award recipients are:
Broadcast Advertising
Broadcast Advertising Campaign
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Continuing Studies, Summer Term Broadcast, Silver
Radio
- York University, School of Continuing Studies, Big Data: New Year, New Career, Silver
- University of Denver, University College, Impact Your World Radio Spot, Silver
Television
- University of Denver, University College, Your Lifelong Learning Partner Commercial, Bronze
Interactive Media
E-communication
- The University of Alabama, Program Development and Marketing (Bama By Distance), Check Out Our Specials – Online Degrees Made for You, Gold
- California State University, Fullerton, Extension and International Programs, Degree Completion Flyer, Gold
- California State University, Fullerton, Extension and International Programs, EIP Programs Flyer, Silver
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, MA in Instructional Design program eblast, Silver
- Columbia University School of Professional Studies, Student Affairs, Master’s Degree Email Campaigns, Silver
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, Training Outreach Newsletter Redesign, Silver
- University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education, Marketing and Communications, UCI Law School – LL.M. Marketing Campaign, Silver
- University of Nebraska High School, UNHS Homeschool E-blast & Blog Post “The Future is Bilingual – 5 Reasons to Learn Spanish”, Silver
Interactive Media Campaign
- University of Missouri, Mizzou Online, Be fearless: Industry partnership equals success in online engineering program launch, Gold
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, International Women’s Day: Career Highlights, Advice, and Stories from Women in STEM, Gold
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Summer School/Distance Education, UNC Charlotte Summer School Recruitment 2019, Silver
Miscellaneous Interactive Media
- University of Calgary, Continuing Education, Student Welcome Guide, Gold
- University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, Marketing, Using a digital marketing strategy to recruit healthcare data professionals of the future, Gold
- The University of Arizona, Arizona Online, Arizona Online Military Landing Page, Silver
- The University of Arizona, Arizona Online, Arizona Online Start Now Landing Page, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, Ecampus Report Reader Checklist, Silver
- Western Washington University, Outreach and Continuing Education, Everett Interactive Tour, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus congratulatory admissions email, Silver
- University of Nebraska Online, Marketing, 2018 Greeting Card, Bronze
- California State University, Fullerton, Extension and International Programs, Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management Twitter Post, Bronze
- University of British Columbia, Extended Learning, English Language Institute 50th Anniversary Campaign, Bronze
Mobile Marketing
- Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, The Chang School Website, Silver
Online Display Ads
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, Online RN-BSN Google Ads, Gold
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, Georgetown SCS Display Ads for Degree Programs, Silver
- California State University, Sacramento, College of Continuing Education, It’s Your Time: Digital Ad Campaign, Silver
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, LA Needs You digital ads, Silver
- Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies, MSHA Banner Ads, Silver
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, Online MA in Humanities ads, Silver
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, Change Start with You digital ads, Bronze
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, MBA Google Ads, Bronze
Streaming/On-demand Content
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Marketing Communications, BU Food & Wine 30th Anniversary Gala Video Campaign, Gold
- California Polytechnic State University, Extended Education, Level Up Your Summer at Cal Poly, Gold
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, Summer Session Promo Video, Gold
- University of British Columbia, Extended Learning, UBC Future Global Leaders Pre-University Program, Gold
- University of Missouri, Mizzou Online, 125 Reasons to Make Mizzou Your Home Video Ad, Silver
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communication, 2019 Aggie Impact Videos, Silver
- The University of Alabama, Program Development and Marketing (Bama By Distance), Bama By Distance Commercial, Silver
- University of California, Irvine, Division of Continuing Education, Be Amazing III, Silver
- Johnson & Wales University College of Online Education, Enrollment Management, JWU Students Dream Big, Silver
- University of Illinois at Chicago, UIC Extended Campus, Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics & Assessment: Hear From Our Alumni, Silver
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, Online RN-BSN Promo Video, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus course media demo reel, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus Janine Romero student video, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus MBA program video, Silver
- University of Colorado Boulder, Division of Continuing Education, Own Your Journey, Facebook Live Student Conversations, Silver
- University of California, Irvine, Division of Continuing Education, Podcast Content Marketing, Silver
- Columbia University School of Social Work, Marketing & Communications, Social Work LIVE: The Facebook Live Program of Columbia University’s School of Social Work, Silver
- Berklee College of Music, Berklee Online, The Roaring Crowdfund, Silver
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Center for Professional Education, 2019 Chattanooga AP Summer Institute Welcome Video, Bronze
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Marketing Communications, BU ST Academic Immersion Intro to Experimental Psychology Video, Bronze
- York University, School of Continuing Studies, Certificates in Digital & Content Marketing Promotional Video, Bronze
- Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies, MA in Sports Administration—Jamie Litoff ad, Bronze
- University of Western States, University Communications and Advancement, UWS Anthem Video, Bronze
Website
- The University of Arizona, Arizona Online, Arizona Online Website, Gold
- Kansas State University, Global Campus, Global Campus Homepage, Gold
- California State University, Fullerton, Extension and International Programs, Fullerton Arboretum Website Redesign, Silver
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Marketing & Digital Strategy, GTPE Website Redesign, Silver
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus Pro Hockey Players’ Association website, Silver
- Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, The Chang School Website, Silver
Mixed Media Campaign
- The University of Arizona, Arizona Online, Arizona Online amAZe Campaign, Gold
- Bridgewater State University, College of Continuing Studies, Love Summer @ BSU 2019, Gold
- University of Wisconsin Extended Campus, Marketing, UW Health Information Management & Technology Graduate and Healthcare Administration Student Story Video Campaign, Gold
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Center for Professional Education, 2019 Chattanooga AP Summer Institute Marketing Campaign, Silver
- University of Nebraska High School, 2019 UNHS Summer School Campaign “This Summer Hit the Road and the Books!”, Silver
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Corporate & Professional Education, CPE Spring Carnival, Silver
- The California State University, Professional and Continuing Education, CSU Veterans Affairs – Tending the Light Mixed Media Campaign, Silver
- California State University, Sacramento, College of Continuing Education, Degree Completion Campaign 2018-19, Silver
- Boise State University, Extended Studies, Resolutions of an Online Student – Build A Better Toolkit, Silver
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, SCS Summer Sessions Marketing Campaign, Silver
- University of Calgary, Continuing Education, Spring 2018 Campaign, Silver
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, The Power Systems Certificate Rebrand, Silver
- University of Washington Continuum College, University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education Find Your Path to Success Campaign, Silver
- Western Washington University, Outreach and Continuing Education, “Here You Can” Campaign, Bronze
- University of Nebraska High School, 2019 UNHS Ninety Years Campaign, Bronze
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, SCS Summer High School Marketing Campaign, Bronze
Most Improved
- California State University, Sacramento, College of Continuing Education, Judicial Administration Campaign, Gold
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, Master’s Degrees Print Ads, Gold
- Washington State University, Global Campus, Washington State University Global Campus website, Gold
- The University of Alabama, Program Development and Marketing (Bama By Distance), Bama By Distance Most Improved Marketing Materials, Silver
- Johnson & Wales University College of Online Education, Enrollment Management, Build Your Future Website, Silver
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, Building Brand Advocacy through GTPE’s Newsletter Revamp, Silver
- University of British Columbia, Extended Learning, Community Programs – Liberal Arts and Sciences, Silver
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Center for Professional Education, CPE Website Refresh, Silver
- Columbia University School of Professional Studies, Marketing, Website Relaunch, Silver
- University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education, Marketing and Communications, Enrollment Success – A Facebook Case Study, Bronze
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Marketing Communications, Boston University Metropolitan College International B2B Brochure, Bronze
- The California State University, Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE), The California State University’s (CSU) Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) Rebrand, Bronze
- University of Wisconsin Extended Campus, Marketing, UW Independent Learning Website Redesign, Bronze
- University of Vermont, Continuing and Distance Education, UVM Continuing and Distance Education Website Refresh with Mobile Optimization, Bronze
- Western Washington University, Outreach and Continuing Education, WesternOnline – New Look, Bronze
Outdoor / Exhibit Signage
Outdoor Billboard/Signage
- The University of Arizona, Arizona Online, Arizona Online amAZe Billboards, Silver
- Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Life is Full of Choices – Out Of Home: Programmatic Digital Outdoor, Silver
- Baylor University, Curriculum & Instruction – EdD Online, Baylor EdD Online – Immersion Welcome Signage, Bronze
- California State University, East Bay, University Extension, Summer Session 2019, Bronze
- University of Nebraska Online, Marketing, Front Lobby Wall Mural, Bronze
- California Institute of Integral Studies, Marketing & Communications, Undergraduate Kiosk Ads, Bronze
Outdoor Campaign
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, Delta College Ad – Transfer to Stan State, Silver
- University of Denver, University College, Impact Your World Outdoor Campaign, Bronze
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, Winter Session Banner Ads, Bronze
Trade Show Exhibit
- York University, School of Continuing Studies, Collision 2019 Booth – York University School of Continuing Studies, Gold
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, Georgia Tech Professional Education – Corporate Education trade show exhibit, Silver
Transit
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communication, 2018 USU Online Bus Wraps, Silver
- California Institute of Integral Studies, Marketing & Communications, Airport Ad: “Make Meaning. Embrace Possibility: 25 Degrees in Things That Matter.”, Silver
- Western Washington University, Outreach and Continuing Education, Summer Bus Ads, Silver
- California State University, East Bay, University Extension, Advance Your Career – Online Education Programs, Bronze
- The University of Alabama, Program Development and Marketing (Bama By Distance), Bama By Distance Airport Advertising Campaign, Bronze
Print Advertising
Print Ad Campaign
- York University, School of Continuing Studies, Dispute Resolution and Family Mediation: Discover two careers that help change lives, Gold
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communication, 2018 Finish Faster Campaign, Silver
- California State University, Los Angeles, College of Professional and Global Education, Cal State LA Downtown – LA Weekly Campaign, Silver
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, Education with Purpose Ad Campaign, Silver
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Marketing Communications, Your Summer Just Got…, Silver
- California State University, Los Angeles, College of Professional and Global Education, Cal State LA Downtown – LA Metro Rail Campaign, Bronze
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, Georgia Tech Global Learning Center – Alumni Print Ad Campaign, Bronze
- The University of Alabama, Program Development and Marketing (Bama By Distance), The University of Alabama – AACN-NTI 4-day Conference Campaign, Bronze
Single Ad
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, EMBA Port-O-Call Magazine Ad, Gold
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, SCS Summer High School Commuter Student Ad, Silver
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Marketing, The Georgetown University English Language Center in the Washington Diplomat, Silver
- Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships, Marketing, USA Today Special Edition Degrees of Impact Ad, Silver
- Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships, Marketing, The Official Houston Astros Gameday Magazine Ad, Bronze
Print Publications
Annual/Anniversary Report/Magazine
- California State University, Los Angeles, College of Professional and Global Education, Soaring to Success: 2017-2018 Annual Report, Gold
- University of Delaware, Professional & Continuing Studies, Professional & Continuing Studies 2018 Impact Report, Silver
- California State University, Sacramento, College of Continuing Education, Access Magazine: ProjectAttain! (Volume 18, Issue 2), Silver
- University of Washington Continuum College, University of Washington Continuum College 2018 Year in Review, Silver
- University of Western States, University Communications and Advancement, UWS Annual Report, Silver
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Dean’s Office, Education that Serves Society, Bronze
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, Georgia Tech – Savannah 2018 Impact Report, Bronze
Brochure/Booklet
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communication, 2018 Perspectives Magazine, Gold
- University of Alberta Extension, Marketing, “Chart Your Course” Brochure, Gold
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, CSUN College Brochures, Gold
- University of Louisville, Online Learning, Keep Moving Forward – Military Brochure, Gold
- Brigham Young University Continuing Education, 32nd BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers brochure, Silver
- California State University, Sacramento, College of Continuing Education, Degree Completion One Sheet, Silver
- Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships, Marketing, Professional Science Master’s Degree Promotional Rack Card, Silver
- California Institute of Integral Studies, Marketing and Communications, Program Brochures, Silver
- Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships, Marketing, Office of Academic Partnerships Informational Flyer, Bronze
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, Office of Sponsored Programs Annual Report, Bronze
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus innovation brochure and banner, Bronze
- Kansas State University, Global Campus, Recruitment Folder and Flyers, Bronze
- California State University, Northridge, Tseng College, Solution Design gatefold brochure, Bronze
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communications, USU 2018 Viewbook, Bronze
General Catalog or Tabloid, Color Cover
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, Continuing Studies Spring/Summer 2019 Catalog, Silver
- Brigham Young University Continuing Education, Marketing and Multimedia Services, BYU Bachelor of General Studies 2019-20 Catalog, Bronze
General Catalog or Tabloid, Full Color
- University of Delaware, Professional & Continuing Studies, Spring 2019 Guide to Programs, Silver
- University of Washington Continuum College, University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education 2018-2019 Annual Catalog, Bronze
Miscellaneous Print Pieces
- University of Nebraska Online, Marketing, 2019 Symposium Table Tent, Silver
- Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships, Marketing, Destination Raiderland Wireless Phone Charging Pad, Silver
- Western Washington University, Outreach and Continuing Education, SEA Summer T-Shirt, Silver
- Utah State University, University Marketing & Communication, 2019 Campus Inserts, Bronze
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Continuing Studies, Accelerated Engineering Signage, Bronze
- Boston University Metropolitan College, Marketing Communications, BU Food & Wine 30th Anniversary Gala Invitation and Program Book, Bronze
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, First Destination Survey Flyer, Bronze
- University of Denver, University College, University College Strategic Plan, Bronze
Newsletter
- Baylor University, EdD Online, Baylor EdD Online Newsletter, Bronze
- California Institute of Integral Studies, Marketing & Communications, CIIS Newsletter, Bronze
Postcard
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies, Summer Term, Wisconsin Experience Summer Launch Postcard, Gold
- University of Nebraska High School, 2019 UNHS New Diploma Student Welcome Campaign, Silver
- Purdue University Fort Wayne, Division of Continuing Studies, Summer ’19 – Amp it up, Silver
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Center for Professional Education, 2019 Chattanooga AP Summer Institute Postcard, Bronze
- Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies, Summer Session Postcard, Bronze
- Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies, Summer Writers’ Conference Postcard, Bronze
Poster
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech Professional Education, Ethics Awareness Week Poster and Sticker, Gold
- Northwestern University, School of Professional Studies, Summer Session Poster, Gold
- California State University, Stanislaus, Extended and International Education, MBA Information Sessions, Bronze
- Kansas State University, Global Campus, Summer Poster, Bronze
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Continuing Studies, WCATY Wants Your Brain, Bronze
Strategic Recruitment Marketing Plan
- Oregon State University Ecampus, OSU Ecampus computer science program marketing campaign, Gold
- University of Nebraska Online, Marketing, Library Science Case Study, Silver
- Central Washington University, Public Affairs, CWU-Sammamish Master’s in Information Technology & Administrative Management Launch, Bronze
- The George Washington University, College of Professional Studies, Pardot: The Next Phase of the Recruitment Journey, Bronze
# # #
UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education. Founded in 1915, UPCEA now serves the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. The association supports its members with innovative conferences and specialty seminars, research and benchmarking information, professional networking opportunities and timely publications. Based in Washington, D.C., UPCEA builds greater awareness of the vital link between adult learners and public policy issues. Learn more at upcea.edu.
CONTACT:
Molly Nelson, UPCEA Vice President of Communications and Marketing, 202.659.3130, [email protected]