Grow Your Local Workshop Into a Statewide Program

Skill Building

College Knowledge for Adults began as a local program to help adults understand the issues and overcome barriers for beginning or returning to college. Adult require different skills and tactics than those who are pursuing college right out of high school. Washington State University Learning Center in Colville developed a list of critical information and resources to share with this audience. The program was so successful that it was developed into a statewide satellite program the next year with 20 sites across the state. It has now transformed into a DVD-delivered program, that combines high-tech with high-touch. Each site has local facilitators, student success stories and outreach to other institutions in the area. It is supported by the WSU Distance Degree Program, and offered at extension offices, learning centers, the three urban campuses and several community college partners - this wide network has helped build bridges of communication and collaboration between these internal groups.

This workshop will highlight the process of developing the concept, issues for working with video production staff, creating a marketing plan, organizing multiple sites, writing a site-facilitation manual, and developing support within your institution. Discussion about the process of identifying creative collaborations and partnerships will be shared and how we garnered internal and external resources.

Learn how to grow your own program into a multiple site, yet community-supported program, and see how the combination and benefit of using these two avenues increases your impact.