How the UMGC and Excel Center Partnership Empowers Adult Students
For many adults, life can place unexpected roadblocks in the path of education. Responsibilities like work, family, and financial pressures often force dreams of earning a degree to take a backseat. But what if there was a way to turn these obstacles into stepping stones toward a brighter future? That’s exactly what the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake’s Excel Center are making possible.
This partnership is more than just an agreement between two institutions; it’s a lifeline for adult learners determined to reclaim their education and build a better tomorrow. By combining the Excel Center’s supportive high school environment with UMGC’s flexible, college-level courses, students are achieving what once felt out of reach.
A Dual Opportunity for Growth
Imagine being able to complete your high school diploma while simultaneously earning college credits. For students at the Excel Center, this dual enrollment program is no longer a dream but a reality. Under this innovative partnership, Excel Center participants can take online courses offered by UMGC alongside their high school classes, dramatically accelerating their path toward a college degree.
For adult learners in particular, this opportunity is game-changing. According to Sherry DeFrancisci, the Excel Center’s director, “This opportunity provides our adult learners with the flexibility of online classes, making education more accessible and tailored to their needs. Students can earn dual credits, fulfilling high school requirements while simultaneously earning college credits—an excellent step toward achieving a four-year degree.”
With this partnership, students not only gain an educational advantage but also access a suite of valuable UMGC resources, including personalized success coaches. These coaches are dedicated to helping students track progress, set goals, and overcome challenges, ensuring constant support through their educational journeys.
Goodwill Industries- Excel Center Graduation
Transforming Lives Through Education
Education has always been at the heart of UMGC’s mission, and the partnership with the Excel Center takes this commitment to the next level. Chris Motz, UMGC’s vice president for academic outreach and corporate alliance in Government and Strategic Partnerships, put it best when he said, “We provide second chances for students who now understand the value of a college degree in pushing themselves to succeed. Goodwill Industries already does so much to provide this support, and uniting with UMGC will move its work ahead dramatically. If our alliance can help these students work their way out of poverty, we will have done a great service.”
The Excel Center creates an environment where adult students are seen and supported as whole individuals. Understanding that life commitments such as childcare, work, or transportation often derail education, the center offers more than traditional classes. Students benefit from flexible schedules, job training, on-site childcare, transportation assistance, and coaching for balancing life’s challenges.
Each class is carefully tailored to meet students where they are. From varying skill levels to the time lost between formal education and today, the Excel program is designed to bridge gaps and create a clear pathway toward future opportunities.
And thanks to the partnership, Excel Center students can take their first steps into higher learning without facing additional hurdles; UMGC is even waiving application fees to make the process smoother.
From Chances to Choices
Many students who walk into the Excel Center’s doors have felt life’s burdens heavier than most. They walk in hesitant but hopeful, unsure if they can succeed in an educational system they may have left behind years ago. But with customized academic programs at the Excel Center and UMGC’s forward-thinking approach to higher education, they leave with confidence, ambition, and a wealth of new possibilities.
This partnership isn’t just about earning diplomas or degrees; it’s about transforming lives and breaking cyclical barriers. It’s about giving people choices in their careers and futures, reinforcing that they are worthy of achievement.
Join the Movement
The partnership between UMGC and the Excel Center represents the power of collaboration, hope, and the belief that it’s never too late to chase dreams. Every class attended, every credit earned brings students one step closer to writing their success stories.
If you or someone you know could benefit from these programs, we encourage you to explore the opportunities waiting for you. Visit UMGC’s website to learn more about this initiative and the steps you can take to begin your education. A brighter future starts here, one possibility at a time.
