The School of Adult Learning Celebrates 20 Years

By Cara Miller

The Anderson University School of Adult Learning (SOAL) rang in the new school year in celebration of its 20th anniversary. More than 200 people from the school and the community attended a chamber breakfast in August at the new Anderson University Flagship Center to honor the SOAL for its ongoing commitment to adult education.

In turn, the SOAL recognized the value of the students and organizations it serves. Aleza Beverly BA ’83, director of the SOAL, explained, “Our 20th-anniversary theme is, ‘The key to our success is yours.’ We say that because we cannot be successful without our students being successful. However they define that success — whether it’s getting through algebra or getting their degree or getting that big promotion once they get their degree — their success is what makes us successful.”

Indeed, since its inception in 1987 the SOAL has made vast improvements to accommodate the unique challenges of adult students. The program now offers more night classes, more degree programs, a nicer facility with state-of-the-art classrooms and computer labs, and an expanded faculty to give more personal attention.

The ADVANCE Program was created in 1999 to offer adult students a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. The program caters to adults, who are often juggling full-time jobs and families, by offering intensive classes that meet just one night a week. “The fact that the adult student has needs that traditional students do not is fully embraced by the SOAL staff,” said Rich McCorkle BS ’08, an ADVANCE student with a wife and two boys at home. He recently landed a job with Lauth Property Group in Indianapolis and believes his experiences with the SOAL were an advantage. “It is truly a blessing to know that there is a group of people at a university that not only know your name but also want nothing more than to see their students succeed.”

Lisa Bessignano BS ’07, a recent ADVANCE graduate, agreed. “Working full time and being an adult student is very manageable. Anderson University does create the flexibility to make that possible.”

Additionally, within the last several years, the SOAL has begun focusing more on professional development and finding ways to strengthen the local workforce. “We work with employers to develop and implement the kind of training they need for their employees,” explained Kerrie Aborn, director of professional development for the SOAL. Businesses such as banks and real estate agencies work with the SOAL in creating programs that will train and certify their employees. In particular, the SOAL has developed a strong partnership with Red Gold. Working with Laurie Judge, coordinator for professional and personal development for the SOAL, Red Gold has created a catalog of courses for its employees called Red Gold University.

Judge explained, “We’re trying to plug into the community and make a significant impact on the regional economy. We want to lift up the workers who are here and to draw businesses in.”

Clearly, the SOAL has come a long way, and it continues to develop in ways that will impact its students and the community. Recently, the SOAL added two new degree programs. The associate’s degree in management foundations and the certificate in management are particularly helpful for students who don’t have enough credits to enroll in the ADVANCE Program. With these new curricula, students can receive the credits they need and easily transition into the next degree program.

Furthermore, the SOAL has expanded into the new Anderson University Flagship Center off I-69, offering ADVANCE students a more convenient classroom location and allowing for greater professional development opportunities in the conference center. As local businesses host conferences and workshops in the Professional Development Center, the SOAL is available to help plan the content and to find speakers who are experts in a certain field.

Despite the excitement of new programming and a sparkling new facility, the focus of the SOAL remains on the students and their success. “I enjoy working with adult students,” said Beverly. “They face so many anxieties as they go back to school, worrying about finances and trying to juggle so many other responsibilities. They wonder if they’re too old to go back to school. But to see them come from that point to the day that they graduate is so amazing. They’ve gone through this process, and they’re proud of themselves for what they’ve done. Their children are proud of them. They’ve made sacrifices and gone through challenges. But they fulfilled an academic dream. That’s what this is all about.”