Meeting the Moment for Modern Learners

At HCM Strategists, we believe that when you serve modern learners well, you transform the entire postsecondary system. Today’s so-called “nontraditional” students are, in reality, the new normal — adults who are balancing work, caregiving responsibilities, and education as they pursue economic mobility for their families and personal growth. While “adult learners” often refers to those aged 25 and older, the modern learner identity extends beyond age. It reflects a broader shift toward flexibility, practical applied learning, and non-linear educational pathways that help today’s students thrive.

The latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse is clear: more students than ever have some college experience but no degree or credential. Although student stop-outs have declined for the second year in a row and re-enrollments continue to increase, the total number of students without a credential has still grown—now totaling 2.1 million. Nearly one in five college students today are parents. Emergency aid is no longer a peripheral solution, it’s a critical strategy for student retention. These are the realities we build for.

That’s why we’re proud to lead in this space—working with clients like College Futures Foundation, who believe that modernizing systems to serve adult learners lifts all students, and partners like Trellis Strategies who are advancing tools that help under-resourced institutions better meet students where they are. From early retention and completion frameworks to recent collaborations on emergency student aid, we’re committed to shaping the strategies institutions use to navigate complexity and expand access to economic mobility and prosperity.

This work is guided by our principal, Dr. Julie Ajinkya, who leads our growing adult learner portfolio with deep policy expertise and a passion for learner-centered change. Before joining HCM, Julie helped pioneer degree reclamation strategies at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) through the Degrees When Due initiative—work that is now used nationwide and widely recognized as the standard framework for many states’ attainment and retention strategies. She's been advocating for adult learners well before it became a widespread priority in the field.

Now, Julie is helping us build a portfolio that’s smart, scalable, and responsive to the moment, all while staying grounded in data, opportunity, and impact. For instance, for the past 2 years, HCM helped the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) incubate the College Attainment for Parent Students (CAPS) pilot program at five institutions within the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). The pilot program was so successful that it has now moved over to a permanent home at the VCCS Student Success Center so that all 23 colleges will have access to the tools and strategies that were successfully employed throughout the pilot. HCM intends to develop a version of the CAPS Toolkit that will help other states and systems fix institutional policies and practices to better support student parents. 

As the field faces big transitions, we’re committed to cutting through the noise — with clarity, pragmatism, and a diverse team of policy thinkers who know how to move ideas into action.