Photo: Meredith Nierman

Emmanuel College, a Catholic, liberal arts-focused college in Boston, just celebrated its 100th anniversary. The school also exemplifies the kind of institution increasingly threatened by financial, demographic, competitive, and other pressures. 

But Emmanuel has experience in making the structural changes necessary to survive—and thrive. The college stared down mortality before under the leadership of a long-serving president and treasurer, both of them nuns, who have come up with the sorts of survival strategies that many schools are scrambling to figure out.

Photo: Alejandro Alvarez

One course shy of graduation and unable to pay some tuition debt, Chris Barrett left college about five years ago. Barrett is fortunate, however. With the help of a new scholarship program from Chestnut Hill College, he will be able to finish his bachelor's in criminal justice.  

About 36 million Americans have some college but no degree. In response, more colleges like Chestnut Hill are offering adults a path to return. Other schools are looking at giving students college credit for industry-relevant experience and helping them with debt. 

Southern New Hampshire University has added Kenzie Academy, a coding boot camp, to its growing arsenal of providers offering short-term credentials and alternatives to the traditional college degree. The acquisition is a natural fit for Southern New Hampshire, according to President and CEO Paul LeBlanc.

"We share a mission to help bring higher education to learners who have often been left behind by traditional higher education," LeBlanc says. "As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to displace workers, these shorter bursts of learning at affordable price points will be critical for learners to advance their careers and improve their lives in the new economy."