From its inception, Rice Continuing Studies has existed to serve the needs of non-traditional students, providing timely, targeted education. This is still true today, but who a non-traditional student is and service to them has evolved and must continue to do so at the same rate our world advances.

When Rice Continuing Studies was founded in 1967, a non-traditional student was an alumnus returning to school for specialized lessons in technologies and methodologies developed in their field after receiving their degree. Soon, however, courses began catering to a variety of adult learners, characterized by factors such as being older, working full-time, having dependents or returning to education to upskill, reskill or simply for the joy of learning. Accordingly, courses were formulated to fit the lifestyle of these students, often shorter, lasting from a few days to several months, as opposed to a traditional degree taking several years to complete. In the last 15 years, technological advancements have led to online courses, whether live or on-demand, to further cater to non-traditional students.

Today, new factors are driving what constitutes the nontraditional student experience. Rapid advancements in technology, culture, the environment, the labor market and globalization, among many other factors, have created a world in which learning is no longer a stage of life — it’s a way of life.

Building on nearly six decades of service to non-traditional students, Rice Continuing Studies develops programs to meet burgeoning education needs. As with those first programs in 1967, education opportunities today provide precise knowledge and skills for individuals or organizations, but now they are even more tailored to specific groups of lifelong learners and aligned with pertinent needs. For instance, recently, the school has developed several custom programs, including:

• Rice Educator Mentorship Academy - Developed in conjunction with local districts, this program equips existing teachers to become effective mentors on their campus, ensuring the influx of new teachers has the support needed to succeed.
• Lifelong University - A pilot program custom-designed in consultation with retirement communities, which provides dynamic, engaging learning opportunities and can be scaled nationally and regionally to expand access for this growing population.
• Custom Nonprofit Programming - Consultative services developed to assist nonprofits facing challenges or opportunities that require external support with specific attention to each organization’s unique circumstances.

These and other custom programs are made possible, in part, through seed funding provided by individuals, organizations and foundations, which allows Rice Continuing Studies to identify timely needs in our community and develop innovative initiatives to address them. As these programs are implemented, they are refined so that they may be brought to scale, maximizing the impact of the investment while ensuring a greater level of accessibility for the intended audiences.

As our world continues to evolve at an ever-increasing rate, so will the need for more custom education for individuals and organizations, all of which will ensure that our communities continue to thrive.

Learn More About These Innovative Programs:

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Related Programs: Center for Community Learning and Engagement

Rice Continuing Studies: continue.rice.edu

As we work to expand access and enhance the social, educational and economic vitality of our community, our success is driven by those who share our vision and propel our progress. Learn more about how you can help move us forward.