Designing Higher Education for Military and Adult Learners: Greg Hill & Carolyn Todaro on Removing Barriers to Student Success

What if the hardest part of earning a degree isn’t the coursework, but navigating a system that wasn’t built for you?In this episode of Campus Outcomes Podcast, host James Dressing sits down with Greg Hill, Vice President of Enrollment Management, and Carolyn Todaro, Vice President of Student Success at American Public University System (APUS), to explore how higher education can better serve military members, veterans, and working adults.Greg and Carolyn share how APUS was originally designed to solve the challenges of frequent relocation, lost transfer credits, and rigid academic structures—and how that mission continues to shape their approach today. Drawing from over 40 years of combined experience, they explain how traditional one-size-fits-all models fall short and why personalization is critical for today’s learners.The conversation dives into how proactive advising, structured program pathways, and a single point of contact model reduce decision fatigue and improve student retention. They also discuss how affordability, automation, and AI are being leveraged to create a seamless, flexible, and student-first experience.What You’ll Learn:Why traditional higher ed models fail military and adult learnersHow proactive advising improves retention and student confidenceThe power of clear program pathways in reducing decision fatigueWhy removing administrative burden is key to student successGolden Nugget:“Students don’t struggle because they lack ability; they struggle because the system creates too much friction.”Connect with Greg Hill & Carolyn Todaro:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/greg-hill-815213aLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carolyn-todaro-2843b51aConnect with The Outcomes Podcast:Spotify LinkAmazon Music LinkApplePodcastMotimaticLinkedInIf you enjoyed this episode, share it with a higher ed leader, admissions professional, or marketing innovator driving change in education.New episodes drop weekly!