EPISODE · May 2, 2026 · 39 MIN
Homegrown: How Regional Colleges Can Innovate to Serve Today’s Learner
from ASU+GSV Summit Sessions · host ASU+GSV
Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Fernando Bleichmar, CEO at Risepoint; Susan Burns, President at University of Mount Saint Vincent; Thillainat Sivakumaran, Vice President at Texas State University; and moderator Eloy Oakley, President & CEO at College Futures Foundation.The speakers explored how regional universities have evolved to meet the changing needs of today’s learners amid demographic shifts, enrollment pressures, and financial constraints. They discussed how these institutions—often serving ambitious first-generation, financially constrained, and adult learners—have adapted programs to align with community workforce needs while creating greater flexibility, relevance, and career mobility. The session examined emerging practices in online and hybrid learning, degree and nondegree pathways, and the full student lifecycle from recruitment to graduation. The conversation highlighted how institutions with deep community roots and digitally enabled models can strengthen engagement, retention, and completion while continuing to deliver strong returns for students and regional economies.
What this episode covers
Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Fernando Bleichmar, CEO at Risepoint; Susan Burns, President at University of Mount Saint Vincent; Thillainat Sivakumaran, Vice President at Texas State University; and moderator Eloy Oakley, President & CEO at College Futures Foundation.The speakers explored how regional universities have evolved to meet the changing needs of today’s learners amid demographic shifts, enrollment pressures, and financial constraints. They discussed how these institutions—often serving ambitious first-generation, financially constrained, and adult learners—have adapted programs to align with community workforce needs while creating greater flexibility, relevance, and career mobility. The session examined emerging practices in online and hybrid learning, degree and nondegree pathways, and the full student lifecycle from recruitment to graduation. The conversation highlighted how institutions with deep community roots and digitally enabled models can strengthen engagement, retention, and completion while continuing to deliver strong returns for students and regional economies.
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Homegrown: How Regional Colleges Can Innovate to Serve Today’s Learner
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