The Program Sharing Model: How Rize Education’s Collaborative Approach Expands Access to Cutting-Edge Majors and Career-Aligned Learning

Small private colleges are facing unprecedented pressures: rising instructional costs, shrinking budgets, and mounting skepticism about the return on investment of a four-year degree. At the same time, employer demand for job-ready talent is accelerating, creating urgency for institutions to modernize curriculum and increase access to experiential learning. According to Rize Education CEO Kevin Harrington, more than 60% of a college’s operating budget is tied to the traditional classroom model—a structure increasingly misaligned with today’s market realities.How can institutions cut instructional costs, expand high-demand academic programs, and still deliver meaningful, career-aligned learning experiences?signals in higher ed host Darin Francis welcomes Kevin Harrington, the co-founder and CEO of Rize Education, for a deep dive into how program sharing and employer-embedded experiential learning are helping over 120 institutions overcome these challenges. The conversation spans Rize’s origins, the evolution of online openness post-COVID, the employer engagement pipeline, curriculum development, and the future of modular experiential learning opportunities.Key highlights from the conversation…Program sharing as a new business model: How small colleges are leveraging a shared curriculum model to reduce costs, expand offerings, and strengthen ROI for students.Experiential learning as retention and recruitment strategy: Why early exposure to real-world assignments improves student confidence, persistence, and enrollment outcomes.Employer partnerships at scale: How Rize sources practitioners from companies like Google, Meta, and growing startups to keep curriculum fresh and workforce-aligned—and why practitioners volunteer to participate.Kevin Harrington is the co-founder and CEO of Rize Education, where he leads initiatives that make higher education more affordable, scalable, and workforce-aligned. His background includes serving as Assistant to the President for Innovation at Adrian College, helping design and implement new academic models. Earlier in his career, he worked as a real estate private equity analyst at Blackstone and co-founded Insidr Sports, gaining experience in operational leadership, market analysis, and mission-driven program development.