Elements that Lead to a Successful Continuing Education

Continuing education programs at community colleges have been around for many years and typically serve adults, non-traditional learners, in non-transferable, short-term and often non-credit leisure/hobby type courses. Other words used synonymously with continuing education include community education, adult education and lifelong learning. Continuing education programs are important and will continue to grow in popularity, especially with the aging of the baby boom generation and as more professions require continuing education for their employees.. The purpose of this study was to show why students feel the continuing education program at a select Midwestern community college has seen large enrollment increases during the past ten years. The respondents felt the major reasons for departmental success was the colleges ’ senior citizen tuition waiver policy, reasonable tuition/fees, a relaxed and friendly classroom atmosphere and the curriculum. The study concludes by offering suggestions which could be of value to community college continuing education programs