A new path to graduation with VCU’s Office of Prior Learning

By Kyle Pineault

What if the experience you already have could count toward a college degree? The job that taught you to manage a budget or lead a team. The volunteer work or professional training that helped you build real skills. Until recently, those valuable opportunities wouldn't count toward a college degree. Virginia Commonwealth University's new Office of Prior Learning is built to change that.

Credit for prior learning, or CPL, awards college credit for verified knowledge gained outside the traditional classroom. For students, it can shorten the road to graduation and lower the cost of getting there. For those looking to return to school, it can provide the momentum to get started again.

The opportunity is significant. Across the country, roughly 43.1 million adults have earned some college credit but never finished a degree. Many of them are eager to return to finish what they started and reach the finish line.

As a public R1 institution, VCU is well-positioned to lead in a prior learning framework in the commonwealth and beyond.

The Office of Prior Learning serves as the central hub for this work. It coordinates and administers CPL across the university, develops policies and assessments suited to each major, advises students and trains faculty as assessors. It also partners with offices and academic programs across campus to develop tailored processes and make sure credit is awarded consistently and counts where it should.

For anyone who paused their education, the message is simple. The experience you have gained still counts, and there is a path to put it to work toward your degree.

"At VCU, we believe that learning happens everywhere," said Mariah Crilley, Ph.D., assistant vice provost for university interdisciplinary programs and associate dean for academic and faculty affairs. "The Office of Prior Learning demonstrates our commitment to experiential learning by validating the unique expertise and professional experience that every adult learner brings to higher education. We're excited to support adult learners and campus partners in creating new pathways to accelerate academic and career success."

The office is also making strides in developing its leadership. Mia Liadis, Ph.D., the new associate director, will join the team on July 10 to help guide its work and expand opportunities for current and returning students.

"After working at VCU for over a decade, I have had the pleasure of seeing the variety of experiences that our students bring to campus," Liadis said. "The Office of Prior Learning marks a major step forward for our community. We will champion the experiences of adult learners and nontraditional students by centering the knowledge that they already bring to the table, and we will support them as a resource on campus. We are excited to work alongside faculty as we create a central resource for credit for prior learning processes. It's an honor to take part in this work."

This article was originally published on the website of the Office of the Provost.