Elijah has dedicated his career to giving back to his hometown of Boston. He has served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in area schools, led community efforts as a volunteer leader for a local non-profit, and currently works in the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement. In recognition of his impact in the community, Elijah received the Black Excellence Award from the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. This fall, he’ll start his Master’s in Public Administration at Northeastern University to further his career in public service. But despite trying college more than once since graduating from high school, Elijah had not yet completed a bachelor’s degree up until 9 months ago.
Elijah’s experience isn’t unique. There are now 43.1 million Americans with Some College, No Credential (SCNC), including 37.6 million who are under 65. This population represents the disconnect between learners who seek out higher education and the inadequate systems in place to serve them. A growing number of college students are balancing work, home, and family responsibilities, making it difficult for them to thrive in traditional higher education settings where classes are on campus during work hours.
Learners like Elijah have spent years building careers, gaining hands-on experience, and growing professionally—often without the formal credential to match their skills. These learners are motivated and capable, but traditional college models haven’t aligned with their lives. Without a college degree, far too many Americans become stuck, unable to realize their full potential.
When Elijah began his current role in city government, he recognized how earning a degree could help him grow into leadership roles and open doors for long-term career mobility. But as a dad with a busy work schedule, returning to college didn’t seem viable—until he learned about Duet and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), a program that respected both his time and experience.
Duet is a Boston-based nonprofit that partners with SNHU to support working adults through high-touch coaching, flexible pacing, and a competency-based online curriculum. Encouraged by a friend and a cousin who completed the program, Elijah enrolled—and everything finally clicked.
“It was a no-brainer,” Elijah says. “A lot of the coursework was geared towards my profession and aligned with what I do day-to-day.” The flexibility and relevance of the curriculum helped Elijah not just return to college but thrive. He earned his associate degree in October 2024 and, driven by that momentum, completed his bachelor’s by February 2025. “This allows me to excel (in my current role) and over time move around to different positions within the city and outside.”
Elijah’s story is proof that with the right structure and supports in place, SCNC learners can return, succeed, and lead.
To learn more about how higher education can work to re-engage the SCNC population through learner-centered design, read Unpacking the 40 Million: Meeting the Needs of Learners with Some College and No Credential, co-authored by CHEPP and Today’s Students Coalition.