The division was founded 100 years ago because of a need to provide continuing education and public service to citizens of North Carolina. That mission remains strong today, as the division expands to meet the existing and new needs of individuals, organizations and communities. 

Although strategic priorities, world events, changing technologies, and organizational and budgetary changes create new challenges, NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education is always ready to adapt, innovate, and respond.

The unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic showcased the division’s resilience, perseverance, and adaptability, positioning NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education for long-term success under Vice Provost Mark Bernhard’s leadership, who joined only months before the COVID-19 lockdowns began. 

From July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, the division served 176,824 learners through its programs across the state and beyond, something that seemed almost unthinkable during the middle of the pandemic when COVID-19 closures reduced program enrollment numbers to 36,115 participants.

For 100 years, the division has provided excellent customer service, continuing this tradition throughout the pandemic despite significant challenges. Across the division, staff sustained relationships, listened to clients, and adapted repeatedly to respond to client needs. By transitioning program deliveries to virtual modalities, delaying rather than canceling events, or finding other creative solutions — the division ensured important and long-standing programs remained uninterrupted.

In July 2022, the division was renamed from the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education to NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education. This new name better represents the division’s full scope of programs and aligns with NC State University’s 2021-2030 strategic goals, especially goal number 1: “To empower students for a lifetime of success and impact.” Lifelong truly captures Continuing and Lifelong Education’s work, from serving the youngest North Carolinians through youth camps, and the Wisdom Tooth program to enabling working adults to upskill and reskill through professional development and customized training. 

A lifetime of success and impact continues beyond one’s career — providing opportunities for older adults to stay curious and learn for the joy of learning. The division’s applied research work also informs policy decisions that impact learners and citizens of various ages across the state of North Carolina and beyond.   

Shortly after the name change, the division began reporting to the newly formed Office of Instructional Programs, reflecting a campus-wide focus on the importance of non-degree credentials. The ability to respond rapidly to new workforce trends has been a paramount goal of the division throughout its history. Non-degree programs and microcredentials represent the latest evolution in employer and worker needs. The Office of Professional Development (OPD) refocused to prioritize non-credit certificates, non-degree credential training, and short courses for non-traditional students. These programs meet the growing demand for flexible, skill-based education for working professionals while remaining responsive to industry needs.  

“It is exciting to see NC State University actively and strategically exploring how our institution further meets the needs of learners across the lifespan through non-degree credential offerings.”

In addition, in 2023, the division began participating in the university’s non-degree credentials task force.

“It is exciting to see NC State University actively and strategically exploring how our institution further meets the needs of learners across the lifespan through non-degree credential offerings,” said Mark Bernhard, Vice Provost for Continuing and Lifelong Education.

“I’m personally excited to have our division play an integral role in building new partnerships with campus academic units, as well as other partners internal and external to the university to create new non-degree programs and customized training that meet the evolving needs of learners in North Carolina and beyond.”

Innovations in facilities and technology services also emerged from the challenges of COVID-19, including upgrades to video and streaming capacities and reconfiguring spaces to support virtual and hybrid events. 

“I am thrilled that we will be investing in a master plan for our most important physical asset, the Jane S. McKimmon Center,” said Bernhard. “We are committed to best meeting the needs of learners across North Carolina and beyond, and this study will be an important resource to guide our future decision-making.”

The staff’s responsiveness to technical needs during COVID kept them current with rapidly changing technology, shifting a computer lab to a flex space, and additional upgrades to our technical capabilities. The Jane S. McKimmon Conference and Training Center (MCTC) has seen a record number of new clients in 2024 due to these improvements. The division will also be investing in a 10-year master plan project to provide a roadmap for strategic priorities that modernize and innovate the McKimmon Center and the programs and services NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education provides to its learners.

“I am thrilled that we will be investing in a master plan for our most important physical asset, the Jane S. McKimmon Center,” said Bernhard. “We are committed to best meeting the needs of learners across North Carolina and beyond, and this study will be an important resource to guide our future decision-making.”

The division faced staffing and budgetary upheavals, common during the Great Resignation and beyond. These challenges offered opportunities to reevaluate the division’s resources, processes and organizational structure. The new staff hired to fill these roles brought fresh ideas and different skill sets to the division. Centralizing operations improved marketing, programming, and service levels, and a shared services model with Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA) enhanced efficiency and understanding of budgeting. The new model has allowed the division to hire specialized digital marketing roles and better align with University Marketing and Communications’ best practices. 

Responsibility for Continuing Education Unit (CEU) administration also was transferred from the Office of the Vice Provost to OPD given that unit’s expertise in evaluating programs for CEU credits, certificates, and digital badges. Print and Mail Services were restructured to provide a convenient resource for MCTC clients and other university units.

The last five years have demonstrated the mission and values of NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education in action. The division is a strategic leader, catalyst, and partner in delivering market-driven continuing and lifelong education programs that meet the diverse needs of individuals, organizations and communities. It does so by embracing a culture of change and innovation, diversity and inclusion while striving for excellence and championing honesty, integrity, and respect. And while there will always be challenges and changes, the successes of these efforts speak for themselves.

Continuing and Lifelong Education is also poised and ready for the future and the future of work. The keynote speaker at our Aug. 27 100-Year Anniversary Celebration, Michelle Weise, will kick off a conversation “From the Future of Work to the Future of Workers” as we continue to meet the needs of individuals, organizations and communities within North Carolina and beyond.

The division looks to continue to increase program development through collaborations with NC State’s faculty and colleges and industry leaders. The 10-year building master plan will help innovate and enhance the McKimmon Center. We seek to significantly grow our customized training and development to provide flexible, tailored, and scalable training for the workforce of tomorrow.  

Carolyn Howard, this year’s Mary Frances Hester Award winner for dedication, loyalty, commitment, and quality in effectively addressing constituency needs commented on the achievement.

Continuing and Lifelong Education will also continue to be a great place to work. 

“We have a great team of employees in NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education that remain dedicated to meet the needs of the learners of today and tomorrow. We will consistently and diligently aim to be great leaders and partners in advancing the positive impact on individuals, organizations and communities through our programs and services,” said Bernhard.  

An Addendum: Serving Our Community at All Stages of Life

Upper Coastal Plain Learning Council and The Collaborative

As soon as local school districts resumed in-person learning in the fall of 2020, the Upper Coastal Plain Learning Council resumed the critical Wisdom Tooth program delivering oral health supplies. The program continues to grow each year and is projected to serve more than 20,000 children in FY 2024. The Wilson Engineering Camps for elementary and middle school students, offered in partnership with NC State’s The Engineering Place, had waitlists in 2023 and have been in operation since 2013. The Collaborative’s Middle School Vet Camp in partnership with NC State College of Veterinary Medicine has been a life-changing experience for many North Carolinians, best illustrated by Terry Stauffer, a Vet Camp 2011-2012 and NC State Vet Med Doctor of Veterinary Medicine class of 2022. The Shelton Leadership Challenge, a leadership camp in partnership with the Shelton Leadership Center, offers a six-day residential experience to help students expand their knowledge and skills of what it takes to be a leader.

Office of Professional Development

OPD has significantly expanded its reach and impact, hosting hundreds of conferences and continuing education programs from Cape Hatteras to Hawaii while engaging more than 7,000 participants and issuing more than 350 digital badges in 2023 alone. Zach Baker, a Construction Management certificate participant, said his course “provided a great opportunity for me to further develop my technical skills and knowledge” within the industry.  

Key continuing education programs include the leadership coaching for organizational performance certificate, project management certificate, energy management diploma, construction management diploma, facilities engineering management diploma, and the long-running tax schools.

Customized Training and Development

Like events in the McKimmon Center, professional development program enrollment numbers are close to achieving pre-pandemic levels. Customized Training and Development services are quickly growing to fit industry and state and local government needs including partnerships with a local community college and also with the Town of Cary. 

Jerry Jensen, the Director at Large of the Town of Cary said, “We are really impressed with the level of learning offered by the instructor and the partnership with NC State during this inaugural cohort. We look forward to continuing with the program.” The tailored program allowed members of the town’s project management staff to use real-time projects and their own data in their training.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offers over 200 non-credit short courses, lectures, study trips, and events for adults aged 50+ each year. One of 124 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country, OLLI at NC State is one of the larger institutes, with 1,456 members in the 2023-2024 academic year. 

One OLLI member said, “I am so grateful to have OLLI in my life. As a single parent and a professional with a heavy workload, I had little time for the self-fulfillment I get from learning. I’m so glad I get to now at my retirement.”

Volunteerism and member leadership are core components of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s structure. Whether they are working to develop ideas for courses, representing OLLI at community fairs, planning social activities, refining fundraising messages, teaching courses or leading special interest groups, OLLI members play a valuable role in shaping the organization. In these roles, OLLI members find friendships, collaboration, and the opportunity to find purpose in retirement.

Of the recognition, Maureen said, “Receiving this award for my volunteer work with OLLI is a privilege. I thank the OLLI staff for their support and the University for bestowing this honor on me. I have participated on the Program Development Committee and the Countries, Cultures and History Subcommittee for over a decade and it has been a joy. I’ve had the opportunity to work with staff and volunteer instructors as well as other OLLI volunteers to develop courses that our members enjoy. And have developed lasting friendships along the way. OLLI keeps me engaged and relevant, and every so often I get to impress my children with a piece of wisdom that I picked up in an OLLI class. As much as I may have given to the organization, it has given me so much more.”

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