Educating adults for over 150 years

January 23, 2025

APEX, also known as Adult and Professional Education at Xavier, has a long history. From the Evening College, which was established in 1841, the College of Continuing Education in 1972, the Weekend Degree Program in 1995 (where 8-week accelerated classes were first offered), to 2018, when the adult education arm of Xavier was named APEX, Xavier has been educating adults for well over 150 years.
 
Recent changes at Xavier have moved APEX programming under CAS. Students 24 years and older fall under the APEX umbrella and into one of two types of student categories - day/evening students or Accelerated Degree Completion (ADC) students.
 
APEX day/evening students attend classes in person and on a part-time or full-time basis. These students pick from the many majors available to traditional students. APEX Accelerated Degree Completion (ADC) students attend online or evening classes typically offered in an accelerated format (8-weeks). Below are APEX student enrollment numbers for Spring 2025 along with student enrollment status:
 

The ADC program offers two degrees, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership. Our Organizational Leadership degree requires students to earn one of six minors, including Business, Communication Studies, Information Systems, Psychology, Health Services Administration, or Gender and Diversity Studies.

 
Our new BSN-BLA pathway allows students who want to earn a BSN the opportunity to complete all Xavier Core course before moving into Nursing classes housed in Xavier’s ABSN program. In this program, students can earn a dual degree, a BLA and BSN.
 

As an educator of adult learners for over 30 years and as an adult learner myself, earning my Ph.D. while working full time and raising four school-aged children, I know very clearly the varied needs and interests of adult learners.  
 
The multiple roles and commitments that adults returning to school regularly carry with them, such as parent, caretaker, and/or full-time employed worker, increase the likelihood that they value programs that offer:

• flexible scheduling
• convenient course modality
• transfer credit
• readily available campus support services
• financial aid support, and
• recognition for the experience they bring into the classroom environment. 

Many APEX students have some school but no degree and are often paying off previous college debt. Some run out of Federal Aid and need to pay out of pocket or take out personal loans. Streamlining the courses needed to complete the requirements for their degree is paramount, as is helping them find ways to fund their education.
 
Adult learners bring valuable real-world experience, diverse perspectives, strong self-motivation, and a focus on practical application to the traditional college classroom. This can lead to enriched discussions and provide a deeper understanding of course material for all students through the sharing of their professional insights and knowledge gained through life experiences.
 
APEX has a Faculty Director and an Advisory Board. Julie O’Hara is the Faculty Director for APEX, currently serving in her first of a three-year commitment. Advisory Board members include Rick Brown, Mary Kochlefl, Marcie Lensges, Martin Madar, Matthew Regele, Jennifer Tighe, and Gwen White.
 
If you’re interested in learning more about adult learners, check out the resources below:

• American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)
• The Adult Learner is a peer reviewed journal that offers greater insight into factors surrounding adult students and can be accessed through our library. 
• An ebook of The Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, updated every ten years, is available through our library as well.