Sept. 3, 2024
‘Bulldogs for life.’ Ferris State connecting with former students, helping them finish degrees to advance in careers
Carey Caswell was only three credits away from a Ferris State University diploma in 2004 when life just got too darned busy.
“I was married with three kids, working like 60 hours a week in my field making good money, and going to Ferris on top of it,” said Caswell, now 52. “Instead of finishing my degree, I kept saying I’d go back next semester or the semester after that. Before I knew it, 20 years of semesters went by and I still hadn’t gone back to school.”
That all changed in 2023 when Caswell decided to re-enroll at Ferris State. Just one semester later, he completed his last few courses and in December earned the bachelor’s degree in product design and engineering technology he’d started so many years ago.
“It felt great to finally finish my degree at Ferris, which allowed me to begin pursuing my Executive MBA at Auburn University and continue building my career,” said Caswell, senior procurement manager at Yanfeng, a leading global automotive supplier.
Whether they’re short a few credits or a few semesters, hundreds of adult students like Caswell are finishing what they started at Ferris State. That’s thanks to a new, concerted effort by the university to reengage with and re-enroll former students who never finished their degrees.
Sam Stover
One year ago, Ferris State partnered with ReUp, a Texas company specializing in helping adult learners find a pathway back to completing their college degrees. Since then, 123 former Ferris students have re-enrolled and 48 have graduated. Another 1,000 former students have shown an interest in returning.
“The results are incredible and a bit of a very happy surprise,” said Kristen Salomonson, dean of Enrollment Services at Ferris State. “Ferris is always ready to meet you whenever you’re ready to come back.”
ReUp and Ferris State work together providing personalized, tailored support so adult students can return and persist to graduation without stopping again. That support includes degree evaluation, financial aid navigation, billing and payments, or being a liaison between different departments.
Sometimes, it’s just helpful advice when you need it.
Sam Stover always wanted to complete his Ferris degree, but wasn’t sure how to make it happen. Working in Battle Creek, he worried about commuting to Big Rapids. And the public health major he’d once studied is no longer offered at the university.
But he knew a bachelor’s degree was his best chance for advancement at Summit Pointe community mental health center where he works.
“Part of it was I found a company that I really loved, where I could see myself kind of building a future. But I also really just wanted to finish my degree. I wanted to see the look of pride on my mom's face,” said Stover, who left Ferris five years ago just 12 credits shy of graduation.
Stover re-enrolled a year ago and was paired with a
Carey Caswell
ReUp coach who helped him navigate any obstacles that popped up along the way. ReUp and Ferris worked with the 26-year-old to ensure his classes were online and that an Integrative Studies degree was within his grasp.
“There were a few issues that cropped up, but my ReUp coach walked me through what I needed to do and really guided me in resolving them,” Stover said. “I felt like they were very understanding and empathetic and knowledgeable.”
Adult learners especially struggle balancing work, family and their studies. Ferris State has worked in recent years to make degree-seeking less rigid for all students.
“The availability and flexibility of programs and courses have improved quite a bit thanks to the lessons we learned during the pandemic,” Salomonson said. “That’s made it easier for people to manage their busy lives and still find education on their own terms.”
There’s never been a better time for former students to reach out and see how Ferris can help them complete their degrees, Salomonson said. This fall, 85 former students are registered for classes.
“You’re a Bulldog for life and we’ll do whatever we can to make sure you’re a Bulldog with the credential that you want,” she said.
It certainly worked for Stover. He completed his last 12 credits in two semesters and graduated in May with his bachelor’s degree. There were definitely a few tears.
“I wasn’t going to attend commencement, but my family really wanted to see me walk across the stage,” he said. “It felt great to finally be there and to have accomplished something I’d been trying to achieve for such a long time.”