The program, called Reengage Nebraska, offers one-on-one coaching to help participants identify their academic goals and tackle logistical and financial barriers to meeting them, according to a news release today. On the institutions’ side, InsideTrack will train and certify college staff in its coaching methodology, who will then collect data on the factors contributing to students stopping their college journeys early and put those findings toward retention and student success strategies. Ultimately, the coaching aims to help students build confidence as they reenter higher education.
“Returning to college after stopping out takes grit and determination — and for working adults balancing jobs, families and financial pressures, it can feel overwhelming,” InsideTrack President Ruth Bauer said in a public statement. “Reengage Nebraska is about cutting through red tape and removing the barriers that keep too many hardworking Nebraskans from finishing what they started. By reconnecting learners to opportunity — and linking degrees directly to careers — we’re helping people change their lives, strengthen their communities and power Nebraska’s economy for the long haul.”
According to state data, about 1 in 3 working-age Nebraskans, or more than 300,000 residents, have completed some college but hold no degree or certificate. The state’s ongoing labor shortage, with an estimated 70 workers available for every 100 job openings, makes reengaging these learners all the more important, according to the news release.
From the learner’s perspective, completing degrees can unlock more earning potential. One Kansas State University study in 2022 found that students who complete their degrees after stopping out earn $4,294 more per year on average immediately after they graduate, and earnings continue to rise by about $1,000 a year thereafter.
For students who have already completed a minimum of 90 credits, the Nebraska State College system may award an associate degree without additional course requirements.
“Reengage Nebraska is about bridging the last mile between higher education and economic opportunity,” Dr. Paul Turman, chancellor of the Nebraska State College System, said in a public statement. “It’s also a powerful investment in individual opportunity and ultimately in the long-term strength of our workforce, our local economies and our communities.”
Reengage Nebraska is the latest in a series of investments and partnerships in higher education for InsideTrack. In the last year, the company has expanded its coaching services at institutions in Oregon and Maryland, launched an agentic AI pilot to better use coaching data and created an incubator to test retention strategies.
