The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) has launched a systemwide effort to welcome back former students and help them earn a degree, diploma or certificate to help them reach their educational and career goals.
“Comeback to Complete” is designed to connect former students with resources that recognize prior coursework and relevant experience, explore credential options and address barriers to completion. The program helps students identify a clear path back to college and toward graduation.
The need for that work was highlighted in a recent Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education report, A State-Level Framework for Re-engaging Adult Learners, which found that 43,375 Kentucky adults ages 25 and older left a public college or university between spring 2018 and fall 2024 without re-enrolling at an in-state institution.
“Students leave college for many reasons, often with the intention of returning,” said Cristy Null, Comeback to Complete coordinator.
“Needs change and priorities shift, but Comeback to Complete gives us an opportunity to welcome them back, recognize what they have already accomplished and develop a plan to achieve their goal.”
The program supports Kentucky’s 60×30 goal to have 60% of working-age Kentuckians earn a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030 and advances KCTCS’ strategic focus on student access, retention and success.
Comeback to Complete also builds on broader statewide efforts to re-engage adult learners. A Council on Postsecondary Education pilot already underway at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and Jefferson Community and Technical College focuses on adults who left college without a credential after earning significant college credit. Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to helping more Kentuckians return to college, complete credentials and strengthen the state’s workforce.
“Comeback to Complete gives Kentuckians a pathway to build on the progress they have already made and turn that work into a credential with lasting value,” said Dr. Phil Neal, KCTCS executive vice president and provost. “By returning to complete a degree, diploma or certificate, former students can create new opportunities for themselves and their families while helping meet Kentucky’s growing need for a highly skilled workforce.”
Former KCTCS students interested in returning can learn more, review their options and connect with Comeback to Complete here.
Kentucky Community & Technical College System