REGISTER
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Join Inside Higher Ed for a webcast discussion on why older learners—those 35 and up—are “generation now,” among other findings and takeaways from our new deep dive report.
As traditional-age enrollment declines and students 35 and up become an increasingly important enrollment pool, hear directly from higher education experts and older learners themselves about how colleges and universities can not just attract but best serve this growing demographic.
The discussion will include evidence-based practices and case studies for creating inclusive, flexible programs that reflect older learners’ unique needs, strengths and motivations—from financial barriers and work-life-study balance to the importance of recognizing prior learning and offering career-aligned curricula.
Come with your questions and leave with actionable insights on serving the 4-plus million older learners helping transform U.S. higher education. This independent editorial discussion is made possible with the support of AARP.
Can't attend the webcast? You should still register -- all registrants, including attendees and absentees, will receive a recording of the webcast and a copy of the presentation slides.
Wednesday, July 16 | 2 p.m. E.T.
Generation Now: Postsecondary Pathways for Older Learners
PANELISTS
Ben Upton
Freelance Journalist and Deep Dive Report Author
Ben Upton is a freelance journalist based in Washington. He served as Times Higher Education’s Europe reporter between November 2021 and October 2023 and previously covered European research policy for Research Professional News. Before graduating from City, University of London’s journalism school in 2017, he worked in academic publishing and taught at a private university in Wuhan, China.
Julie Miller
Director of Thought Leadership for Financial Resilience at AARP
Julie Miller is director of thought leadership for financial resilience at AARP, where she propels new conversations and cultivates partnerships that challenge the status quo of longevity and empower people to have the financial and economic stability to live longer, healthier lives. Prior to joining AARP, Dr. Miller spent a decade as a researcher at the MIT AgeLab, where she advanced interdisciplinary and translational social science research about planning for longer lives. She has served as a Rappaport Public Policy Fellow through Harvard University’s Rappaport Institute with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, a lecturer and program coordinator at Northeastern University, Boston University and UC Berkeley, and a contributor to major news outlets such as The New York Times, Barron’s, Rethinking65 and CNBC and numerous peer-reviewed academic journals. Dr. Miller received her doctorate of philosophy in social work at Boston College, her masters in social work from The University of California, Berkeley, and her bachelors of science from Northeastern University.
Colleen Flaherty
Senior Editor of Special Content at Inside Higher Ed
Colleen Flaherty, senior editor of special content, previously served as Student Voice editor for Inside Higher Ed. Prior to joining the publication in 2012, Colleen was military editor at the Killeen Daily Herald, outside Fort Hood, Texas. Before that, she covered government and land use issues for the Greenwich Time and Hersam Acorn Newspapers in her home state of Connecticut. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal with a degree in English literature, Colleen taught English and English as a second language in public schools in the Bronx, New York. She earned her M.S.Ed. from City University of New York Lehman College as part of the New York City Teaching Fellows program.
Sara Custer
Editor-in-Chief at Inside Higher Ed
Sara Custer became Inside Higher Ed's editor-in-chief in March 2024. Before joining Inside Higher Ed, she was editor of Times Higher Education's (THE) Campus, a collection of daily resources designed for higher education faculty and staff members to learn, share and connect with colleagues at universities and colleges worldwide. Prior to that, she shaped THE’s online presence as its digital editor, helping to launch THE’s newsletter strategy and overseeing daily, weekly and monthly publications. From 2012 to 2017, she served as editor and senior reporter at The PIE News, covering the international education industry. Sara grew up in Cushing, Okla., and earned a B.A. in English literature from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in international journalism from City, University of London.