ACE President and CEO Geordie Hyland Discusses ACE on Prominent Higher Education Podcast

American College of Education President and CEO Geordie Hyland was a recent guest on “The EdUp Experience” podcast, where he spoke about how ACE keeps tuition so affordable, how the college is addressing human capital shortages in education and healthcare, and how to maintain a mission-driven workplace culture.

Tuition cost was a big point of discussion during the podcast episode, especially because ACE does not rely on Title IV funding. “You scrambled brains when you said no Title IV,” podcast host Dr. Joe Sallustio said, “because that’s the way we do things in higher education – you’ve got to have Title IV funding if you want to have students, but that’s not the case at ACE.”

Dr. Sallustio and Hyland went on to discuss ACE’s popular pay-as-you-go model, which necessarily places more emphasis on student satisfaction – if a student isn’t happy with their educational experience, there’s nothing that prevents them from leaving. To that, Hyland mentioned ACE’s 85% graduation rate and recent #2 online college in America ranking from Newsweek. These are all barometers that show ACE is providing a valuable learning experience that students are looking for.

Another theme of the podcast episode was how ACE is building relationships with organizations and businesses to help them find ways to address human capital shortages, especially in crucial fields like healthcare, nursing and education. ACE makes sure to align program outcomes to what’s needed in the job market, so graduates can succeed in high-demand positions.

However, today’s challenge isn’t just about hiring new people – it’s also about developing the employees you already have. Hyland shared his passion for facilitating career pathways that could increase the skills and earnings of educators and healthcare workers through programs such as micro-credentials and certificates. These educational opportunities can both retain staff and grow their skillsets. ACE is also focused on providing credit for prior learning opportunities for its partners, which allows professionals to get more out of work they’ve already completed.

Finally, both Dr. Sallustio and podcast co-host David Lind asked about leading a nontraditional college like ACE, where the workforce is fully remote. Hyland emphasized the importance of fostering a team culture that values open inquiry, diverse perspectives and inclusivity. He also spoke about how crucial it is to set a clear vision and goals, prioritize accountability, and have feedback loops in place so that team members can still be heard in an online work environment. ACE’s B Corporation certification helps tie the operation of the organization to its mission and its mission-driven employees have earned ACE the distinction of being a Top Workplace in the USA.

ACE stands out among higher education institutions for its solutions-oriented, student-first approach. It’s also agile and able to pivot quickly if needed, while traditional institutions are slowed by legacy processes and extensive infrastructure. Geordie Hyland is helping ACE lead the way as higher education enters its next era.