Our Mission
College Unbound’s mission is simple yet transformative: to reinvent higher education for underserved adult learners through a student-driven model of rigorous, engaged scholarship.
Our Vision
College Unbound models the possibilities of higher education for adults, where lifelong learning is valued and enables people to be fuller participants in creating the lives to which they aspire.
Who We Serve
College Unbound believes everyone has a right to postsecondary education. CU looks to serve adult learners who have not yet completed their degree and are able to participate fully in the curriculum with the necessary technology, language, writing, and other systemic supports. CU’s program is designed for adults looking to advance in their current careers, move into new vocations, or spark change that improves the quality of life for themselves and others.
We meet students where they are—acknowledging their lived experiences, honoring their work, and supporting them every step of the way.
Our Locations
Whether you’re a student in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Seattle, Greenville, or Chicago, we are committed to your experience. College Unbound’s core values, mission, and vision remain the same as we seek to reach more students and expand.
These ONE CU cohorts, formed through living in the same city, being part of the same workplace, or being connected to the same issues, meet online through the NC-SARA regulations guiding online instruction, where in-person instruction is pending approval.
Our Story
In 2009, Dennis Littky and Adam Bush set out to rethink higher education. They believed that with the right support systems and an ethic of care, adults who had not completed college could not only earn their degrees but thrive, creating lasting change in their families, workplaces, and communities.
Supported by planning grants, College Unbound (CU) launched with 10 students in Providence, Rhode Island. It quickly became clear that CU’s student-driven, real-world learning model had the potential to reach a much larger population—adult learners with some college credit but no degree.
CU’s success led to a major milestone in 2015, when the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education granted it degree-granting status. This was followed by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) accreditation in 2020. The impact was immediate:
- CU’s first graduating class as an accredited institution had a 94% graduation rate.
- Pell Grant eligibility opened doors for students who otherwise couldn’t afford college.
- The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) allowed CU to expand beyond Rhode Island and bring its model to students nationwide.
CU has now established partnerships across the country, bringing high-quality, flexible degree pathways to students through housing authorities, school districts, and workforce development programs in:
- Housing Authorities: Chicago, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and King County, WA
- Violence Intervention: Providence and Chicago
- K-12 schools and districts: Rhode Island, Philadelphia, and Camden
Today, CU serves hundreds of students across multiple states, maintaining high retention and graduation rates through its student-driven curriculum, project-based learning, and deep community connections.
CU continues to redefine higher education by proving that adults with complex lives can—and do—succeed when it is built around them. With ongoing expansion, deep partnerships, and a commitment to student success, CU sets a new standard for what higher education can and should be.
Why College Unbound?
The traditional college system wasn’t designed for adult learners—full-time workers, parents, or individuals striving to break cycles and build generational wealth. CU changes that through four key focuses:
- Flexibility: Programs that adapt to your schedule.
- Affordability: Scholarships and financial aid reduce costs.
- Respect for Experience: Earn credit for what you’ve already accomplished.
- Providing Economic Mobility: Gain the skills and credentials needed to grow your career.
At CU, learning is real—deeply personal, immediately applicable, and profoundly transformative.
What We Offer
All students at College Unbound work towards one degree: a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Change.
Our flexible degree prepares you to lead and create change in your community, workplace, and life.
Personalized Learning Plans
Design your degree around your goals.
Single Major Approach
Gain deep knowledge in Organizational Leadership and Change to drive meaningful transformation in your work, whatever it may be.
Cohort Support
Learn alongside a community that feels like family.
Immediate Impact
Apply what you learn to your life and career today.
Flexible and Affordable Education
College Unbound is dedicated to a low-cost, high-touch model.
Credit for Life Experience
Earn credits for demonstrated learning from life experience.
Our Impact
CU works. Year after year, we see life-changing results:
*2024 data
Our recent alumni report an average salary increase of $13,000
51% reported receiving a promotion, and 66% reported continuing to work on their projects post-graduation.
80% of our alumni report they are more marketable, and 94% have a greater belief in their own potential.
Our Team
Our leadership and staff are committed to maintaining a culture of care and student and community-driven engaged scholarship.
Nikki Andrews
Registrar
Email Nikki Andrews
David Bromley
National Growth & Implementation, Dir. of PA
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Wanda Brown
Community Care Coordinator of Rhode Island
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Adam Bush
President
Email Adam Bush
Karen Casper
Associate Provost for Administration & Academic Support
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Elizabeth Colon
Director of Learning in Public
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Raheem Conerson-Jackson
Community Care Coordinator of DV
Email Raheem Conerson-Jackson
Allen Cowett
Director of Financial Aid
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Jessica Crawley
Senior Community Ambassador
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Abbey Crew
Assistant Provost and Director of Curriculum Development
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Megan Demeroutis
Partnership Coordinator CU WA
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Chris Dickson
Assistant Dean of Student Success
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Amanda Esons
Institutional Storyteller
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Nathaly Fernandez
Senior Community Ambassador, Rhode Island
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Jessica Gomez
Student Accts Specialist
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Liz Griffin
Community Care Coordinator of WA
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Mark Hartonchik
Interim Chief Financial Officer
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Jordana Hoyt
Admissions & Community Ambassador
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Debra Jonfelix
Admissions & Community Ambassador
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Melina Kuchinov
National Director of Lab Faculty
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Hanna Lichtenstein
Academic Systems & Administrative Coordinator For Lifelong Learning
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Guernsey Myrna Jean
Director of Finance
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Swetha Narasimhan
TA2BA Pathway Specialist
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Thomas Norton
Senior Financial Aid Counselor
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Elaine Plourde
Asst. Provost & Director of Instruction and Educational Technology
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Dee Ramos
Human Resource Manager
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Michael Reaves
Chief of Staff, Director of Board and Alumni Relations
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Julia Rickert
Chief Advancement Officer
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Jose Rodriguez
Assistant Vice President for Community & Belonging, Dir. of RI
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Aubrey Schabowsky
Director of the Transformative Education Pathway
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JoKeitha Seabrook
Partnership Coordinator CU SC
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Sonia Silva
Admissions & Community Ambassador
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Sylvia Spears
Provost & Vice President of Lifelong Learning
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Matthew Sutherland
Assistant Registrar
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Deb Suggs
Enrollment Strategy Mentor
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Meaghan Sykes
Grants & Gifts Manager
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Jessica Tabak
Writing Support Specialist
Email Jessica Tabak
Mike Walker
Chief Information Officer/Director of Institutional & Action Research
Email Mike Walker
Our Board of Trustees
The board of trustees oversees College Unbound’s activities, properties, and affairs and ensures accountability. Per the bylaws, the board has 11 to 25 members, including six community and/or education leaders, one student or alumnus member of College Unbound, one faculty representative, and the college president, ex officio.
