Hartford Business Journal

18 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 FOCUS | BUSINES S SCHOOLS UCONN TECH SHOWCASE Big Ideas. Bold Startups. Real Investment Opportunities. Thursday, September 18 | UConn Tech Park | Storrs Campus Innovation Partnership Building, 159 Discovery Drive, Storrs, CT Join us for a high-energy day of innovation, where groundbreaking research meets real-world impact. Discover cutting-edge tech, hear game-changing pitches, and connect with investors and entrepreneurs shaping the future. Register Now, Limited Availability! Scan Code or mammography — credentials that directly address workforce shortages in high-demand medical fields. At WestConn, a business advisory group provides guidance on work- force needs, and many students participate in internships with local companies. WestConn is also developing programs in artificial intelligence. It recently launched a master's program in AI and is reconfiguring existing programs to incorporate artificial intelligence. Jennifer Widness, president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, noted that Connecticut's independent colleges have participated in the state's Tech Talent Accelerator program, which provided grant support for faculty to create certificate programs in in-demand tech fields. "An additional round of funding is expected this fiscal year to create more certificate programs related to AI and quantum," she said. The federal government has also recognized the trend. The federal budget bill passed in July created the Workforce Pell Grant, which for the first time will let students use federal aid for short-term certificate programs that meet workforce criteria approved by governors, Widness said. Both Bernal and Zinn emphasized that certificate programs represent part of a broader transformation in higher education toward more flexible, workforce-responsive programming. "I think higher education has been too often creating these pathways and programs and degrees in silos, thinking that we can dictate what education and training folks need longer term," Bernal said. "But the reality is that we need to be listening to our community, to our state, to our business and nonprofit partners, and really being responsive to the needs of what's going on." Certificate Programs Continued from page 17 traditional six. The programs are designed to meet people where they are in their careers, whether they want to pivot from one field to another, or gain the skills necessary to advance. "The typical individual is no longer the person that's 18 years old going to college, studying for four years," Bernal explained. "What they are doing, we call 'blended lifelong learning.' The blend means that higher education has to create these really easy on-ramps and off-ramps." About 400,000 people in Connecticut have received college credits, but never graduated from college, he added. "The challenge that creates for both the workforce and the continued income gap that exists in the state is all just perpetuated by that reality," Bernal said. Quinnipiac's approach At Quinnipiac University, founded in 1929 with an emphasis on career readiness, officials have systemati- cally expanded certificate offerings across multiple fields. The number of certificates conferred by the university has grown from 26 in 2020 to 87 so far in 2025 — an increase of 235%. The univer- sity has also issued 2,083 badges — digital credentials that recognize completion of specific skills or training modules — a 478% increase from 2023 to 2025. Annalisa Zinn, vice president for academic innovation and effectiveness, said Quinnipiac added certificates in creative writing, nursing educa- tion and tax law for the current academic year. "We're constantly analyzing market data and trying to see what's being responsive, but also thinking ahead," Zinn said. The university offers both stand- alone certificates for working profes- sionals and embedded programs for degree-seeking students. Quinnipiac's certificates often utilize a "stackable credential" approach, where students can build from shorter programs toward full degrees. For example, students can begin with a certificate in an online design course, and potentially transi- tion to a master's program in instruc- tional design and technology. "Employers are looking for skills," Zinn said. "We know that things evolve. We know that jobs change. And I think an advantage of having multiple credentials is that not only it signals adaptability, but it also gives them those transferable skills." Industry partnerships WestConn and Quinnipiac both emphasized the importance of business partnerships in developing relevant programming. Quinnipiac has partnered with Hart- ford HealthCare to offer advanced diagnostic imaging certificates for practicing radiographers, allowing them to specialize in MRI, CT scans ENROLLMENT AT CT STATE UNIVERSITIES WESTERN CT STATE UNIV. ENROLLMENT 2015-16 2015-16 30K 25K 20K 5K 4K 3K 2016-17 2016-17 2017-18 2017-18 2018-19 2018-19 2019-20 2019-20 2020-21 2020-21 2021-22 2021-22 2022-23 2022-23 2023-24 2023-24 2024-25 2024-25 Annalisa Zinn Jennifer Widness FALL FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ENROLLMENT FALL FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ENROLLMENT Note: CT State Universities includes Central, Western, Eastern and Southern CT State universities. | Source: Office of Higher Education Source: Office of Higher Education

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