CAEL’s conference is often the source of breaking news. Last year, it was our CPL Provider Network. This year, it was an announcement that CAEL would, once again, be operating as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. During his welcome remarks, CAEL President Earl Buford explained that the transition, which takes effect in January, is a return to CAEL’s roots and follows a period of growth and improvement at CAEL.
CAEL joined an alignment of Strada organizations in 2018 focused on improving student success and strengthening college-to-career pathways. CAEL’s time as a Strada affiliate afforded it opportunities to scale its growth, including a period in which it tripled its membership and doubled its revenue and impact. It also partnered with hundreds of colleges and universities and dozens of workforce organizations around improving effectiveness in serving adult learners and enhancing economic mobility by linking learning and work
Earl thanked Strada for its past and continuing support, explaining that new partnerships are in process that will support CAEL’s work when it resumes independent national nonprofit operations, including new funding from Strada and commitments from other funders.
Following this announcement, the conference continued with the usual inspiring keynotes, workshops and other events, including the always-popular annual awards presentation. The success stories behind these awards are far more than anecdotes; they are blueprints for a more empowered and skilled workforce. No highlight of our conference would be complete without celebrating the people and organizations who truly move our mission forward. Here is a recap of the 2025 honorees.
Learner of the Year: Ragan Oglesby Phillips
The Learner of the Year Award illuminates a remarkable individual who has navigated a complex path to educational attainment. Ragan Oglesby Phillips, an award-winning entrepreneur, celebrated television personality and founder of three successful Memphis businesses, is the embodiment of reclaiming a dream. For Ragan, the goal of earning a college degree was deferred for decades by life’s demands, including being a teen mother and surviving an abusive marriage. Despite her professional acclaim, she felt incomplete without her degree. In 2023, she returned to the University of Memphis and, at the age of 49, graduated in Professional Studies on May 4, 2024. It was a powerful moment made even more poignant when she walked the stage alongside her younger daughter, Jordan, a fellow member of the class of 2024. Ragan’s story is a profound testament to generational breakthrough and every adult learner’s unyielding capacity to reclaim their dreams.
“Thank you for seeing me not as a returning student but a woman reclaiming her destiny,” said Oglesby Phillips. “This award is not just for me. It is for adult learners who thought it was too late. For every mother who put her dreams on hold, for every survivor who still hears the whisper of doubt, I want you to know it’s never too late to rise again.”
Morris T. Keeton Award: Dr. Nan Travers
CAEL established the Morris T. Keeton Award in 1989 to honor our founding president. We present this award to practitioners whose work, commitment and ideals advance the values that Dr. Keeton championed, particularly his belief that the time and place to pursue learning is “anytime and anyplace.”
Dr. Nan Travers, a consultant at Intrascope, LLC, and former director for the Center for Leadership in Credentialing Learning at SUNY Empire State University, exemplifies this dedication. One nominator described her as the “godmother of credit for prior learning and, more broadly, of adult learning.” Her tireless efforts include co-leading the Credential As You Go national initiative and developing the Global Learning Qualifications Framework. Nan’s commitment to innovative experiential learning and increasing educational access for adult learners continues to reshape the field.
“The Morris T. Keeton Award is very meaningful for me. One thing I remember clearly is that Morris would emphasize that we need to keep effectiveness and efficiency in balance, and effectiveness should not be compromised to be more efficient.”
Adult Learner Impact Award: Center for Regional Economic Enrichment (CREE) at the University of Memphis
The Adult Learner Impact Award recognizes a CAEL member institution or organization that demonstrates excellence in meeting adult learners’ needs. The Center for Regional Economic Enrichment (CREE) at the University of Memphis is a leading force in driving economic mobility across West Tennessee. Since partnering with CAEL in 2012, CREE has built a robust ecosystem. Their success is noteworthy in both its qualitative and quantitative impact. The University of Memphis was the first public university in Tennessee to offer graduate-level CPL, CPL participation has grown from 30 to over 300 students annually, and its Finish Line Program has helped more than 1,100 students complete their degrees since 2013. Furthermore, the university administers the $25 million GROWWTH grant, which intersects with CAEL’s Build Better Careers work and has disbursed nearly $1.9 million in direct support to low-income families in 2024.
“To be recognized here in our own hometown at a time CAEL is returning to its roots as an independent organization feels like a full-circle moment. We are so grateful to CAEL. Your guidance and the support of this entire community helped us build the programs that you just heard about that have changed lives, as evidenced so eloquently by Ragan just a few moments ago,” said Tracy Robinson, Executive Director of the Center for Regional Economic Enrichment at the University of Memphis, who accepted the award on behalf of the university.
Pamela Tate Rise Award: Cynthia Proctor
The Pamela Tate Rise Award honors the legacy of Pamela Tate, CAEL’s President and CEO from 1990 to 2018, by recognizing individuals who tirelessly commit to linking learning and work. Cynthia Proctor, from the State University of New York (SUNY) System, is an undeniable exemplar of the spirit honored by this award. As an office of one, she led the expansion of microcredentials across SUNY from a handful to over 500 across 52 campuses, all explicitly focused on employment value. Her key achievements also include spearheading the successful advocacy effort that secured the first-ever state aid (TAP) for nondegree microcredentials in New York and securing a first-of-its-kind $50 million partnership with the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to upskill Direct Support Professionals. Cynthia’s work serves as a national model for creating supportive, credited pathways to career advancement.
Community Impact Award: Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Associate Advancement Program (MAAP)
The Community Impact Award recognizes an outstanding organization that positively impacts the lives of adult learners and workers in the conference host region. This year’s recipient, the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, was recognized for its Associate Advancement Program. The Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Associate Advancement Program (MAAP) thrives on a spirit of transformative partnership. Built in collaboration with the University of Memphis (UofM) Global, MAAP is a premier workforce development initiative that offers MLH associates a direct pathway to earn credentials—often debt-free, with tuition covered up to $4,000 per year. The program includes unique features like the MAAP Prep Academy, which grants 12 college credit hours and guaranteed UofM admission. With more than 150 associates graduating from MAAP, the program has produced 28 bachelor’s degree holders and 36 certification holders (as of fall 2024). Notably, graduates have seen a 93% average hourly rate increase in salary, with 64% advancing into new positions within the organization, instrumental in filling critical healthcare roles.
As we enter the next half-century of CAEL service, success stories like these help remind us that even as we open a new chapter, our nonprofit mission remains firmly focused on what matters most: accessible education-employment pathways that sustain rewarding livelihoods for adult learners and a thriving workforce system for the communities that depend on them.
Do you have an adult learner success story to share? Email us at marketing@cael.org.
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