In a first-of-its-kind initiative, National University identifies 146 former students who completed associate degree requirements without realizing it, conferring 33 degrees and forgiving balances to remove financial barriers
SAN DIEGO, CA (June 17, 2026) — National University (NU), one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the United States dedicated to serving working, military, and nontraditional students, has launched a proactive effort to identify former students who left without realizing they had already earned enough credits for an associate degree, and to confer those degrees whether or not students ever return to NU. The initiative, called the Near Completers Project, began in NU’s School of Arts, Letters and Sciences. An initial analysis identified 146 former students who had met all residency and associate degree requirements but had departed without a credential.
“These students did the work. They showed up, navigated real hardship, and did not quit, even when everything in their lives was pulling them away,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University. “Our obligation to them does not end because they stopped attending. If a student earned a credential, they should have it, full stop, and we are going to make sure they do.”
The Near Completers Project began in NU’s School of Arts, Letters and Sciences, focusing initially on students who left NU between 2022 and 2025. An initial analysis identified 146 former students who had met all residency and associate degree requirements but had departed without a credential. NU launched a formal outreach campaign by mail, and of the 146 students contacted, 56 responded, a 38 percent engagement rate, and 33 accepted conferral of their associate degree. For 19 students carrying balances under $2,000, NU forgave those balances entirely to remove any financial barrier to receiving the credential. Some of those graduates have since re-enrolled to continue toward a bachelor’s degree. Others received recognition for work they had already completed years earlier.
More than 43 million Americans have some college credit and no degree, including over 37 million working-age adults under 65. New research from Trellis Strategies, drawing on responses from more than 3,000 former undergraduates across 58 institutions in 13 states, finds that stopping out is driven more by life circumstances than academic performance: 35 percent of respondents cited personal finances as their primary reason for leaving, 32 percent pointed to family or personal responsibilities, and 27 percent to work demands. Nearly 73 percent said completing their degree would improve their career earnings and opportunities — yet just 28 percent said they plan to return to the institution they last attended. The pilot required close collaboration across the Registrar’s Office, Data team, Student Success Services, Re-Entry and Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, and academic leadership within the School of Arts, Letters and Sciences. NU views the Near Completers Project not as a one-time effort but as the foundation for a sustainable, ongoing process, one in which the university regularly reviews student records to identify opportunities to award credentials that have already been earned.
NU has also broadened its Associate of Science to include 11 concentrations, creating additional pathways for former students who may qualify. The AS in Human Biology has drawn particular interest for its value to students pursuing nursing prerequisites and community healthcare roles, fields where workforce shortages remain acute and credentialing gaps can prevent otherwise-qualified candidates from advancing.
We talk a lot in higher education about access, and access matters. But access is only the beginning of the story,” said Nicole Polen-Petit, dean of the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences at National University. “Many of the students who stop out are not leaving because they lack ability or determination. Their challenge wasn’t ability; it was life — work responsibilities, family obligations, financial pressures, military service, caregiving. The degree was often within reach, but the timing wasn’t. That credential can open doors to employment, increased earnings, renewed confidence, and sometimes even a pathway back to continue their education. At its heart, this work is about honoring the effort students have already invested and helping them receive the recognition they have earned.”
The Near Completers Project is part of NU’s broader credential-rich pathways strategy, which emphasizes stackable, transferable credentials designed to reduce credit loss and smooth educational transitions for students who move between institutions or step away from their education for personal or professional reasons.
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 150 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year — 50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students — and 255,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University’s new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit www.nu.edu
