STC program chair appointed to national board

Emma Miller, Ph.D., chair of South Texas College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership (BASOL) program, has recently been approved to serve a second term on the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) board of directors.

Miller, who has served on the C-BEN board since 2019, recently completed her three-year term and said she is excited to continue her service in the organization.

“It has been an honor to serve, represent STC and put our competency-based learning programs on the map,” said Miller. “CBE brings opportunities to our students and forges success.”

STC, a national leader in competency-based education, an approach that allows students to advance based on their ability to master a competency and measures learning through skills rather than time spent in a classroom, was one of the founding institutions of C-BEN nearly seven years ago, and since then has had a seat at the table when it comes to being a model for CBE.

C-BEN is a network of colleges and universities, state systems, corporations and service providers dedicated to realizing the full potential of competency-based learning and that together, build and grow a new approach to learning that works for both students and industry.

Competency-based education is considered the future of higher education. It is ideal for adult learners who have honed skills and accumulated valuable job experience.

“CBE is allowing our students to leverage their professional skills to accelerate toward their degree,” she said. “By doing this we are saving them time and money.”

STC’s first CBE program, Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership, was introduced in 2014 and since then has graduated more than 1,300 students.

STC now has three more CBE bachelor’s degree programs that include Computer Information Technologies, Medical and Health Services Management and Technology Management.

“Being on the C-BEN board has allowed me, us, to showcase STC’s CBE programs and all that we do,” said Miller. “Our programs and successes are getting national recognition and we are supporting other high ed institutions across the country that are trying to implement and model our programs. STC is an innovator, and everyone wants to know how we do it.”

Miller will be attending the C-BEN national conference, CB Exchange, next month in Florida and will sit on a panel with other deans and vice presidents to discuss the future of CBE.

“I already have great support from leadership for this project, and I’m excited for what it’s going to mean for our students,” she said. “This is going to give our students a leg up in the job market and will be cause for attention; we’ll be the first in the RGV. Our students will be competitive and will get the jobs they want and deserve.”

For Christopher Davis, a graduate of STC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership program, it was the CBE option that encouraged him to enroll.

Davis is a full-time Distant Learning Assistant at Austin Community College and last year, when he was presented with a possible promotion by his supervisor, he knew he would need a bachelor’s degree to be considered.

“Without a bachelor’s degree there was going to be no career advancement,” said the 37-year-old. “I was recommended to STC’s CBE programs, I was nervous, it was my first, but it ended up being the best thing for me.”

Davis added that instead of taking him two years to get his bachelor’s degree, it only took him one.

“With seven-week semesters, instead of the traditional 16-weeks, I was able to fit two semesters into one,” he said. “I saved myself time, money and found it easy to juggle school, work and life. I highly recommend CBE for anyone who is looking to return to school. It was a game changer.”

Davis is now preparing his resume and application for a director position within his department.

Miller said there are three words to describe CBE programs at STC – affordable; accessible because they are 100% online; and accelerated.

“I can’t wait to see what is in store for our future as a leading CBE provider,” said Miller. “There is still so much more we want and can accomplish for our students and their success.”

For more information on STC’s CBE programs, visit southtexascollege.edu/academics/cbe/.