In 2016 former R.I. Gov. Gina Raimondo proposed that at least 70 percent of the state’s working population should possess post-secondary education credentials by 2025. That proposal was hailed as a move that would boost employee salaries and encourage a more robust tax base. “As a public institution, Rhode Island College is concerned about sup- porting industry and business for the benefit of our graduates, who should be employment ready with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the workplace,” says Rhode Island College President Jack Warner.
There are more than 100,000 Rhode Islanders with some college credits, but no degree. The new Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS), Rhode Island College’s first fully online degree completion program for adult learners, is built for them. The first BPS cohort launched last spring.