Project 90 offers students a second chance to earn degrees

A new program at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale will allow former students with 90 or more credits to return and complete their degree in one semester.

The primary goal of “Project 90” is to help former SIU students, who fell short of earning undergraduate degrees, complete their requirements without long-term commitment or expense.  Gary Heflin, VP of Alumni Relations at SIU, designed the program and seeks to place 10 students in the program when it begins in the Spring of 2022.

“I’ve met a lot of people who went to school for 6 or 7 semesters, but because of life’s circumstances didn’t get their degree,” Heflin said. “Now a lot of people have had to re-create themselves during COVID. This is just another tool that you can put in the toolbox so you can have a degree that gives you the ability to re-create yourself.”

To earn a degree, a returning student’s current employment will serve as an internship. He or she also must submit a thesis. Credit will be earned for familiarity with Word, PowerPoint, Excel and other life skills. 

“Any life skills that we can accredit, we will,” Heflin said. “We want to get people we know are going to be able to get through the program and complete it. We want to make sure those first couple of classes are people who can start the program, complete it, and be something the university can see is viable.”

Heflin hopes to tweak the plan to where the program eventually accommodates anyone with 60 or more SIU credits and 60 credits from another accredited university. He has the backing of Dr. Austin Lane, who became chancellor of Southern Illinois University on July 1, 2020. Heflin has remained active at his alma mater co-signing a letter to SIU regarding budget cuts and funding delays.

“This was one of the first things discussed when he met with all affiliated groups,” Heflin said. “He knows that this is something that’s necessary.”

Heflin, a member of SIU’s Class of 1989, said his inspiration to create the program came from someone he knew in school.

“He met the love of his life at school, got married, and had a couple of children,” Heflin said. “His wife graduated, but he had to go to work. Completing his degree was something he often talked about. That’s when I saw a need. I was in a position to potentially effectuate change and this was something I took the mantle on and said we’re going to make this happen.”

The program is housed in the College of Liberal Arts.  Further details will be released at a later date.