With Dr. Dan Predoehl, Assistant Dean of Extended Learning at Saddleback College
When most people think about community colleges, they picture 18-year-olds on their first step toward a four-year degree. But in this episode of TransferTalk, Dr. Dan Predoehl flips that narrative, spotlighting how older adult learners, noncredit programming, and equity-centered enrollment strategies are shaping the future at Saddleback College and beyond.
Serving Students Aged 73 and Up, At Scale
Predoehl leads the Emeritus Institute, California’s largest older adult education program. With over 5,000 students averaging 73 years old, Saddleback offers tuition-free courses across art, health, humanities, and more, all backed by a curriculum, budget, and legislative mandate unique to California.
These students make up roughly 20% of the college’s total enrollment, reinforcing that this isn’t just “nice to have”, it’s a strategic growth segment.
“Older adults represent a sustainable enrollment base. We’re not just serving the community, we’re creating long-term brand equity.”
Beyond Tuition: The Fiscal and Mission Payoff
While older adults may not bring in tuition dollars, Predoehl explains how property tax funding models in districts like Saddleback’s allow the college to lean into this population without financial compromise.
“For us, it’s not just about direct revenue, it’s about creating an echo effect across generations and building a reputation that draws in younger learners too.”
Enrollment Strategy with an Equity Lens
Dr. Predoehl challenges colleges to rethink what equity means.
“Older adults are often excluded from strategic planning, despite being underserved and marginalized in their own way.”
He encourages institutions to audit their mission statements and equity goals, asking whether they include intergenerational access, CPL (credit for prior learning), and transfer pathways for returning learners.
Credit for Prior Learning: From Ego to Equity
One of the most powerful moments in the episode is Dan’s critique of how internal politics and academic ego often block progress on CPL.
“We get in our own way, ‘if they didn’t take it here, it’s not good enough for us.’ That mindset kills transfer trust.”
He argues that credit mobility is equity in practice. Recognizing life experience, military service, or professional credentials through formal pathways is no longer optional, it’s a necessity for a student-ready campus.
Moving Past the Field of Dreams Mindset
In one of the most memorable metaphors of the episode, Predoehl compares the myth of “If you build it, they will come” to the actual plot of Field of Dreams:
“It wasn’t just the baseball field—it was the people who believed in the vision. Enrollment is no different. You need a coalition, a shared belief in your brand promise.”
That brand promise, at Saddleback?
“Welcome to opportunity.” It resonates with both older learners returning to the classroom—and with younger students whose grandparents are already there.
Redefining “Non-Traditional”
Predoehl pushes back on outdated language like “non-traditional student,” noting that at Saddleback, 35% of students are 25 or older, and always have been.
“For us, that is the traditional student. We need to stop putting ‘non’ in front of everything that’s not 18 and full-time.”
The Big Takeaway: Real Strategy Meets Real People
Dr. Predoehl isn’t just promoting abstract policy. He’s offering a real-time playbook for community colleges:
Serve all students with intention
Align enrollment strategy with community demographics
Fight for policies (like CPL) that prioritize student outcomes over academic pride
Understand that your brand promise is more than your website tagline, it’s what students feel every term
Listen Now
This episode is a must-listen for enrollment leaders, deans, SEM consultants, and anyone invested in evolving what community college can be.
👉 Listen to Episode 19 of TransferTalk
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