When Edelawit Fikru Yishak began her higher education journey, she carried with her more than just her academic ambition, she held the belief that higher education could open doors not only for herself, but for others who would follow. At Manhattanville University, she found an environment intentionally designed to meet the realities of today’s world: one that blends rigorous academics, hands-on experience and future-ready skills. A 2024 graduate and recipient of the Manhattanville President’s Prize, Edelawit distinguished herself as a computer science major, student leader and innovator. Today, she is a software engineer at Ford Motor Company, living proof of what is possible when higher education aligns access, innovation and student success.

Yet stories like Edelawit’s are unfolding against a challenging national backdrop.

Our colleges and universities face a 'demographic cliff'

The United States is currently facing a “demographic cliff.” Declining birth rates are leading to fewer high school seniors applying to colleges and may contribute to a decline in future workforce talent in our communities. At the same time, students and families have growing concerns, rightfully so, about the affordability of a college degree in a rapidly changing labor market. These concerns, when combined with the pervasive social skepticism about the value of higher education, paint a bleak picture for the future of higher education. 

The data makes the challenge clear. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, colleges and universities collectively experienced a 15% decline in enrollment between 2010 and 2021. Enrollment decline has certainly impacted the financial stability of many colleges. In fact, we have seen more college closures in 2024 than we did in 2023. The message is unmistakable: institutions that fail to adapt will struggle to survive.

At Manhattanville University, we’re defying these national trends. This fall, we enrolled our largest incoming class since 2018. We’ve seen among the largest growth of any institution in the region with a 21% year-over-year increase in incoming student deposits for the Class of 2029 as well as a 64% rise in applications.

This growth has not occurred by chance. It is the result of a deliberate, forward-thinking strategy designed to meet the academic and financial needs of today’s students and families.

How Manhattanville is responding

With more than half of Americans questioning the value of a college education, the return on investment, or ROI, has become a top priority for the University. As Manhattanville transitioned from a college to a university in 2024, we reimagined our curriculum, programs and the student experience to ensure the Manhattanville degree delivers value not only immediately after graduation, but throughout our graduate’s careers.  We’ve done this in several ways including:

Offering accelerated degree programs. Students at Manhattanville can now earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in just five years, a pathway offered across every major that saves students both time, money and debt. This allows Manhattanville students to have more financial resources after graduation for critical needs such as transportation, entrepreneurship or continued studies.

Creating three-year degree options. Beginning in the fall of 2026, Manhattanville will be launching a three-year degree program that enables students to earn a bachelor's degree in just 36 months instead of the traditional four years, without sacrificing educational quality or campus life. Students in this program will also be eligible to receive a graduate degree with one additional year, resulting in a bachelor’s and master’s degree in four years. We believe this curricular offering will attract many of the best and brightest students in the region who want to get a head start in the workforce, while maintaining academic rigor.

Integrating career readiness into the curriculum. Manhattanville has distinguished itself by embedding experiential learning across the curriculum and ensuring 100% of our graduates have a significant hands-on learning experience before going out into the workforce. Unlike other institutions where experience learning is available but requires students to navigate tedious processes, applications and interviews — never mind extra time from an already busy day. Unfortunately, experiential learning on these campuses can be somewhat episodic and not guaranteed. At Manhattanville, we’ve transformed these processes to support every student having significant experience under their belt before they cross the graduation stage.  

Developing future-ready skills. Beyond degree completion, Manhattanville is preparing students a lifetime of success, by embedding essential skills identified by the World Economic Forum into the curriculum. These include leadership, flexible/systems-thinking, emotional intelligence and ethical decision-making. Ultimately, these skills will prepare students not to compete with AI but to complement it, making them well positioned to adapt to an ever-changing career. 

Expanding economic, geographic and cultural diversity. Manhattanville has successfully diversified its recruiting efforts, extending beyond the tri-state area and primary market of Westchester. The Class of 2029 includes a large out-of-state residential population, with student applications from 49 different states and 35 different countries.

Like virtually every industry, higher education must adapt. Fewer students today will result in fewer college graduates tomorrow, which will eventually have a ripple effect on the nation’s workforce and the economy. Those of us working in Higher Education have both the opportunity and responsibility to act now. It is on us to modernize our institutions, reaffirm the value of a college degree, and ensure higher education remains a powerful engine of opportunity. 

Frank D. Sánchez, Ph.D. became the fifteenth president of Manhattanville in July 2023. 

© The Leader