Chief Administrative Officer
TK Stoudt
What is your personal adult learner story?
I took the long way through higher education. My learning has happened in classrooms, military organizations, workplaces, and alongside some remarkable people over a career spanning more than three decades. After 32 years in the U.S. Air Force, I continued my own academic journey, eventually earning a Ph.D. focused on organizational learning and the experiences of servicemembers and veterans transitioning into higher education. That journey shaped a simple belief: learning doesn’t begin when someone enters a classroom, and it certainly doesn’t end when they leave one
What aspect of adult learning are you most focused on?
I’m especially interested in how colleges and universities recognize, value, and translate what adult learners already know. My research began with servicemembers and veterans, but the question is much broader: How do we help experienced adults turn learning gained through work, military service, and life into meaningful academic pathways? Credit for Prior Learning is an important part of that work, but so are better systems, better advising, and institutions willing to meet adult learners where they are.
Favorite project you’ve worked on?
One of my favorite projects has been designing and launching a four-course Veterans Studies program at the University of Wyoming. The goal was never simply to help veterans “adjust” to college. We created a cohort-based experience that helped servicemembers and veterans understand where they had been, recognize the strengths and experiences they brought with them, and intentionally navigate where they wanted to go next. That work eventually helped inspire my doctoral research on resilience during the transition from military service to higher education—and continues to influence how I think about adult learners today.
What excites you about the future of adult learning?
I’m excited that higher education is beginning to ask a better question. Instead of only asking, “What courses have you taken?” we’re increasingly asking, “What have you learned, where did you learn it, and how can we help you build from there?” That shift creates enormous possibilities for adult learners. I’m particularly excited about the intersection of CPL, workforce learning, technology, and more flexible academic pathways—and about helping institutions make those opportunities easier for learners to navigate.
Beach, mountains, or city (vacation site)?
Beach—no deliberation required. My wife and I love to travel and are avid cruisers. My vacation formula is pretty simple: beach, surf, sunshine, and a temperature somewhere above my age—with ice cream within walking distance.