The S.C. Commission on Higher Education finished a multi-phase initiative that trained more than 80 higher education professionals to evaluate and award academic credit for military training and experience.
Based on a release from S.C. Commission on Higher Education.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) recently concluded a multi-phase training initiative aimed at strengthening how colleges and universities award academic credit for military training and experience, according to CHE.
The program, called “Connecting Service, Credit, and Collaboration to Strengthen Pathways for Military Learners in South Carolina,” was created in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs, according to CHE.
More than 80 professionals completed this year’s training, representing public and independent institutions statewide as well as the South Carolina Technical College System, according to CHE.
“From a statewide perspective, advancing credit for prior learning is both an educational priority and an economic imperative,” said CHE President and Executive Director L. Jeffrey Perez. “Ensuring that military learners can effectively translate their experience into academic credit supports their individual success while strengthening South Carolina’s workforce and long-term competitiveness.”
South Carolina is home to more than 33,000 active-duty service members, according to CHE. The University of South Carolina enrolls approximately 2,300 military-affiliated students, while Clemson University supports more than 1,200 through dedicated engagement programs, according to CHE.
Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jelani Edwards, now the Midlands regional integration officer for the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs, spoke as a plenary speaker at the in-person session.
“Every year, transitioning service members and veterans enter South Carolina with leadership experience, technical expertise, discipline and a ‘mission first’ mindset. But when they walk onto a college campus, too many of them are told (directly or indirectly) to start over, and that doesn’t just cost time. That costs them confidence, momentum and financial resources. And in some cases, they believe that higher education is not even worth it,” Edwards said.
“If we streamline systems and processes for veterans to succeed from a higher learning perspective, they will want to stay here. If we value their experience, they will invest in our communities. If we create clear pathways, they will strengthen our workforce,” Edwards said.
The training combined self-paced online coursework with in-person engagement, according to CHE. An initial phase of five micro courses opened March 6, followed by an in-person kickoff event April 17 in Columbia that included regional breakout sessions, a student panel and a guest panel, according to CHE.
Instruction covered how to translate military training into college-level outcomes, how to use national resources such as the American Council on Education Military Guide and ACE Engage platform, and how to evaluate military transcripts, according to CHE. The program also addressed strategies to align military learning with degree pathways, reduce excess credits and costs, and improve time to degree, according to CHE.
Participants who completed the online phase received an Advocate Certificate of Participation, while those who completed both the online and in-person phases received a Champion Certificate of Participation, according to CHE.
The effort is part of CHE’s work through the SC Military Credit for Prior Learning Advisory Board, which aims to reduce duplication of effort across institutions and accelerate adoption of strategies supporting completion and workforce alignment, according to CHE. This marks CHE’s second training focused on military credit mobility, following a four-phase program in 2025 conducted with American Council on Education Learning Evaluations, according to CHE.
Source: S.C. Commission on Higher Education original release.
