Jeff Hill, Regional Vice President of Operations, Herzing University

In an interview with Invest:, Jeff Hill, regional vice president of operations at Herzing University, talked about some of the key successes the institution has achieved, including fostering a diverse, inclusive environment, and adapting to the needs of a mostly non-traditional student body. He also discussed how the university partners with local businesses, and how the school can continue its success moving forward.

What have been some of the main highlights and key milestones for Herzing University in the last 12 months?

In the last 12 months, we’ve continued to improve student outcomes in both persistence within the program and graduation rates. We have a large healthcare program in both dentistry and nursing, and consistently see high licensure pass rates after graduation. We also have a diverse student population. Approximately 45% of our students in Minneapolis identify as a minority, and we see similarly strong diversity across our 11 ground campuses and the thousands of students who have participated in our variety of online degree programs. Here in Minneapolis, we’re particularly proud of being awarded a federal grant as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), which will provide additional resources for us to support our diverse student population, such as our new Multicultural Center which opened in November 2024. 

What measures or initiatives is the university implementing to increase student enrollment?

At Herzing, we’re well aware that there’s something called an enrollment cliff, which means that declining birth rates are producing fewer high school graduates every year. The height of this cliff is expected to occur in 2025, with the largest graduating high school class, followed by a steady decline over the next decade. In turn, colleges and universities have fewer potential enrolling students. There is also a growing skepticism among the younger generation of the value of higher education. Herzing is addressing this challenge by tailoring its programs primarily for adult learners, offering flexible, hybrid education delivery models. We focus on reducing barriers to enrollment by prioritizing high-return academic programs and ensuring that our institution remains flexible. This enables students to balance work, family, and education while advancing their careers. We also partner closely with employers to make sure we are offering academic programs that will lead to meaningful employment. Many of our students are choosing healthcare careers because there is a significant demand in those fields.

What should be the value proposition of universities in modern times, to overcome the possibility of lower enrollment?

Data shows that as you increase educational levels, you increase your life expectancy, you increase lifetime earnings, and you make your community better. Our role is to collaborate with employers, nonprofits, and local organizations to develop tailored academic programs that prepare students for in-demand careers and demonstrate the long-term benefits of education. Through that, we’ve seen students achieve success after they graduate.

How do you keep the curricula up to date to make sure that it’s in line with current market demands?

Herzing University is not just our Minneapolis location. We have 11 ground campuses and a strong online division. In fact, this year we are celebrating our 60th anniversary. An important part of the strategy that has allowed us to remain so successful is that we work closely with community and workforce stakeholders across fields like healthcare, business, and technology. Our advisory boards provide real-time insights into market trends, new skill requirements, and challenges employers face, ensuring our programs remain relevant. 

Several of our healthcare programs also leverage clinical rotations and internships or externships, so students can get real-world experience as part of their educational experience. We collect feedback from our students, alumni, clinical and employer partners, as well as our experiences and credentialed faculty. All this to say our programs remain competitive and industry relevant. 

How does Herzing University collaborate with business leaders in multiple industries to provide talent solutions?

Dental and healthcare are the two areas in which we are most involved on a campus level. To teach in the healthcare space, we need to have real-world experience for our students, such as clinical rotations, internships, and externships. Feedback from our partners helps us understand their hiring and training needs, which helps guide our academic programs.

Herzing University offers 40+ academic offerings, from diploma up through doctoral programs, and our programs are designed to be stackable. We have program offerings students can take that are as short as one year, that will allow them to gain the skills, knowledge, and credentials to go into the workforce. If they decide later on that they want to continue their education, we are able to take the previous learning they’ve had to matriculate it into their next credential. That’s appealing to the adult students we work with because they want to take courses that also fit within their personal lives and schedules. 

From an employer standpoint, it works well because it allows them to solve short-term employment needs, and it can help the employee build tenure and retention as they develop new skills and knowledge. Specific to Minneapolis, we have recently partnered with the Minnesota Dental Association. They see a significant need for improving dental hygienists, making sure they graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary for practice. In the last five years, we’ve launched several new master’s programs in nursing. That’s all based on feedback we’ve received from our students and healthcare providers from throughout the country.

What are some ongoing campus projects, expansions, new facilities, or renovations in the works?

Part of the AANAPISI grant that our Minneapolis campus received will be used to expand additional study pods for our students and create a multicultural space within the campus to help foster greater inclusivity and student culture. Additionally, the Building Family Foundations grant, provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education through the Grants & Workforce Initiatives branch, allows us to enhance on-site childcare services, supporting pregnant and parenting students. We also have the Purpose Driven Paycheck grant, which is through the Greater Twin Cities United Way, in partnership with the Tri-District CAPS program and Heartland Dental. These initiatives reflect our commitment to addressing students’ holistic needs.

What are the primary challenges facing the education sector in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and how is Herzing University working to address these challenges?

The conversations we have with area employers and community leaders keep us on the forefront of identifying the challenges facing students in the Twin Cities. We want to reduce barriers of entry to get into our programs, invest in the types of technology that help us better understand the behaviors of our students, and proactively provide intervention and resources to increase student persistence and satisfaction rates. It’s all about reinforcing to our students that there’s real long-term career options here in Minnesota. 

What are the main priorities and goals for Herzing University moving forward?

While I’m proud of the success we’re having in student persistence, completion, and post-licensure pass rates, Herzing continues to drive success by understanding that there’s always room to improve. There are opportunities to strengthen our partnerships with employers so we can better meet their needs, whether it’s increasing production of dental assistants, dental hygienists, or nurses. There are also career opportunities throughout the State of Minnesota, something that can be lost as you move out from the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. In many states, there are serious challenges getting enough healthcare into rural communities, and that’s something facing Minnesotans as well. We’re focused on how we can partner with organizations throughout the state that could help students and residents living in those communities.