Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is stepping up to address Texas’s workforce needs through the establishment of the SHSU Polytechnic College, a dynamic addition designed to meet industry demands and provide students with pathways to immediate employment. SHSU’s new Polytechnic College, set to open in Fall 2025, builds on the legacy of the former Josey School of Vocational Education and aligns with the Texas State University System’s commitment to industry-driven education. This ninth college at SHSU will focus on short-term, stackable certificate programs that help students gain hands-on, practical skills essential in today’s labor market, particularly for those seeking flexible and accelerated educational pathways.
To support the Polytechnic College’s mission, SHSU Online has been awarded the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Student Success Acceleration Program 2.0 Grant, enabling the launch of a wrap-around services framework aimed at enhancing student success. These services are designed to meet the needs of SHSU’s diverse student population, including first-generation students, economically disadvantaged students, and those with disabilities. By providing comprehensive digital learning resources and support systems, SHSU Online is committed to creating an accessible and supportive environment that ensures all students can thrive.
The wrap-around services will play a crucial role in supporting students from enrollment through graduation. They include accessible digital content, round-the-clock digital learning support through a 24/7 call center, learning management system (LMS) administration, personalized advising, and instructor training. These services ensure that students have uninterrupted access to their courses, regardless of their individual learning needs or schedules. For students with disabilities, the provision of accessible media and captioning services aims to foster a more accessible environment where barriers to learning are minimized.
“Our goal is to remove obstacles that students often face in pursuing vocational and technical education,” said Dr. William Angrove, SHSU Online Associate Vice President and Chief Online Education Officer for TSUS. “Through these wrap-around services, we’re equipping students with tools that will not only enhance their learning experience but also support them in building meaningful careers in high-demand fields.”
The Polytechnic College’s programs are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing students to apply their initial certificates towards advanced credentials or even a bachelor’s degree. This stackable model allows students to achieve progressive career milestones without sacrificing years in college. A certificate in health information technology, for instance, may lead to further specialization in health information coding, and eventually to a degree in biomedical sciences. This framework aligns with Texas’s 2030 goal for 60% of working-age Texans to hold postsecondary credentials, helping bridge the gap between educational attainment and labor market needs.
For students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or those with limited access to traditional educational resources, these services can be transformative. SHSU serves a substantial number of first-generation college students (50.3%) and Pell-eligible students (44%), many of whom face challenges persisting in higher education. The Polytechnic College’s focus on practical and applied learning is especially appealing to students looking for efficient paths to gainful employment, while SHSU Online’s services offer the guidance and support needed to help them achieve their educational goals.
Research indicates that continuous digital support, instructor readiness, and accessible content play significant roles in student success. By offering 24/7 support, accessible digital resources, and training for instructors, SHSU Online ensures that students receive a consistent and enriching educational experience. These services collectively improve persistence, reduce attrition, and increase graduation rates, setting SHSU’s Polytechnic College apart as an educational model responsive to industry and student needs.
SHSU Online’s wrap-around framework is an essential component of the Polytechnic College’s strategy to address Texas’s workforce gaps. The grant-supported initiatives are expected to make a lasting impact on student outcomes, fostering career readiness, and providing a sustainable model for supporting diverse learners on their educational journeys. Through these efforts, SHSU reinforces its commitment to meeting the state’s workforce demands and empowering students to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.