Guest columnist: Enrollment cliff can create pathways for working Kentuckians

For years, higher education leaders in Kentucky have been discussing and preparing for the “enrollment cliff,” the long-anticipated decline in the number of traditional college-age students following the Great Recession. That moment has arrived. The number of U.S. high school graduates peaked in 2025 and is projected to decline in the years ahead, prompting institutions everywhere to rethink enrollment strategies and long-term sustainability.
The demographic challenge is clear. But t