Leading with Vision: 2026–2028 Strategic Direction

Strategic Direction

Excelsior University is steadfast in its mission to prepare students for academic and career success. The University will do so by expanding the degree portfolio, offering programs in multiple modalities, and establishing teaching sites throughout the United States. By 2028, Excelsior will have 14,000 students taking courses in online, hybrid, and in-person modalities, and at levels from pre-degree certificates to terminal degrees.

Empower with Purpose: Strategic Plan FY2026–2028

Key Strategic Goals

Forge new, market-driven programs, locations, and partnerships: Offer exceptional online and hybrid education—both in content and design—in health, business, and technology, from entry-level pre-degree programs to terminal degrees.

Pathways to achieving our goal:

Create new and expanded academic programs and credentials that align with workforce demand, leverage technology, and reimagine the student experience.

  • Expand nursing programs and credentials in new and existing markets to address the nationwide nursing shortage.
  • Launch a School of Mental Health that offers programs that address health and social service workforce gaps and meet increasing societal demands.
  • Launch a new portfolio of professional doctorates and other terminal degrees to create pathways to lifelong learning and expand our community of learners.
  • Expand the portfolio of engineering and technology-related programs and credentials in high-growth regional markets and nationwide industries.
  • Incorporate field experiences, AI, and other pedagogical tools to prepare leaders who can address current and emerging global challenges. Redefine general education to emphasize the application of durable skills, threading experiential learning and real-world application to validate and create evidence-based competencies for Excelsior students and alumni.

Develop deep, institutional collaborations to grow the Excelsior community, enhance opportunities for students and alumni, and expand Excelsior’s brand and reach.

  • Collaborate with higher education institutions and health care providers to create engaging clinical, virtual reality, and high-tech simulation experiences.
  • Focus on a holistic approach to human health through the intersections of technology and the medical, environmental, and social sciences.

Merge with, partner with, or acquire institutions with complementary curricula, services, and values to broaden Excelsior’s programmatic portfolio and geographic presence.

  • Merge with, partner, or acquire higher education institutions with programmatic and/or geographic strengths to expand Excelsior’s impact and diversify program offerings for students. Establish new locations in regions where there is high demand for current programs.

Innovate with Technology: Deploy advanced technologies and learning science to deliver best-in-class student experiences.

Pathways to achieving our goal:

  • Reduce bureaucratic hurdles for students through the implementation of a new student information system that creates seamless user experience and allows partner institutions to integrate into the Excelsior ecosystem.
  • Deploy artificial intelligence to remove barriers, streamline services, and support the learning ecosystem.

Foster a Community of Support: Reduce financial, cultural, and social barriers to enter and complete programs, with an expanded focus on military and veteran students.

Pathways to achieving our goal:

  • Successfully complete the Empower with Purpose capital campaign. Raise $5 million to support student scholarships, enhance the Excelsior student experience, and strengthen connections within the community.
  • Leverage new resources to remove barriers to success for students and drive institutional innovation.
  • Build a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive community through the Center for Social Justice with affinity groups, community partnerships, and engagement in national dialogue.