Commentary from John L. Hoffman, president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College

Advice often attributed to hockey legend Wayne Gretzky suggests that good players don’t skate to where the puck is or has been — they skate to where it’s going. That same strategy inspires our work at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College as we have prepared for what many are calling the “enrollment cliff.”
Next year, we will face the reality of a drastic drop in the number of high school graduates resulting from declining birth rates since the Great Recession in 2008. Demographic experts forecast that this trend will continue for at least the next 16 years — both in Minnesota and across the nation — creating significant challenges for colleges and universities that have primarily relied on students enrolling directly out of high school.

Responding to a changing reality

At BSU and NTC, we have been approaching this moment as an opportunity to reshape how, where and whom we serve. Part of our strategy includes expanding the number of areas where we find and support students. We are devoting more attention to graduate students, adult learners and transfer students — those who bring with them prior college experience. This includes rethinking how our faculty design and deliver their coursework and how our outreach and recruitment teams connect with students who are balancing school, work and family responsibilities.

While this work is emerging, the results are already encouraging. This year, Bemidji State leads all seven Minnesota State universities in percentage growth for graduate students and is second in terms of transfer growth. Many of these students are adult learners over the age of 25. In fact, data for fall 2025 enrollment shows that more than one-third of BSU’s undergraduates are adults, and a higher percentage than ever before have previously taken courses elsewhere. At NTC, half of our students are now adult learners. More students are building upon lived experience, not just beginning their journeys.

Reimagining the transfer student experience

Over the last year, we partnered with the Blandin Foundation, an organization dedicated to vibrant futures for rural Minnesota communities, to better understand northern Minnesota’s transfer student environment, specifically. What we learned was not surprising: transferring credits to BSU can be overly complicated, creating unnecessary barriers for students.

The insights inspired an exciting paradigm shift benefiting our region. Rather than focusing on facilitating the traditional transfer process, we are dedicated to creating transitions proactively — simple, seamless and supportive pathways that connect two-year graduates to four-year degrees. Our vision is simple: every student who attends a two-year or tribal college in northern Minnesota is already a Bemidji State student.

These college graduates will not need to apply for admission to BSU — they will simply register for their next classes. In some cases, BSU faculty will deliver those classes through a blend of in-person and virtual formats while students remain at their two-year or tribal campus. Other students may complete their bachelor’s degrees entirely online or choose to study in person and join our vibrant campus community in Bemidji.

In September, a group of BSU senior leaders joined me for a tour of Minnesota North College campuses. During that visit, we signed a series of agreements that begin building these seamless transitions for Minnesota North students. Graduates now gain automatic admission to BSU, full transfer of credits toward a bachelor’s degree and other benefits that depend on their program of study.

These agreements include BSU’s innovative degree-completion program in forestry management, designed specifically for Minnesota North College students. The program allows students who complete a two-year forest technology degree in Grand Rapids or Ely to continue seamlessly into BSU’s bachelor’s program.

We are also developing similar pathways in nursing, social work, addictions counseling, engineering, project management and other high-demand fields. And next up will be new degree offerings designed to accelerate pathways to a baccalaureate degree for students coming from the trades and related fields.

To support this vision, we are adding a new transfer navigator position to our outreach team. This individual will serve as a dedicated connection between each of the six Minnesota North College campuses and Bemidji State University, providing deeply personalized advising and guidance. The navigator will meet students where they are — helping them explore programs, answer questions and chart a clear path to a BSU degree that aligns with their goals and aspirations.

Evolving for the future

The world has changed, and higher education must evolve with it. Make no mistake — we will continue to recruit and support traditional high school graduates. Our focus is also broadening to include students at every stage of life — those starting at a two-year institution, returning from the workforce or choosing to stay close to home.

By preparing today for the students and workforce needs of tomorrow, we are ensuring that the promise of higher education remains strong, accessible and rooted in the needs of the North.

Dr. John L. Hoffman
President
Bemidji State University & Northwest Technical College