2024 – 2029 Strategic Plan
We aim to provide an education for a lifetime that will prepare individuals to thrive and adapt in an ever-changing world. The strategic plan looks beyond the day-to-day work at the college and envisions a future closer to achieving our vision and better than where we are today. It fosters a dynamic and inclusive learning environment, aligns our goals, targets improvements, and further improves the quality of education and experience for students.
Mission
Casper College is a public, comprehensive two-year institution with a primary focus on student success that provides learning opportunities to enrich the lives of our students and community.
Vision
Casper College strives to provide an education for a lifetime that will prepare individuals to thrive and adapt in an ever-changing world.
Values
In support of our college and community mission, Casper College holds the following core values:
- Integrity — Hard work, accountability, trust, open communication, and respect.
- People — Growth, support, personal development, and positive relationships.
- Diversity — Thought, culture, and experience.
- Forward Thinking — Intentional, innovative, and sustainable planning in the pursuit of excellence.
- Community — Partnership and service.
2024-2029 Priorities and Strategies
Student Enrollment, Retention, and Success
We are focused on empowering students to achieve their personal and professional goals at any stage of life.
- Maintain and increase enrollment.
- Increase student retention.
- Increase student completions.
- Demonstrate positive outcomes of a Casper College education.
Program Development and Innovation
We are committed to demonstrating the value of Casper College by ensuring our programs are accessible, relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs of our students, communities, and the global workforce.
- Ensure academic program relevancy.
- Develop and evolve programs to continue our role as a
comprehensive community college. - Enhance experiential learning opportunities for students.
Community Outreach and Educational Partnerships
We aim to partner with our community in serving the comprehensive educational needs for individuals, companies, and government.
- Promote Casper College in our larger community.
- Pursue opportunities for expanded college advocacy and outreach.
- Enhance our partnership with Natrona County School District.
Employee Engagement
We aim to cultivate a workplace that is not only rewarding but also inspirational where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to excel in their roles.
- Recruit talented employees.
- Retain talented employees.
- Cultivate an environment for continuous learning and growth for employees.
Guiding us is our belief and practice of putting students first at Casper College.
We can say students come first at Casper College but you’ll have to experience it to understand what it truly means. We are intentional about putting students at the center of our work and passions. We aim to provide a transformative educational experience for students by empowering their minds and nurturing their potential where they feel that they are part of a community that is passionate about helping them to learn, grow and succeed at college.
2026 Strategic Goals
Student enrollment, retention and success.
Casper College is committed to empowering students to achieve their dreams at any stage of life. By focusing on enrollment growth, higher retention, and increased graduation rates, we aim to create a supportive environment where students thrive. With clear goals and innovative tools like outcome dashboards, we are enhancing the impact of a Casper College education—ensuring every student’s journey leads to success and meaningful opportunities. Together, we’re building brighter futures!
| Strategy | Goal | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Maintain and increase enrollment. | Increase enrollment by 1% over the previous year. |  |
| Identify and reduce enrollment barriers by expanding flexible scheduling and online learning and expanding prior learning for credit and expanding access. | | |
| Increase conversion of degree-seeking applicants to enrolled students. | | |
| Increase student retention. | Increase FAFSA completion rates among current students. | |
| Increase student completions. | Increase graduation rate from 43% to 45%. | |
| Demonstrate positive outcomes of a Casper College education. | Implement a graduate survey to track transfer and employment outcomes. | |
Program Development and Innovation
Casper College is dedicated to delivering accessible, relevant, and forward-thinking programs that empower students and meet the ever-changing demands of our communities and the global workforce. By ensuring academic excellence, evolving as a comprehensive community college, and enriching experiential learning opportunities, we prepare students to thrive in their careers and make a lasting impact in the world.
| Strategy | Goal | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ensure academic program relevancy. | Integrate career-connected learning and emerging technologies across academic programs. | |
| Continue Campus Master Plan focus on health science and CTE buildings. | | |
| Develop and evolve programs to continue our role as a comprehensive community college. | Develop and open a BAS degree in ag business and human services. | |
| Launch 2+ new programs aligned to workforce and economic needs. | | |
| Enhance experiential learning opportunities for students. | Integrate WBL/internship options for credit in at least 5 programs. | |
Community Outreach and Educational Partnerships
Casper College is committed to strengthening our community through dynamic educational partnerships. By promoting the college’s impact, expanding outreach, and fostering collaboration throughout the community, we aim to serve the diverse needs of individuals, businesses, and government. Together, we create opportunities, inspire growth, and build a brighter future for our region.
| Strategy | Goal | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Promote Casper College in our larger community. | Implement Community Learning Series that brings thoughtful dialogue to issues important to the community and region. | |
| Pursue opportunities for expanded college advocacy and outreach. | Engage ≥75% of career programs in active advisory boards. | |
| Enhance our partnership with Natrona County School District. | Expand access and participation in early college opportunities. | |
| Revise MOU with NCSD. | | |
| Strengthen NACEP alignment by ensuring completion and organization of all faculty liaison and concurrent instructor documentation. | |
Employee Engagement
Casper College is committed to creating an inspiring and rewarding workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. By attracting and retaining top talent and fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth, we ensure our team is motivated to excel. Together, we build a culture of excellence that drives the success of our students and our community.
| Strategy | Goal | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Recruit talented employees. | Strengthen recruitment process. | |
| Retain talented employees. | Launch stay interviews. | |
| Develop a performance review process. | | |
| Cultivate an environment for continuous learning and growth for employees. | Leadership and supervisor development program by Spring 2026. | |
| Employee Wellness Program | | |
| Campus safety response plan. | | |
| Institution-wide Students First training. | | |
| Safety First training amongst the students, staff, instructors and building marshals. | |
2025–2026 Strategic Goals Overview and Outcomes
Casper College’s 2025–2026 Strategic Plan reflects a commitment to the mission of student success and community engagement through innovation, collaboration, and accountability. Across all four strategic priorities, including student enrollment, retention and success; Program Development and Innovation; community outreach and educational partnerships; and employee engagement, substantial progress has been achieved, with many goals completed ahead of schedule or exceeding benchmarks.
1. Student Enrollment, Retention and Success
Casper College’s student success metrics are trending positively, with retention and completion
improvements indicating both effective implementation of strategy and a student-centered culture.
Key Achievements
Enrollment Growth:
- Fall 2025 enrollment increased 0.9% compared to the previous fall, reversing earlier declines.
- New applications rose 3.8%, the applicant-to-enrolled conversion rate (referred to as yield)
improved by nearly 3%, and new applicants enrolled increased 6.84% over the previous fall semester.
There is a new dashboard on the DataCC system that tracks applications and enrollment.
Retention Gains:
- The 2022 cohort saw retention rates of 66% for full-time and 51% for part-time students, well above
the target of 63% and 33%, respectively. Retention is measured at 3 years of progress within a given cohort.
A new dashboard is available on DataCC that tracks IPEDS measures including retention, graduation rates,
transfer rates, enrollment, and completions.
Graduation Progress:
- The 2021 cohort graduation rate improved to 43% (up from 39%), yielding a 9% year-over-year increase in
completions. Graduation rates are also measured at 3+ years of progress. This past year also saw the
implementation of automated degree auditing and communication systems that are also contributing to increases
in graduates.
Student Outcomes Tracking:
- The college established a framework for measuring postsecondary outcomes using the Postsecondary Outcomes
Explorer and Program Assessment Planning tools.
2. Program Development and Innovation
Program innovation continues to strengthen Casper College’s role as a comprehensive community college
responsive to Wyoming’s workforce and educational needs.
Key Achievements
Academic Program Relevance:
- All credit and noncredit programs underwent an evaluation for enrollment, graduation, and alignment with
workforce demand. - Continuous review processes are now embedded within Academic Affairs operations.
New Program Initiatives:
- Development is underway for BAS/AB degrees in Agribusiness and Human Services.
- Potential new certificate programs are being considered and a four-year program in Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Experiential Learning Expansion:
- Over the past year, each school identified and expanded experiential opportunities.
- A consolidated database of learning opportunities is in place, demonstrating growth in applied learning across disciplines.
3. Community Outreach and Educational Partnerships
Community partnerships are thriving, reinforcing Casper College’s regional leadership in workforce development,
K–12 alignment, and civic engagement.
Key Achievements
Community Engagement:
- A survey of Casper College employees revealed that they volunteered nearly 10,000 hours of service to 164 community
organizations in 2024. The employees represented 46 different departments at the college. - In 2025, the college expanded its involvement and support to 37 new community events.
College Advocacy & Outreach:
- Career Services launched Handshake software, giving students access to 400+ internship and job opportunities in the community
a milestone for connecting academics to careers. - Collaboration with Natrona County School District expanded through concurrent enrollment articulation and new outreach via BOCES.
- Inquiries from BOCES students rose 18%, and applications to Casper College from that population increased 44%, advancing the goal
of improving college-going rates among local high school graduates.
4. Employee Engagement
Casper College has significantly advanced its internal culture through transparent compensation practices, leadership pipelines,
and accessible employee learning centers reinforcing its reputation as an employer of choice.
Key Achievements
Compensation and Recruitment:
- A compensation review was conducted for areas/positions identified as lagging the market.
- Adjustments, including retention bonuses, were approved for FY26.
Employee Retention Initiatives:
- “Stay Interviews” and leadership development modules are being integrated into the NeoEd and Learn systems,
fostering data-driven improvements in employee satisfaction.
Leadership Development:
- The Leadership Casper College program successfully graduated its first cohort and launched its second, strengthening internal leadership capacity.
Centers for Learning and Development:
- The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA) served 69 faculty members in its inaugural semester.
- The rebranded Elevate Casper College center opened in Spring 2025 to serve all employees, marking a milestone in professional development access.
Conclusion and Leadership Message
Casper College’s leadership, faculty, and staff have delivered exceptional progress across all areas of the 2025–2026 Strategic Plan.
These achievements demonstrate a focus on student success, innovation, community partnership, and employee excellence.
This collective momentum reflects not only the college’s values of Integrity, People, Diversity, Forward Thinking, and Community,
but also its vision of education for a lifetime. The leadership team is encouraged to celebrate these milestones and continue driving
the next phase of success into 2026.