Strategic Product Design + Measurable Outcomes
Context
At Shorelight, I led the university-level implementation of a credit-bearing pathway for international students who did not initially meet English proficiency requirements.
The objective was to enable students to improve English proficiency while earning transferable university credit without extending time-to-degree.
The Challenge
Traditional pathways often:
- Delayed full admission
- Added cost and time
- Relied heavily on non-credit coursework
- Required standardized testing
We needed a model that preserved academic rigor, met institutional governance standards, and improved long-term student outcomes.
What I Led
Integrated Credit-Bearing Curriculum
Redesigned CEFR-aligned instruction into integrated academic coursework approved for university credit. Students entered sophomore standing after year one.
Proficiency-Based Progression Framework
Established longitudinal benchmarks to replace reliance on single test thresholds.
Structured Intervention Model
Built proactive advising workflows with defined escalation pathways to support at-risk students.
Outcomes
- 95% program completion rate
- Sophomore standing after year one
- 4-year time-to-degree preserved
- Retention and graduation rates exceeded those of traditionally admitted peers
Product Scope
- Credit-bearing academic product design
- Proficiency and performance-based progression architecture
- Institutional governance alignment
- Lifecycle intervention systems
- Measurable retention ownership
When academic readiness is measured longitudinally and supported by structured intervention, proficiency or performance-based progression can outperform static gatekeeping metrics while preserving student momentum.