From First-Gen Student to Systems Thinker
Jayson Boyers, Ed.D, has carved a unique path in the world of higher education. As a first-generation college graduate, his journey was anything but conventional. “College wasn’t really a consideration in my family, and becoming a college graduate was in some ways hard to fathom,” he recalls. This personal experience instilled in him a deep passion for education as a tool for socioeconomic mobility and personal growth. “It allowed me to experience things I could never have imagined without a college education. I fell in love with this door to opportunity and wanted to help others open it.”
This sense of purpose led Boyers into various leadership roles across academia, from dean to vice president, and eventually to the presidency at institutions facing significant financial and operational challenges. At one institution, he inherited a 60-day notice from the bank just weeks into his tenure. Rather than being overwhelmed, he confronted the root issues that extended beyond the balance sheet. He used the uncertainty as an opportunity to reimagine what these colleges could become. “I used to tell my team, there’s always an answer. You may not like the answer, but it’s there,” he says. “You have to make choices aligned with your values, and if you do, even in crisis, you can build something stronger on the other side.”
Why College Still Pays
Despite growing skepticism about the value of a degree, Boyers remains steadfast in his belief that higher education is one of the most reliable paths to long-term economic stability. “When you look at lifetime earnings, it’s exponentially different for those with a college degree. The data doesn’t lie. Attaining a college degree is worth it.” For Boyers, the return on investment isn't just about salaries. “A college degree isn’t just about making money. It prepares you to be an engaged, capable citizen. We need people who understand how to contribute to their communities. College helps with emotional, social, and financial maturity.”
Recent research from the Social Security Administration supports this claim. Men with bachelor’s degrees earn approximately $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. For women, the difference is about $630,000. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) notes that bachelor's degree holders earn 31 percent more than those with an associate degree and 74 percent more than individuals with only a high school diploma.
Boyers highlights institutions like West Coast University, where he currently serves in a senior leadership role. The university, which focuses on healthcare credentialing, ranks in the top 1 percent of U.S. institutions for 40-year return on investment, according to Georgetown University. “That’s a powerful example of how the right kind of education, tailored to workforce demand, pays off, not just financially, but societally.”
Diagnosing the Real Problem in Higher Ed
Boyers is quick to challenge conventional thinking when it comes to why many colleges fail. “When institutions collapse, the issue usually isn’t financial. That’s just the symptom. The real problem is when schools forget who they are or can’t translate their mission into the modern economy.” This diagnosis is particularly acute for smaller private colleges, often in rural areas, that face mounting pressure from demographic shifts, shrinking enrollment, and outdated models. “These colleges were built for 18- to 22-year-olds, but that group now makes up a smaller slice of the college population than it has historically. The reality is most college students are over 25. College is no longer a four-year chapter. It’s a lifelong endeavor.”
Estimates from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Lumina Foundation place the number of non-traditional students in higher education at approximately 73 to 74 percent. Boyers believes this should fundamentally reshape how institutions design programs, allocate resources, and imagine campus life. “It’s not enough to support students while they’re present on campus. We have to design environments that support both campus and growth beyond campus, in the global classroom, over a lifetime.”
Building Capacity Before Growth
For Boyers, real transformation begins with matching vision to capacity. “Too often, schools chase ambitious goals like new programs and partnerships, without the infrastructure to support them,” he says. “You need to ask: what do I need to build now to sustain this later?” It’s an approach he refers to as “growing with guardrails.” The goal is not just growth, but sustainable, student-centered growth. “You can grow fast, but are you ready to support that growth? Do you have the systems, the staffing, the leadership? If not, you risk implosion.”
Boyers also urges institutions to move past what he calls “legacy wins.” “There’s a difference between dead tradition and living tradition. Dead tradition turns your institution into a museum. Living tradition adapts what was meaningful about your past into something vital for today.” This mindset was tested during the pandemic, when the college he led had already integrated digital learning platforms across all programs. “When COVID hit, our students adapted quickly. We hadn’t changed who we were, but we had built in the flexibility to thrive under new conditions. That’s the power of living tradition.”
Leadership Rooted in Values
With more than 25 years in the field, Boyers has helped institutions navigate disruption not as a threat, but as an opportunity for renewal. The institutions that endure are those that know who they are, and are willing to adapt without abandoning that core. What ultimately drives Boyers’ approach is a clear-eyed commitment to values. “You make decisions aligned with your mission and your people: students, faculty, staff. If you stay true to that, you’ll find a way forward,” he says. “A lottery ticket, an overnight solution, waiting for that one donor, none of that will save you. But thoughtful, aligned decisions will.”