Driving Revenue through Professional Continuing Education and Executive Education: An Interview with K. Shelette Stewart
K. Shelette Stewart is the founder and principal of Stewart Consulting, LLC. She also serves as a member of the Board of Reference / Advisory Council for the International Alliance for Christian Education. Dr. Stewart has over two decades of leadership experience as a business practitioner and academician with leading organizations including Harvard Business School, The Coca-Cola Company, and BellSouth / AT&T in strategic business planning, business development, and marketing. She is the author of Revelations in Business: Connecting Your Business Plan with God’s Purpose and Plan for Your Life (2nd ed., WestBow Press, 2017), and has co-authored several case studies published by Harvard Business School. In this article, senior editor Nathan Finn interviewed Dr. Stewart on the topic “Driving Revenue through Professional Continuing Education and Executive Education,” which was also the topic of her plenary address at the 2026 IACE Faculty Development Conference.
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Nathan Finn: You have been a keynote speaker at several IACE conferences. For readers who have not heard those presentations, can you share a bit of your personal testimony?
Your firm, Stewart Consulting, LLC, serves as a consulting partner for many IACE member institutions. What services do you offer?
Stewart: I grew up in my uncle’s church in Dayton, Ohio and first accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and was baptized at the age of ten. Later, as an adult, I was baptized again at the age of 24. I was raised in a strong Christian household with my mom, dad and younger brother, so the Christian worldview approach was instilled in me at a very young age.
During my tenure with The Coca-Cola Company, the Lord called me to take a sabbatical to write Revelations in Business and that chartered a whole new course in my career. He has called me to marketplace ministry and I have had the honor of ministering to leaders around the world including serving as a keynote speaker at the Fourth Congress of the Lausanne Movement in Seoul, South Korea.
My firm, Stewart Consulting, LLC, helps organizations with strategic planning and leadership development. So, I spend quite a bit of time developing strategic plans to help colleges and universities grow revenue; facilitating strategic planning sessions with college and university presidents and their boards of trustees; and conducting leadership programs for faculty, staff, and students.
Finn: The primary topic of this interview is professional Continuing Education and Executive Education (CE/EE). What is the difference between the two?
Stewart: Continuing Education (CE) and Executive Education (EE) are both non-degreed, short-term educational programs. CE programs generally target managers and leaders at all levels and career stages, while EE programs typically target more senior, C-suite level executives.
CE/EE programs are stand-alone classes on a myriad of management and leadership topics. They may be offered as stand-alone classes, or as part of a Certificate Program that includes other classes over several months; and they may be offered with or without Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
During my tenure at both the Harvard Business School, and while serving as Associate Director of Executive Education for Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, I learned of the substantial revenue generating opportunities offered by CE/EE programming. Both institutions generate millions of dollars annually through CE/EE.
In my current role as founder and principal of Stewart Consulting, LLC,[1] I help many Christian higher education institutions with strategic planning and leadership development. The majority of the strategic plans are for university presidents who wish to launch new CE/EE programming to drive incremental revenue for their institutions.
In developing their strategic plans, I incorporate Scripture texts and biblical principles throughout each element of their plans. Many of these insights are included in my book, Revelations in Business: Connecting Your Business Plan with God’s Purpose and Plan for Your Life,[2] which has been endorsed by many higher ed and business leaders including Dan Cathy, Chairman of Chick-fil-A.
Finn: What are the underlying Scripture texts and biblical principles associated with CE/EE and why is this so important for the broader Christian higher education ecosystem?
Stewart: In Philippians 3:14 (KJV), Paul states: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” As God’s ambassadors, we should always be growing and pressing on toward the purpose and calling that God has for us. CE/EE helps us accomplish this by providing personal and professional growth opportunities for us and others to become stronger stewards for Kingdom purposes because, at the end of our journeys, what we all want to hear is: “. . . Well done, good and faithful servant. . .” (Matthew 25:21, NKJV).
Finn: Why do you believe CE/EE is so important in helping Christian higher ed presidents and administrators navigate the current VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment?
Stewart: “Leaders in higher education are finding that the traditional tuition-driven business model is failing. Philanthropy alone is not, and will not be, sufficient to fill the gap for most institutions.” This quote comes from Deborah Obalil, who is the President and Executive Director of The Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design. Hence, the need for new approaches to the financing of higher educational institutions becomes critical. CE/EE programming helps to address this need and fill the financing gap.
We are currently in a VUCA environment: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. Presidents and administrators in Christian higher education must be prayerful, discerning, creative, and strategic in exploring other avenues for driving revenue while still focusing on Full Time Enrollments (FTEs).
I have witnessed many secular institutions generate millions of dollars annually in incremental revenue through CE/EE, while many of our Christian institutions are not even participating in professional continuing education. I do not wish to see another Christian higher education institution close its doors without having pursued CE/EE as an avenue for long-term incremental revenue and sustainability.
Finn: During your keynote presentation at the most recent IACE Faculty Conference, you stated that the single biggest revenue driving opportunity for Christian higher education is professional Continuing Education and Executive Education (CE/EE). Why do you believe this?
Stewart: I believe CE/EE is the single biggest revenue driving opportunity for Christian higher education because it is fairly easy and expeditious to enter the business. Also, it typically does not require extensive overhead. In fact, if institutions chose to market their CE/EE initiatives only to their alumni, I believe this would equate to substantial incremental revenue.
For example, I share with my clients, who are Christian higher presidents, that return on investment (ROI) begins as early as your first two (2) in-person classes of 50 participants (25 individuals per class) at a fee of $500 per person, which equates to $25,000. ROI also begins with your first online class in which each, of the 300 participants, pays a fee of $100, which equates to $30,000.
Alumni represent the proverbial low-hanging fruit for institutions that are making an initial foray into CE/EE because your alumni already know your institution, they know your brand and what you stand for. They do not need to be sold. They only need your support in providing professional continuing educational opportunities for them post-graduation.
Higher education institutions already have the faculty members who can teach the CE/EE classes; they have the real estate, or campuses, where professionals may attend classes; and, most already have online capabilities, where professionals may engage in virtual CE/EE classes.
CE/EE programming targets two main audiences:
● Individuals (e.g., individual contributors, managers, supervisors, directors, leaders, pastors, church staff members, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and members of your alumni).
● Organizations (e.g., local businesses, nonprofits, and churches / mega-churches in your community)
Finn: CE/EE programs can target both individuals and organizations. How does this work?
Stewart: CE/EE programs are typically offered in two (2) formats: Open Enrollment Programs (for individuals) and Custom Programs (for companies / organizations).
For Open Enrollment Programs, individuals, or a group of colleagues from the same organization, may attend CE/EE programs on-site, online, or via a hybrid format where they attend some classes onsite and some virtually. Open Enrollment Programs typically include leaders from a myriad of different companies who are taking a CE/EE class together. Open enrollment programs are often available as part of university-based continuing education offerings, which occur throughout the year on select dates.
For Custom Programs, companies, churches, and other nonprofits would contract with the higher education institution to have a customized CE/EE program conducted usually on-site at their offices or headquarters, or virtually for their organization. Custom Programs are designed specifically for a particular company and they only include employees of that particular company.
Finn: What is the business model for driving incremental revenue through CE/EE? How much do schools charge for these types of programs and who pays for them?
Stewart: The business model for CE/EE is simply based on the higher ed institution charging fees for the CE/EE classes that they conduct for individuals and for organizations.
Regarding Open Enrollment CE/EE programs, many individuals (e.g., managers, executives, entrepreneurs, etc.) will pay out of pocket to attend classes. Some employees work for companies that will pay for them to attend Open Enrollment CE/EE classes.
Pricing for Open Enrollment programs has a wide range depending on a number of factors including (in-person vs. virtual; length of the program; how competitive the local market is for CE/EE, etc.). Based on my experience with my Christian higher education clients, generally speaking, Open Enrollment programs typically charge from $100–$250 per hour, per person, for an in-person program and an estimated $50–$100 per hour, per person, for a virtual program.
With regards to Custom Programs for a company, the company will pay for the program to be developed and conducted for the company or employees either in person or virtually. Custom Programs have a wide range of pricing levels depending on several factors (e.g., extent of customization and time required by the faculty / instructor; instructor compensation for development and delivery; travel and accommodations for the instructor; length of the program in hours or days; program manager / staff costs for overseeing logistics; pre-read materials; catering costs if onsite at the university; profit margin markup, etc.).
Based on my experience with my Christian higher ed clients, Custom Programs typically charge anywhere from $2,500–$5,000 per hour, for on-site (on campus or at a corporate office) CE/EE programs. This is usually a one-time charge to the company for one class of participants, that is capped at a total of 25 individuals, to optimize the learning experience.
Finn: How are CE/EE programs delivered (in-person, online) and how long are these programs?
Stewart: CE/EE programs may be delivered in-person, online, or in hybrid format that is a combination of virtual and in-person. Most CE/EE programs range in timing from 1–2 hours; half-day, full-day, and 2-day programs.
Finn: What are some examples of popular leadership topics offered in CE/EE and how can Christian higher ed institutions offer compelling topics from a Christian worldview perspective?
Stewart: The most popular CE/EE topics are ones that help managers and leaders excel personally and professionally in a VUCA environment.
Some of the topics that I find consistently requested over the past years are:
● Managing Change
● Strategic Thinking
● Strategic Communications
● Financial Planning
● Strategic Planning
● Leading and Managing Across Generations
For Christian higher education institutions, the opportunity is to simply take the most popular topics and customize and market them with a Biblical worldview to key niche audiences (e.g., faith-based business leaders, pastors, church staff members, Christian non-profits, etc.).
For example:
● Managing Change for Church Leaders
● Strategic Planning Based on Biblical Principles for Pastors
● Financial Planning for Faith-Based Businesses
If a Christian institution has a high representation of a particular industry segment (e.g., healthcare, K-12 Education, etc.) in its local community, then I recommend tailoring the topic to leaders in that particularly industry:
For example:
● Managing Change in Healthcare
● Strategic Thinking for Healthcare Professionals
● Managing Across Generations for Leaders in Education
Finn: It seems like CE/EE is a natural fit for colleges and universities, but would CE/EE also work for a seminary or divinity school?
Stewart: Absolutely. I recommend that seminaries and divinity schools continue to focus on their primary mission of equipping ministers, pastors, church staff, missionary leaders, etc. even vis-a-vie their CE/EE initiatives.
For example:
● Managing Across Generations for Pastors and Church Leaders
● Managing Change for Pastors and Church Leaders
● Strategic Thinking for Missionary Leaders
● Financial Planning for Pastors
Finn: What are the benefits of CE/EE for individuals, organizations, communities, and higher education institutions? Ultimately, what are the benefits for the Kingdom?
Stewart: CE/EE courses often enhance the acumen and skills of managers and leaders, and this often leads to stronger employee engagement, morale, performance, productivity, and bottom-line profitability. There are numerous benefits to having an engaged workforce for both employees and employers.
For individuals (e.g., pastors and entrepreneurs) and employees, heightened engagement in the workforce equates to a greater sense of satisfaction, meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their jobs, careers, and ministries. They cease to approach their personal and professional lives in silos. And, they begin to excel and feel as if they are being compensated for a hobby. This is the proverbial “sweet spot.”
Employers reap benefits when their employees are engaged. According to the 2026 Gallup State of the Global Workforce Report, an engaged workforce is a significant competitive advantage.[3] Organizations with engaged workforces generally have lower absenteeism, turnover, safety incidents and higher productivity and profitability.
The 2024 Harvard Business Publishing Global Leadership Development Study highlights the must-have capabilities for leaders worldwide, with the number one capability being the ability to connect employees with the organization’s purpose.[4] I would posit that Christian higher education plays a unique and important role in furthering this by also helping employees to understand their God-given purpose and calling as individuals.
For Christian higher education institutions, CE/EE programming offers not only new Christian worldview continuing education, but also an incremental revenue stream that provides additional financial resources for the institution to pursue other imperatives (e.g., FTEs, student scholarships, financing new buildings, etc.).
For faculty, CE/EE offer the opportunity to supplement their income by earning additional compensation by serving as a CE/EE instructor. For staff, CE/EE offers the opportunity to enhance their skill sets by taking some of the CE/EE classes and usually at a discounted rate. In these ways, CE/EE serves to enhance faculty and staff engagement, satisfaction, and retention. This ultimately benefits their service to their students. This allows us to impact new generations and continue to, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, NIV), which is the Great Commission and ultimately benefits the Kingdom of God.
Finn: How easy is it to launch a new CE/EE program and does it require a lot of overhead investment?
Stewart: It is quite easy and expeditious to get into the CE/EE market. Most presidents and administrators will have faculty, staff, real estate, online platforms, and alumni to which the programs may be initially marketed. So, incremental overhead costs do not necessarily have to be exorbitant.
The key is to have a comprehensive Strategic Business Plan developed for your professional continuing education and executive education initiative. Your Strategic Business Plan will include your:
● Mission and Vision Statement (for your CE/EE imitative)
● Competitive Analysis / Market Assessment
● Goals and Objectives
● Strategies and Tactics
● Marketing Plan / Advertising / Media / Public Relations
● Operations Plan
● Management and Organization Plan
● Financial Plan
● Implementation Plan
● Evaluation and Assessment Plan
I recommend engaging an experienced CE/EE consultant to develop a Strategic Business Plan for your CE/EE initiative. I also suggest conducting a pilot program to test an online versus in-person CE/EE program to gain key insights before launching a full rollout.
Finn: Based on your experience, what is the quickest, easiest, and most lucrative audience to reach for a Christian higher education institution getting into CE/EE for the first time?
Stewart: Your alumni! They are already familiar with your institution. You do not have to sell them. You only need to provide educational, informative, inspiring CE/EE to help them along their personal and professional journeys.
Finn: Based on your experience, what are some common mistakes made around CE/EE initiatives?
Stewart: Some common mistakes include: not engaging your Board of Trustees around the CE/EE imitative early in the process; not taking the time to develop a comprehensive Strategic Business Plan for CE/EE; not effectively marketing the CE/EE program; not allocating the proper budget and human resources; and not assigning the right faculty to teach CE/EE courses. Instructors must be skilled in, and comfortable with teaching professionals and executives. If your institution does have faculty who are suitable for teaching CE/EE, you may always leverage external subject matter experts and consultants to teach on behalf of your institution.
Another common mistake is always trying to design CE/EE classes to qualify for CEUs, which is an often complicated and time-consuming process because CEU courses are part of a formal certificate program in which professionals have to take multiple courses over several months. This defeats the purpose when many managers and executives simply need or desire one short, quick course on a specific leadership topic for skill enhancement. They have no time, capacity, nor desire to take several courses as part of a Certificate program. Nor do they care about CEUs. Hence, they decline participation altogether and the institution loses the revenue. If your institution is actually getting traction around certificate programs and CEUs, then I recommend that you offer your new CE/EE programs as both stand-alone courses and as part of your certificate program initiatives to meet the needs of a wide range of professionals.
Finn: If a school has already begun a foray into CE/EE, what do they need to do to drive more participation?
Stewart: I would recommend that they ensure that their Strategic Business Plan for CE/EE includes a solid Marketing Plan which leverages traditional marketing elements (e.g., social media /LinkedIn, advertising, public relations, media, etc.) and non-traditional marketing elements (e.g., strategic partnerships and corporate alliances). I also suggest that they allocate staff members who are solely focused on driving business development, sales, and revenue for their CE/EE initiatives.
Notes:
[1] https://shelettestewart.com/
[2] K. Shelette Stewart, Revelations in Business: Connecting Your Business Plan with God’s Purpose and Plan for Your Life, 2nd ed. (Westbow Press, 2017).
[3] See “State of the Global Workplace 2026,” Gallup, https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx.
[4] See “2025 Global Leadership Development Study,” Harvard Business Impact, https://www.harvardbusiness.org/insight/2025-global-leadership-development-study/.
If you are a university leader who is interested in speaking with Dr. Stewart further about Continuing Education and Executive Education, you can find more information at the Stewart Consulting, LLC, website (https://shelettestewart.com/). Dr. Stewart can also be reached via email (shelette@shelettestewart.com) or by phone at (214)-636-1240.