GVFaces: Adam Downs

December 10, 2024 (Volume 48, Number 8)
Article by Samantha Drougel

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Adam Downs, Omni assistant vice president of Alternative Prior and Work Based Learning

Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills

Adam Downs has joined Grand Valley's Omni team as assistant vice president of Alternative Prior and Work Based Learning. 

Downs had served in many capacities at Kaplan University and as president of his own consulting company, offering strategies to universities, online EdTech companies and higher education systems on the best ways to utilize prior and alternative learning.

His Grand Valley role has Downs collaborating with other campus departments to recognize and integrate alternative education pathways, prior learning and workforce experiences into the educational framework.

“You can sum up my entire career by this one goal to help students earn a degree faster and for less cost,” said Downs. “I’m a builder. I like to create programs and new ideas to come up with innovative solutions.”

Down’s earned a bachelor's degree in performance and technical theater at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. He worked as a lighting designer then found his way into education. He earned a master's degree in higher education administration and leadership from Kaplan University.  

Downs lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his wife and three children; they plan to relocate to Michigan in the summer. His wife is a licensed massage therapist and hopes to establish her business in Grand Rapids.                       

In his free time, Downs enjoys playing board games and running. He completed a marathon in mid-November, adding it was his fifth and final marathon. He is also the cub master for his youngest son's Cub Scout pack and plans to continue as a volunteer scout leader when they move to Michigan.

“I am really looking forward to trees. We don’t really get a lot of trees out here in Nebraska,” said Downs.

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