Those who work within adult higher education know there is something unique about their perspective on academic life. Employed in the adult education arena in one capacity or another since 1993, the author has had the privilege of working at an institution with a small adult program and an institution with a very large adult program. In this article, the author reviews the history of adult education among private institutions. Her overview notes the effects of adult programs on students, faculty, curriculum development, institutional mission, and organizational behavior.