Competency-based education is not only more flexible and affordable—it can improve equity on college and university campuses, levelling the playing field for historically marginalized students. Like most crises, the COVID-19…
Community College
The Changing Role of the Modern Community College
Michael Baston | President, Rockland Community CollegeThe pandemic has highlighted how vital community colleges are in filling workforce skills gaps and giving the community opportunities to get back into the workforce. Community colleges often have their…
Community colleges have long been the victims of classism in higher education, but they now have the opportunity to shine by providing continuing education that will, in turn, help develop…
Leveraging Continuing Ed and Workforce Development in Community Colleges
Angela Long | Director of Strategic Engagement, Tallahassee Community CollegeMore working adults are trying to figure out their next move to stay relevant in the workforce. By working together, continuing ed and workforce divisions can build the right career…
Community colleges’ mission is to serve the community. By leveraging Continuing Ed’s ability to deliver non-credit programming that meets the needs of adult learners, community colleges can serve their mission…
The Digital Divide and Rural Electrification
Jon Bauer | President, East Central College Ed Up ExperienceDistance education has changed significantly. Going forward, institutions must keep the digital divide that has been highlighted by the pandemic at the forefront of their minds to make education more…
Community colleges are becoming agile operations critical to our economic recovery. It’s important to eliminate the stigma that has surrounded them for decades. There has always been stigma around community…
Using Research and Identification to Find Solutions in Food Insecurity
Charise Breeden-Balaam | Visiting Lecturer, Community College of PhiladelphiaFood insecurity has always had massive impact on community college students but even moreso during the pandemic. Institutions must adequately research and identify this issue on their campuses to provide…
As today’s students continue their educational journey while in the workforce, institutions can begin to leverage their continuing ed divisions and industry leaders to deliver on their lifelong learning mission. …
People-First Leadership: The Right Response to the Pandemic
Todd Hernandez | President, Northwest State Community CollegeAlthough shaken up by the pandemic, this became an opportunity for higher ed leaders to come together, establish trust and create a better future for higher ed. Since the pandemic,…
One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting learners in different regions. Programming needs to be designed to meet the specific needs of learners and employers in…
Identifying Barriers to Innovation
Amardeep Kahlon | Dean of the Technical Institute, Unity CollegeHigher education has been historically slow to change, but this current time of uncertainty offers institutions the opportunity to re-invent themselves according to students’ needs. Higher Education is at the…
There may be dull moments in engagement where no fish are biting—be patient and ensure that the right information is available and accessible on your website, so you can navigate…
Three Ways States Can Help Community College Transfer Students Complete Their Bachelor’s Degrees
Alexandria Walton Radford | Director of the Center for Applied Rearch in Postsecondary Education, American Institutes for Research Aleksandra HolodTransfer credits often determine whether a student will complete a college degree, with many receiving little to none. But experts are starting to find that implementing statewide postsecondary education articulation…
Non-credit training and programs are in higher demand than ever before. Community colleges need to find ways in which they too can get onboard with non-credit education to retain students…
Beyond the Rankings: Regional Colleges’ Impact on Their Communities
Alicia B. Harvey-Smith | President and CEO, Pittsburgh Technical CollegeRegional colleges tend to be more heavily involved within their local communities—and though it’s not their reason for doing so—academic rankings, which traditionally focus on more prestigious four-year institutions, can…
With a tremendous experience collaborating with the workforce in developing the right programs, community colleges have a great opportunity to position themselves more prominently in the higher ed space. Community…
Conscious Development of Continuing Ed in Community Colleges
Frank Nunez | District Director of Trade and Training, State Center Community College DistrictIn creating non-credit offerings, having an organization that can facilitate discussions and support from other regional leaders is important to developing the best learner experience. Non-credit programming is becoming an…
No matter what education path someone takes, work-based and experiential learning will always hold high value—something that community colleges need to incorporate into their program models. Community colleges are there…
Continuing Ed as the Strategic Imperative for Community Colleges
Carlos Cortez | President of San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE), San Diego Community College DistrictCommunity colleges aren’t used to distance education, and the pandemic has forced them to rethink their infrastructure around it. It isn’t an easy step to take, but once you begin…
To increase the number of adults with education beyond high school, colleges will need to see credit and non-credit education as equals and quickly deliver the skills employers need right…
Taking a Regional Approach to Collaboration in Non-Traditional Programming
Monica Johnston | Director of Workforce Development, Metropolitan Community CollegeTo give students the best learning experience they can have, higher ed leaders need to keep relationships strong and doors open when it comes to innovative ideas, so everyone can…
Community colleges can develop high-quality non-credit programming but what’s most important is that they illustrate the value of this pathway to their students and faculty. Community colleges have an opportunity…
Finding Financial Support for Non-credit Programming in Community Colleges
Albert Lewis | Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development, Bellevue CollegeWith non-credit programming typically offered in continuing education units, it’s time for institutions to rethink its value and who should be able to offer it. Non-credit offerings in the community…
With a decreasing population of traditional-aged students, institutions must make the pivotal shift to creating programming catered to working adult learners. Institutions have taken a hard financial hit due to…
Providing Adults Free Courses Online: It Can Be Done (Part 1)
Carlos Cortez | President of San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE), San Diego Community College DistrictOffering distance or online education is one thing, but part of designing the educational experience for the client/student means meeting their financial, social and cultural needs. Students need to be…
We’ve come to accept that the online environment will only become more important after the pandemic, and institutions need to be well equipped to serve high-quality programming and services in…
Redesigning Workforce Programming Online
Carlos Cortez | President of San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE), San Diego Community College DistrictFor San Diego Continuing Education, the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just prompt them to launch online instruction but a whole online learning platform: ICOM Academy. This new initiative serves to deliver…
In wake of the pandemic, higher education has come to understand the value of online education, but there’s more work to be done for online education to reach its full…
Guided Pathways: Are Colleges ‘Student-Ready’?
Ann Buchele | Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Education, Linn-Benton Community CollegeWhen selecting courses, it’s easy for students to get lost in the never-ending list of options, which usually ends in frustration with a bad experience. Guided pathways are a way…