Imagine an institution of higher learning where:
- Students want to learn;
- Professors want to teach;
- Training and certification in trades, skilled crafts, technology, and other essential occupations are readily available;
- Students who seek a four-year degree can earn transfer credentials;
- Tuition is affordable;
- Work/study is a “norm;”
- Those already in the workforce are sought and respected;
- Diversity is “self-created” by the students;
- Equal educational opportunity is a reality;
- All are welcome;
- Future employers can have input into the curriculum;
- Practical training in real world skills is emphasized;
- Adult enrichment and continuing life education are encouraged, not afterthoughts;
- Parents don’t need to inflate their kids’ athletic or artistic profiles to beat the “admissions racket;”
- More is spent on classrooms and educational support than athletic venues;
- The football coach doesn’t make more than the college president!
There’s probably a community college (or colleges) near you. Whether you are a prospective student, employer, retiree, community activist, someone looking to sharpen existing skills or broaden your horizons, or just a curious community member you should check out America’s best educational bargains and the future of affordable, practical higher education!
Here’s a recent timely article from David Kirps, professor emeritus at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley, in WashPost on how community colleges are a source for a diverse group of highly-qualified students ready to take their skills and talents to other campuses and the real world:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/18/community-college-affirmative-action/
My only “beef” with Mr. Kirps’s article is the he passes over the important “other cohort” of community college students: Those who don’t necessarily aspire to transfer to a four-year college (at least not immediately), but rather seek the skills training and expertise to immediately enter the workforce in key, well-paying jobs. Our granddaughter, Cassie, who graduated from community college in Wisconsin last spring and is now gainfully employed as a licensed dental hygienist is a good example.
Full disclosure: Our son Will is the Manager, Business Engagement and Industry Initiatives at Northern Virginia Community College, where he concentrates on developing and insuring compatibility and employability for the “other cohort” of students and the employers who need and rely on them as the workforce of today — and tomorrow!
DPF!
PWS😎
11-21-24