Celebrating community colleges
By AACC 21st Century Center Staff
April 5, 2018
The nation’s community colleges are bringing awareness to the work they do during Community College Month.
April is Community College Month. It’s a fitting time to bring attention to the work of community colleges, especially considering President Donald Trump last week seemed unclear about what a community college is.
“I don’t know what that means, a community college,” Trump said in a speech in Ohio.
So how are community colleges celebrating Community College Month? Here are some ways:
Gadsden State Community College (Alabama) is embracing the theme “Making It Happen.” The college kicked off the month with State of the College addresses on two campuses. In addition, proclamations will be made during commission meetings in the counties served by the six Gadsden State campuses.
“Gadsden State has a lot to celebrate,” President Martha Lavender said. “We are meeting our goal to provide education, training and experience to students in an effort to improve their lives and enrich our community.”
There will be plenty of events all month, including student achievement recognition ceremonies, free vision screenings, a seminar for faculty on the history of community colleges, and a food drive. The college also will display student essays titled “Why I Love Gadsden State.”
Illinois’ John Wood Community College put together a video of students, staff and faculty talking about why they love their college. And Kaskaskia College — also in Illinois — will host open houses at the main campus and all its extension centers.
The 16 Maryland community colleges are partnering to highlight the impact and role of Maryland’s community colleges and why it’s important to support them. One example: Allegany College of Maryland’s president posted a video about the impact the college has on the community and students it serves. And Baltimore City Community College is prominently displaying this fact sheet on its website. The colleges have taken to Twitter, too, to promote “Maryland’s Sweet 16.”
Of course, Community College Month will end on a high-note: with the AACC 98th Annual Convention, bringing together about 2,000 people in the community college sector, business and industry, government and more. Registration for the convention closes April 13, and lodging reservations for the Hilton Anatole (the convention hotel) must be made by April 6.