For Petrina Peart, cooking is not only a creative outlet — it’s her love language. “I think it comes from a sense of nurturing. That’s how I express myself — not only creatively, but in how I nurture other people,” she said. “I’m not a go-buy-gifts kind of person or Christmas cards or anything like […]
Mission and Values Articles
Wildfires inspire students’ STEM innovations
The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) aims to foster solutions developed by two-year college students to address real-world STEM problems. What is particularly unique this year is how many finalist projects came about from discussions about wildfires. During a CCIC poster showcase held on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, 12 student-led teams from community colleges across […]
Students tackle real-world housing issues
What happens when design education meets community need? At Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), the answer is home — real ones that are affordable, sustainable and deeply rooted in neighborhood values. Students in the sustainable residential design program applied their learning to a real-life project with major community impact. Assistant professor Corri Sandwick knows all […]
Community Dental Day delivers relief, smiles
More than 100 people in need of dental care walked through the doors of Springfield Technical Community College on May 3, leaving with more than just clean teeth or extracted wisdom teeth. They left with a sense of relief, gratitude and hope. The college’s seventh annual Community Dental Day offered free dental care to residents […]
Food pantry expansion, fundraising campaign aim to meet rising needs
An expanded Madison College food pantry will support a growing number of food-insecure students on campus. The new operational space, opening this month, replaces the previous small 14 x 14 closet, providing more pantry shelving, storage and emergency food lockers. The space has a refrigerator, so the pantry can distribute perishable items and produce from […]
12 student teams named CCIC finalists
A record number of student teams from community colleges across the country competed this year in the annual Community College Innovation Challenge, with the American Association of Community Colleges announcing on Tuesday that 12 teams have advanced to the final round in June. Now in its ninth year, the competition run by AACC, in partnership […]
Planting seeds for the future
Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) recently marked Earth Day with seed planting to assist in combating a critical community issue: the food desert along Route 214 beyond Largo, Md. The event was hosted at the college’s Community Garden. It was a collaborative effort by PGCC’s Office of Government Relations and Community Outreach, the Student Garden […]
Commentary: A tremendous value and a pathway to prosperity
Making higher education more accessible and affordable is a personal priority for me. As a wealth director, I understand the importance of earning a degree without being unnecessarily saddled with debt. And as a graduate of a Pennsylvania community college, I know firsthand how these institutions can kickstart a career and provide a pathway to […]
Building a relationship with the community
In 2014, a community scan conducted by Harper College revealed that people in Harper’s service area didn’t feel connected to the college. Community members expressed that they only heard from Harper when the college needed something. That feedback spurred Harper to create a community relations program and a community relations manager position. “Harper is the […]
Supporting nursing students through Random Acts of Kindness
The Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Fund is known throughout Minneapolis College for helping students meet basic needs such as one-time emergency expenses, transportation costs, food, and fees related to taking certification exams after graduation. Recognizing the importance of providing emergency grants and seeing first-hand how a financial hardship impacted some of the dedicated students […]