Why Community College

Heading to class and the mall may sound like two different adventures. Still, a few community colleges nationwide are merging the two into a single trek that benefits everyone involved. Mall space is often an economical alternative for community college expansion, providing necessary space in a convenient location for students. Several community colleges nationwide are taking classes at the mall during upcoming school years.

Renovation Plans Send Displaced Students into Retail Space

Austin Community College in Texas has big plans for its students over the next few years, as the campus plans for significant expansion in hopes of meeting future enrollment projections. However, as the campus undergoes the upheaval typical of construction projects, many feared that a student cutback would be necessary until the expansion was complete. Fortunately for Austin, that problem was easily solved by purchasing “swing space” at a nearby mall.

According to a report at Community Impact Newspaper, the college plans to buy former Dillard’s and Macy’s buildings at the Highland Mall until the campus expansion plan is complete. Bonds will fund the renovations of the mall property from a 2013 or 2014 election and will provide additional space to Austin Community College for the next 12 years.

This is not the only mall purchase the college has made recently. According to a report at the Austinist, the college also purchased 173 acres, including the former J.C. Penney building, for $15.7 million. Last year, the school bought 18.5 acres, consisting of

Millions of adults in this country do not have the training and education necessary to land good jobs with sufficient pay to support their families. At the same time, businesses are unable to find the skilled workers they need to fill their positions and improve their productivity. To provide a solution to both of these national economic issues, Jobs for the Future (JFF) has announced the launch of their latest program, Accelerating Opportunity: A Breaking Through Initiative, which will provide resources to community colleges nationwide to transform the current adult education system. The changes implemented by this initiative will ensure more adults get the necessary training to move into high-paying jobs and provide the skilled workforce companies need to compete in the global marketplace.

In Want of a Workforce

According to a report at CBS Atlanta, over 26 million adults in this country lack a high school diploma today. A small portion of this number enrolls in adult education classes, hoping to get the education necessary to move ahead in today’s workforce. Unfortunately, many students who enroll in adult education programs drop out after just a semester or two without getting their postsecondary credentials to get the better jobs they originally hoped for. Accelerating Opportunity is designed to change the scenario by reinventing the way adult education is delivered and providing the necessary support to help students succeed.

“The number of adults without skills and credentials beyond high school is a national crisis

The latest President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is out. And some of the community colleges that made the grade are making repeat appearances on the list. These schools have shown exemplary performance in civic engagement and community service. The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was first established in 2006 by the Corporation for National and Community Service to recognize schools of higher education that go above and beyond their basic educational responsibilities to serve their surrounding communities more effectively. We'll take a closer look at this prestigious honor and some of the community colleges that made the grade this year.

About the Honor Roll

Since he took office, President Obama has issued a national call to service as a major cause for his administration. The president wanted to acknowledge the schools of higher education around the country that went the extra mile to meet the needs of their communities and find solutions to common social problems. As a result, the President's Honor Roll for Community Service was created. Appointees for the annual honor roll are chosen through the Corporation for National and Community Service work in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Contact and the American Council on Education.

Many factors go into the selection of colleges and universities for the honor roll. According to the website of the Corporation for National and Community Service, some of the features schools must exhibit

First-generation college students face many challenges when they are the first in their family to head off to the ivied halls of higher education. While that first trip to a college campus can be exciting, it can also be filled with anxiety and uncertainty. These college students don't have anyone in their families to offer support and first-hand advice on succeeding in post-secondary education. However, these first-generation students are often much more successful in their academic endeavors when colleges understand and meet their needs during their first few weeks on campus and beyond. This article looks at some challenges first-generation community college students face and what schools can do to make the transition a little easier.

What is a First-Generation Student?

First-generation community college students are the first in their immediate family to attend postsecondary school after high school, according to a report at ERIC Digests. This means that neither of the student's parents has attended college. Those whose parents have an associate degree would not be considered first-generation college students, even if the parent never went on to earn a bachelor's degree. Many first-generation community college students decide to earn a two-year degree before transferring to a four-year institution. However, only a small percentage of community college students actually achieve their transfer goals.

Many first-generation students come to community colleges from different backgrounds and cultures. According to a report from the American Association of Community Colleges, approximately 36 percent of first-generation students

Community colleges have traditionally been focused on getting in, getting an associate degree in two years or less, and getting into the workforce as quickly as possible. Those who wanted to continue their education had to take on the headache of transferring all of their community college credits to a four-year institution. Today, a number of community colleges are offering bachelor's degrees to student who complete associate degrees and want to take their training and education to the next level - without leaving campus.

What's Different about Community College Bachelor's Degrees?

While many students are clamoring for a spot in a four-year community college program that costs much less than a similar degree from a nearby university, community colleges are stressing the point that they are not trying to be just like the four-year postsecondary institutions. First, most community colleges offering bachelor's degrees are doing so as an extension of their own associate degree programs. Students earn the associate degree first to become eligible to apply for the bachelor's program.

These bachelor's degrees will also differ from traditional university offerings because they will be limited to degree programs that can take students directly into the workforce. In keeping with the long-standing tradition of community colleges to raise up a new generation of work-ready adults, these programs are designed specifically with a profession in mind. Instead of offering liberal arts programs in political science or English, these bachelor's degrees will be in specific fields like