Community College 3.0: Higher Education that Meets the Needs of the “New Normal” Student & Workforce
Higher education is not designed for nontraditional students—for instance, parents, those who attend college part time, older adults, or first-generation students. But especially at U.S. community colleges, these students are increasingly becoming the norm, rather than the exception.
Even at colleges that have always enrolled a very diverse population, students’ potential isn’t fully realized because of outdated structures designed for a traditional student body. Can community colleges evolve to ensure talent development and social mobility for an increasingly diverse population in a rapidly changing world?
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and ECMC Foundation will host a screening of clips from the Roadtrip Nation documentary One Step Closer, which follows three students as they travel the nation exploring the success stories of people whose career journeys started in community college.
Following the screening, a panel of higher education leaders and Roadtrip students will discuss the steps community colleges can take to become more effective and inclusive for all students, and the policy interventions necessary to make higher education an even more relevant engine of opportunity for communities and the nation.
Featured Speakers
Julie Ajinkya Vice President of Applied Research, IHEP
Mildred García President, AASCU
Brian McAllister Co-Founder, Roadtrip Nation
DeRionne Pollard President, Montgomery College
Dan Porterfield President & CEO, The Aspen Institute
Becca Rodack Student featured in Roadtrip Nation’s One Step Closer documentary
Peter Taylor President, ECMC Foundation
Josh Wyner Executive Director, The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program