Community College Month

Community College Month

Community Colleges Division
March 25, 2024

April is Community College Month and officially recognized by NASPA. In partnership with the NASPA Community Colleges Division, this month presents a great opportunity to get the word out about why community colleges matter, how your college is serving your community's needs today, and why public support for our colleges is more important than ever. 

The 2024 #CCMonth theme is "Cultivating Skills for the Future."

This theme emphasizes the role that community colleges play in practical education as well as the visionary natures of our institutions. 

Support #CCMonth

 

Created by The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), Community College Month presents a great opportunity to get the word out about why community colleges matter, how your college is serving your community's needs today, and why public support for our colleges is more important than ever.

We know that institutions are being challenged right now like never before. Community colleges are also doing more to help right now than ever before, and serving as vital lifelines to help people meet basic food, housing and other needs, and providing healthcare professionals and medical equipment to communities.

Community College Month is your opportunity to demonstrate the vital importance of your college, and to make an undeniable case for why your college deserves greater public support.

Download the 2024 Campaign Toolkit

Professional Development

Community colleges are not just “two-year colleges” or vocational schools, but are vital centers of their communities. Based on the theme, Cultivating Skills for the Future, NASPA is thrilled to offer four professional development webinars in partnership with the Community Colleges Division in April to celebrate Community College Month.

Community College Month 2024 Webinars

ChatGPT is Coming for Us All! (Or not.): The Ethics and Effective use of Artificial Intelligence in Education

Live Web Event on 04/11/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

With the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) writing programs, such as ChatGPT, educators, students, and administrators face both opportunities and challenges. While these tools offer enhanced writing capabilities and learning experiences, they also pose potential risks when misused. The presenter will offer a comprehensive look into the capabilities of AI tools, their projected trajectory in education, and recommendations for pedagogy and policies for their effective use.

Presented by Christian Moriarty, Professor of Ethics and Law; Executive Board Member and Treasurer, St. Petersburg College; International Center for Academic Integrity

Click Here to Register

Advocating for Undocumented Students’ Career Success

Live Web Event on 04/16/2024 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

Due to lack of federal immigration reform, hundreds of thousands of undocumented students face severely restricted college and career options. The majority of undocumented students in high school and college in the U.S. today do not have work authorization and are effectively locked out of the workforce. In higher education institutions, educators, student affairs professionals, and administrators struggle to support the unique needs of their undocumented students and to guide students towards income-generating opportunities that do not require work authorization. The situation is even more dire in states like Texas and Florida, where state legislatures are actively reversing decades of progress through passing hostile immigration policies. As a result of institutional and political challenges far beyond their control, hundreds of thousands of talented, qualified, and accomplished students are unable to pursue their dreams, seek employment, and build wealth.

In this webinar, we will explore best practices, grounded in evidence-based best practices of educational institutions across the country, that members can implement to bolster support for undocumented students on their campuses. In particular, we will provide strategies for: 

  1. Providing effective academic and career advising that are inclusive of undocumented students’ needs
  2. Designing paid professional development opportunities for students with or without work authorization 
  3. Creating inclusive campus climates that ensure undocumented students can fully participate in campus life

Presented by Arabi Hassan, Co-Founder, First Gen Empower and Sarah Kim, Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships, First Gen Empower.

Click Here to Register

Free: Improving Praxis at Community Colleges Through Research

Live Web Event on 04/30/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

Much of the research on higher education is situated within four-year university settings. The research on community college is often conducted by faculty, who work at four-year institutions but have an interest in community colleges. While this research is beneficial for improving praxis at community colleges, practitioners who work in community college settings can provide unique perspectives on the type of research that is needed and have the opportunity to implement evidence-based recommendations at their own institutions.

Recognizing the need for more practitioner-driven research in the community college setting, this webinar highlights insights from three community college leaders and recent recipients of a an education doctorate (Ed.D.). Our speakers will share how conducting research through their doctoral program informed their praxis, focusing in particular on the impact their own dissertation research had on their institutions.

Presenters: 

  • Gudrun Nyunt, Assistant Professor/Program Coordinator, Northern Illinois University
  • Eric Agee, Athletic Director/Health and Physical Education Instructor, Lawson State Community College
  • Jacob Cushing, Director of Student Recruitment and Onboarding, College of Lake County
  • Kimberly Hollingsworth, President, Olive-Harvey College

Click Here to Register

Get Involved with the Community Colleges Division

The NASPA Community Colleges Division (CCD) is a vibrant and engaging home for community college professionals. The CCD examines issues relevant to community college institutions and professionals and hosts a variety of professional development opportunities. The Division provides thought leadership to NASPA through advocacy for community colleges.

We at NASPA want to make sure that you are getting the information you need from the NASPA Community College Division. Add the Community College Divsion to your NASPA Profile! This ensures you receive emails, updates and publications from the divsion. 

If you are not currently a NASPA Member, you can click here to learn more about Membership Options. 

NASPA Community Colleges Division

#CCMonth for Student Affairs

"CC month is important for Student Affairs professionals at community colleges because it is an opportunity to be seen, synergize, and coalesce around the various experiences of professionals at these institutions. Moreover, it is imperative to remember that students at community colleges have differing experiences and needs than students from other institutional types and it takes special and amazing Student Affairs professionals who are knowledgeable about CCs to provide services and support to enable our students to be engaged and successful. Student Affairs professionals at Community Colleges are superheroes!" - Mayra Olivares-Urueta, Executive In Residence, Director of the Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education, University of North Texas

Community Colleges Division Awards

2025 Community Colleges Division National Awards 

NASPA continues its tradition of honoring prominent higher education and student affairs leaders for their contributions to the profession specifically regarding community colleges. Last Day for submissions is Wednesday, October 9th at 11:59pm PST. 

 

NASPA Research and Scholarship Community College Award

This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in relation to community college research or scholarship.

Submit your nominations today!

Click here to submit a nomination

 

 

2024 Community Colleges Division National Awards 

NASPA continues its tradition of honoring prominent higher education and student affairs leaders for their contributions to the profession specifically regarding community colleges. 

NASPA Community College Professional Award

This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to NASPA and/or the profession in relation to community colleges. 

Dr. Edna Jones Miller

Dr. Edna Jones Miller is a passionate higher education professional who has earned several awards recognizing her work for over 17 years. With a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate, she is a three-time graduate of the University of South Florida (USF). Professionally, Edna has served in several positions at Hillsborough Community College, USF, and Valencia College in staff, teaching, and administrative roles. Her transition from Tampa to Orlando was marked by her role as the inaugural Dean of Students for the Valencia College Downtown Campus – a shared campus with the University of Central Florida (UCF). As the lead Valencia Student Affairs administrator, she helped to lead the development and implementation of an innovative partnership with UCF to offer a unique student experience that is said to be the first of its kind in the nation.
Given her track record with leading innovation, Edna has been tapped for another inaugural venture as the Dean of Enrollment Management and Partnerships at Valencia College. She supports the College’s bold and ambitious strategic goals to ensure access and reduce barriers to higher education. She leads the College’s outreach and recruitment efforts, enrollment management, and transfer initiatives.

NASPA Research and Scholarship Community College Award

This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in relation to community college research or scholarship.

Dr. Erin Doran

Dr. Erin Doran is an Associate Professor of Higher Education at Iowa State University where she teaches master’s and doctoral courses on community college leadership, equity in higher education, the history of higher education, and qualitative research methods. Her research agenda encompasses three areas: Latina/e/o/x student success; community colleges; faculty professional development; and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Dr. Doran’s work has been published in various academic journals including The Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Community College Review, and Race Ethnicity and Education. 

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