Academic programs

Why liberal arts matter — even in the age of AI

As an educator with years of experience in community colleges, I have often reflected on what drives career success today. One moment that reshaped my perspective came at a conference, where I met a senior…


Hand-in-hand with AI

When artificial intelligence (AI) first emerged in higher education conversations, much of the focus was on its potential to disrupt traditional assessment. Concerns about plagiarism, essay-writing bots and academic integrity dominated faculty discussions. This article…



Reframing higher education

As leaders of institutions committed to preparing the next generation of skilled professionals, we find ourselves aligned as regional partners at a decisive moment in the evolution of American higher education. We acknowledge that higher…


Washington Watch: FY25 TRIO funding still in flux

With less than two weeks left in fiscal year 2025, many community colleges have not yet received their expected TRIO award disbursements. Many colleges expected to see awards processed for TRIO’s Upward Bound, Veterans Upward…


Tap Mentor-Connect for grant application advice

Geography Professor Jonathon “Jon” Little is enjoying a streak of good news for the geospatial information science technology (GIST) program at Monroe Community College (MCC). He’s preparing to start his third ATE grant on October…


A renewed approach to community journalism

In 2017, during a wildfire in Redding, California, a group of sociology professors and students at Shasta College and community members started a podcast to report in real-time vital information about the fires to help…


Using AI to increase student engagement

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. A Delaware County Community College (DCCC) English professor thinks that — rather than banning it from the classroom — schools and colleges should teach ethical AI literacy to…


Snapshots

Photos from institutional members of the American Association of Community Colleges. SOWELA Technical Community College alumna Jeneè Fox participates in an acrobatic flight test with the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences. Fox was recently named an…


The quiet power of organizational culture

After 25 years in higher education leadership, spanning classrooms, boardrooms and crisis rooms, one lesson rises above the rest — one I wish I had fully appreciated at the start of my journey: leadership is…