This is a copy of the Awake58 newsletter originally sent on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Click here to subscribe.
Takeaways from the State Board of Community College
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Dr. Ken Boham is back at Martin Community College as interim president… The NC Community College marketing campaign is beginning to roll out… The State Board heard an update on how the community colleges are doing on seven key performance measures…
Last week, the Facebook Journalism Project announced that EdNC is one of their inaugural grantees. We were fortunate enough to receive funding to conduct a series of student-focused town halls on community college campuses across the state. If you are interested in having us come to your college, let me know by replying directly to this email. Stay tuned for more on the project.
My colleagues attended the State Board of NC Community College meeting last week. Alex shared the report on how the 58 community colleges are performing across seven key measures.
Today, Rupen reports on the return of Dr. Ken Boham to Martin Community College as interim president, the outcome of the legislative priorities for the community college system, and some early concepts of the marketing campaign that the system is now launching. I would be curious to know what you think of the marketing campaign. Check out his article and send me a note by replying to this email.
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EdNC Reads
How are North Carolina’s community colleges performing?
The community college system as a whole is trending upwards on most of the seven performance measures the system uses to judge the success of its schools. The State Board of Community Colleges heard a presentation on the data last week, and Alex has all of the details. What do you think of these measures? Are these the right ones? Let me know!
5 takeaways from the State Board of Community College monthly meeting
It is worth reviewing Rupen’s chart documenting how the system office performed on their legislative priorities. We will continue to share the final outcomes as the North Carolina budget showdown continues. Dr. Ken Boham is back at Martin Community College, the new marketing campaign for the community college system has launched, and the state board has new officers.
Nature walks and cow eyeballs: Science Camp at Surry Community College
Surry Community College is bringing fourth, fifth, and sixth graders on to campus for activities like gardening, a nature scavenger hunt, visiting the greenhouse, identifying wildflowers and trees, and even dissecting a cow eyeball. Why are they doing this? Yasmin has the story.
A look into their futures: McDowell County middle schoolers explore careers at Camp Opportunity
McDowell County Schools and McDowell Tech are working together to provide Camp Opportunity for middle schoolers. This quote tells you exactly why: “We have the machining, the automotive. We have construction and masonry. We have welding. Then you have the other side: the art, the culinary. You’re getting all the sides of the brain to kind of work together, and some of them find out that you can pair or marry two of those activities together and you can actually have a job.”
Community college leaders reflect on Belk Center’s Presidents’ Academy Conference
The Belk Center’s first Presidents’ Academy and Statewide Leadership Conference (SLC) was held recently. If you are curious about the outcomes, check out the reflections from Alamance Community College President, Dr. Algie Gatewood, and Alamance’s Board of Trustees Chairperson, William Gomory.
Other Reads
Three community college presidents are finalists for GTCC’s top job
Guilford Technical Community College released their list of finalists for the presidency. The candidates are from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Connecticut. Randy Parker will retire on July 31. Look for the final choice to be announced soon.
Tuition-free college could cost less than you think
“Considerable research shows that public and private benefits greatly exceed the costs when students are nudged toward obtaining a college degree. Yet at the moment, only 37 percent of Americans between the ages of 25 and 29 have a four-year college degree, and completion rates are lower for poorer students.”
‘They just saw me as a dollar sign’: How some certificate schools profit from vulnerable students
As I reviewed the marketing materials for the community college system, I kept thinking back to the excellent book LOWER ED that showcases how for-profit colleges zero in on vulnerable students with their marketing efforts. Check out this Hechinger Report article for their findings following an in-depth investigation looking into oversight and accountability efforts.
Around NC
The NC Chamber’s Education and Workforce Conference
The North Carolina Chamber will host an education and workforce conference on August 20. We expect to hear a lot about attainment and the work being done to bolster the talent pipeline for North Carolina industry at this event.
Call for Finish Line Grant proposals
The Finish Line Grants Symposium is seeking proposals to advance our collective knowledge on strategies, practices, and policies that support the implementation and administration of Finish Line Grants (FLG). They also welcome proposals that relate broadly to meeting community college students’ basic needs, student success and completion, and workforce development board and community college partnerships.
Reconnect to Economic Opportunity registration open
From our friends at IEI: “The potential for workers to advance themselves economically over the course of their work lives is the foundation of what has traditionally been referred to as the “American Dream,” but not everyone has the same opportunities to advance. The October 15, 2019 Emerging Issues Forum, ReCONNECT to Economic Opportunity, will focus on promoting one aspect of mobility: connecting people to higher-paying jobs.”
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