America's "Best Kept Secrets" - Community Colleges

Jill Biden spoke in Paris a few days ago, according to The New York Times, about the viability of American higher education largely resulting from the success of community colleges. She noted that community colleges, a growing source of higher education in the U.S., were the "way of the future" and a means for those unemployed to seek out new job training opportunities.  The article further notes that community colleges, most with open admission policies, allow for students to transfer to universities for full degrees. 

Community colleges serve 12 million students a year, or about 44% of all undergraduate students in the U.S. These students are largely low-income and of black or Hispanic backgrounds. Community colleges foster educational opportunities that are locally-accessible and allow for flexible learning schedules for those without the resources to attend the large universities. The Obama administration realizes the social impact these schools engender and seek to increase their enrollment by five million students, most who have recently lost their jobs. 

Even the Gates Foundation earlier this week donated $5 million towards research at Columbia University on increasing community college retention rates. In this economic recession, these schools will be an integral source of education for the non-traditional and/or low-income students who seek to attain higher levels of education and ultimately enter or re-enter the workforce.

Articles referenced:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/world/europe/08iht-biden.html?ref=global-home

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_gates_foundation_community_colleges.html?source=mypi

Evan Kendall & Kevin Prior

INeedAPencil Summer Associates

Sharon High School 2010, Harvard College 2011