October 8, 2025
My first full week at AACC has been a whirlwind. I can attest that AACC is actively advocating, carefully researching, and purposefully planning. In this exciting time, I will be using this biweekly communication to keep you informed and engaged. I hope you will share any insights that it sparks so that we can build on each others’ strengths, deepening the power of community colleges together.
Despite the ongoing government shutdown and political polarization throughout the nation, the community college sector continues to have strong bipartisan support. Community colleges truly are workforce engines, providing job training that drives the economy in in-demand sectors, such as manufacturing, bioscience, cybersecurity, information technology, and healthcare. I authored an op-ed on this topic last week that can be read here.
The American Council on Education released a valuable Higher Education Economic Indicators tool that can help narrate the value of American higher education, an excellent strategy for reminding the nation of our impact.
I have already been in the field—speaking in California at a convening of the National Community College Hispanic Council recently. Hispanic students are an important, growing segment of our student population and I am proud that our institutions are increasing access for them.
I look forward to getting into the field more. I am, at this moment, in Detroit speaking to the Global Community College Leadership Network and learning about the needs of our members. So, please contact us if you see an opportunity for AACC staff to shape the important narrative of our collective impact.
AACC also wants to hear about your concerns. If the federal government shutdown is affecting your institution, please let us know here so we can convey your concerns to policymakers. If you are experiencing delays in FAFSA processing, grant awarding, apprenticeship administration, or difficulties getting questions answered by government officials, we want to know.
Last week, AACC released the Resilient by Design report, which calls on community colleges to reimagine long-term planning strategies to address external influences and ensure they continue to meet the needs of students, communities, and the workforce pipeline. It’s available online here.
This report is just the beginning. AACC will be providing toolkits and resources to help colleges assess how these external influences are impacting programs and services and guide colleges in creating solutions while navigating an evolving landscape.
If you would like to be a part of moving the Resilient by Design work forward, consider submitting a nomination to be part of AACC’s board of directors. The nomination deadline has been extended to October 17. Nominations may be submitted via this form.