Leon was convinced his dream of getting a degree in sports medicine to work as an athletic trainer was out of reach. It was the math. Even though he studied hard, Leon would always freeze when it came to taking tests.
Then a high school recruiter for Pasadena City College (Calif.) told him about Math Jam, an intensive summer bridge program where an incoming community college student can brush up on math skills and learn how to prepare for college, particularly for math tests, in a friendly, no-stress environment. With Math Jam behind him, Leon successfully passed his college placement tests and is now on track to pursuing his dream.
Elena works as a home health aide in a small community along the Oregon coast. While Elena enjoys her work helping elderly patients stay independent, as a single parent it has been increasingly difficult making ends meet on her minimum wage salary. She wants her two junior-high-aged children to go to college and decided she should set the example.
On the advice of a counselor, Elena enrolled in a medical aide certificate program, which is part of the Health Sciences Career Pathways program at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay. When she successfully completed the 18-hour certificate, Elena had gained enough confidence to continue into a pharmacy technician program, which will prepare her for a much higher-paying job working in a pharmacy. If she wants to continue, there is a clear career pathway laid out for an associate degree and beyond.
What do these two community college students have in common? They are enrolled in colleges selected to be a part of the Community Colleges CAN! Project, sponsored by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education. This twoyear project was launched to identify community college programs and initiatives that have created effective environments for student learning and achievement and to support the development of learning networks between practitioners at these colleges and others, based on a model of mentoring.
Community colleges across the nation are doing exceptional work at providing quality education and learning support for their students. They are drawing upon a range of approaches to help students build the capacity and interest for success within the classroom and the community as learners, workers and citizens. Community Colleges CAN! is committed to highlighting this work and sharing the stories of initiatives that offer promise for improving academic preparation and accomplishment among students.
