Navigating This Moment as Builders of a More Equitable World

I recently spoke during a plenary session for advancement and foundation leaders within Washington State’s community and technical colleges. A very timely gathering as many who work in these spaces are asking what the impacts are as they support the work of the colleges in providing open access and clear paths for community and technical college students to persist and complete.

One of the bits of advice I offered is a return to basics. I shared this quote from an October 2017 report issued by the American Association of Community Colleges, titled: When Less is More: Prioritizing Open Access by Christopher M. Mullin in this, he opens with:

“Open access is the key tenet of the American community college. All members of a community—not just a select few—are afforded a pathway to attain a college education, be it workforce training or through the pursuit of advanced degrees. For some, this access to higher education serves to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational poverty and provide civic and fiscal benefits to both students and communities."

As we build this world we know can and should exist, what are the basics you’re returning to?