CPCC Joins Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count

last modified May 18, 2010 03:07 PM

 

 
 
 
Signifying a commitment to student success and institutional improvement, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) has joined Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count. CPCC joins 26 other community colleges from around the country in becoming members of Achieving the Dream and identifying new strategies to improve student success, close achievement gaps and increase retention, persistence and completion rates.
 
Conceived in 2004 by Lumina Foundation for Education and seven national partner organizations, Achieving the Dream is focused on creating a “culture of evidence” on community college campuses in which data collection and analysis drive efforts to identify problems that prevent students from succeeding – particularly low-income students and students of color – and develop programs to help them stay in school and receive a certificate or diploma. With these new institutions, Achieving the Dream’s network now includes more than 130 institutions in 24 states and the District of Columbia, reaching more than one million students. 
 
“In such difficult economic times, the College is working hard to manage skyrocketing enrollment numbers with shrinking funding,” said CPCC President Dr. Tony Zeiss. “Achieving The Dream support will help us prioritize and focus our efforts on the areas where our students need us the most.”
 
“We’re very excited about these incoming institutions for a number of reasons,” said William Trueheart, President and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “Community colleges are at the forefront of the national college completion movement. To be successful requires a structured, committed focus on using data and evidence to make important decisions that will positively impact students, campuses, and communities. CPCC has made a vital commitment that will provide benefits to students and the entire community for years to come.”
 
Each new college has made an initial two-year commitment to focus its efforts on closing performance gaps among student sub-groups including students of color and low-income students. These colleges will not only learn from those that are already a part of Achieving the Dream, they will receive assistance from experienced practitioners in building a culture of evidence campus-wide, using data to identify problems, setting priorities, and measuring progress toward increasing student success. Achieving the Dream colleges make lasting changes in policies, programs and services that are integrated to support success for all students.
 
“Being part of Achieving The Dream offers an enormous opportunity for CPCC to leverage national resources to make the College a more data-driven and effective organization,” said CPCC Associate Vice President for  Institutional Research and Director of the Center for Applied Research Dr. Terri M. Manning. “It will allow us to look inward to make our students more successful.”
 
2010 Incoming Achieving the Dream Community Colleges
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Southwest College                                     
 
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Community College of the District of Columbia
 
MARYLAND
Anne Arundel Community College
 
MICHIGAN
Oakland Community College
Washtenaw Community College
Funded with support from the New Economy Initiative
 
Delta College
Glen Oaks Community College
Grand Rapids Community College
Lansing Community College
Montcalm Community College
Muskegon Community College
St. Clair Community College
Funded with support from the Kresge Foundation
 
Mott Community College
Funded with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
MISSOURI
Saint Louis Community College
 
NORTH CAROLINA
Central Piedmont Community College
Davidson County Community College
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
 
TEXAS
Clarendon College
Kilgore College
Texarkana College
Tyler Junior College
Western Texas College
Funded with support from the Greater Texas Foundation
 
Del Mar College
El Centro College
North Lake College
Tarrant County College
Funded with support from the Meadows Foundation
 
WISCONSIN
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College


 
Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count (www.achievingthedream.org) helps more community college students succeed, particularly students of color and low-income students. The organization works on multiple fronts — including efforts on campuses and in research, public engagement and public policy — and emphasizes the use of data to drive change. Achieving the Dream was launched in 2004 with funding provided by Lumina Foundation for Education. Other national organizations providing technical and other support to the colleges and states include: the American Association of Community Colleges; the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas-Austin; the Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University; Jobs for the Future; MDC; MDRC; and Public Agenda. MDC is the organization’s managing partner.
 
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering close to 300 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.
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This release prepared by Kathy Scott Rummage, 704.330.6962. An archive of CPCC news releases is at http://www.cpcc.edu/college-news.