The road to greater justice and equity runs through community colleges.
Community Colleges for Democracy (CC4D) is a network within the Campus Compact network dedicated to preparing community college students to be informed, active, and mobilized leaders in our democracy.
We believe preparing students for democracy and preparing them for the workforce, careers, and continued education are mutually reinforcing. CC4D will advance the combined work of The Democracy Commitment (TDC) and Campus Compact’s community college engagement. The network is led by Verdis L. Robinson, Director, Community College Engagement.
Community colleges are central to Campus Compact’s mission of ensuring that higher education is contributing to the health and strength of our democracy. Community colleges enroll nearly half of all students and play a disproportionate role in educating students from communities that face exclusion, as well as first generation students from all backgrounds.
As Campus Compact engages higher education in the effort to achieve full participation in our communities, our democracy, and our economy, community colleges must and will stand front and center.
For more information, contact Verdis at verdis@compact.org.
JOIN A LEARNING COMMUNITY
CC4D provides a framework for connecting with community college professionals to share approaches that are effective in linking community-based civic learning to broader goals for retention, completion, and education for democratic participation. Join one of our regular web- based meetings to connect with others doing the work.
CONNECT CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITIES
Campus Compact provides training and resources for faculty and staff working to maximize community and campus assets to achieve shared goals. Our Civic Action Planning initiative is focused on aligning institutional teaching, action, and policies with workforce development, completion, and equity priorities, among others. Join a learning community of people working on civic action plans. Visit our extensive online collection of syllabi, knowledge hubs, and toolkits to find resources specific to community colleges, request individual planning support and technical assistance, or attend one of our civic action planning overview webinars.
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
In addition to the wide variety of student programming at the state and regional level, Campus Compact recognizes and connects outstanding student leaders through our Newman Civic Fellowship. The fellowship networks students nationally to share experiences and resources through both online and in-person events. Community college presidents are encouraged to nominate students for this special opportunity.
EXPAND KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL
Take advantage of the wide variety of professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators through state, regional, and national conferences and events. Enroll to earn micro-credentials through our Community Engagement Professional Credentialing program.
ACCESS EXPERT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Campus Compact’s Director of Community College Engagement is available for individual consultation and to connect colleges with resources for partnership development, curricular and co-curricular programming, institutional change, and more.
GET ATTENTION FOR YOUR WORK
Campus Compact serves as a national megaphone to raise awareness about the public purposes of higher education. Compact staff work with leaders in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to share information about the impact of member institutions and their work in engaged teaching, community partnerships, and more. Campus Compact’s national presence gives us a platform to bring stories about the public work of higher education to traditional and new media. Share your work to help us raise the profile of community colleges as central to the role of higher education in building democracy.
If there is a state or regional Compact in your area, join directly through that office. If you are located in an area without a state or regional Compact or located outside of the United States, join through our national office by contacting Maria Gregory at mgregory@compact.org.
