A well-meaning prospective client recently asked us if we work(ed) with community colleges. The answer is a resounding YES!
MNA partners with CCs across the nation in providing quality evaluation services.
Community Colleges play a vital role in higher education by providing affordable, accessible, and relevant educational programs to everyone. According to the American Association of Community Colleges, there are over 1,000 CCs in the U.S. serving over 12M students annually.
CCs prepare students for the workforce by offering programs in high-demand fields like healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. They provide a pathway for students to transfer to 4-year institutions to continue their education. According to the Community College Research Center, nearly 50% of all students who earn a bachelor’s degree started at a CC.
CCs contribute to the local economy. According to the Economic Modeling Specialists International, CCs add $809 billion in income to the U.S. economy each year and support local businesses by providing workforce training programs that help employers meet their needs for skilled workers.
Another strength of CCs is their commitment to diversity and inclusion. they serve a diverse student population that reflects the communities they serve. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, CC students are more likely to be racially and ethnically diverse than students at 4-year institutions. In fall 2018, 44% of community college students were non-Hispanic White, 27% were Hispanic, 13% were Black or African American, 6% were Asian, and 10% were from other racial/ethnic groups. They also serve a diverse range of ages, with many students balancing work, family, and other responsibilities while pursuing education. According to the AACC, the average age of community college students is 28, and 38% of community college students are 25 or older.
We fully recognize the importance of CCs and are committed to supporting them in their mission. We work with CCs to develop and implement evaluation plans that measure the effectiveness of their programs and services. We collaborate closely with faculty and staff to develop proposals and evaluation plans that are tailored to their goals, needs, and objectives. We also provide training and resources on topics such as evaluation planning, data collection and analysis, and program improvement. These opportunities help CCs to build capacity in evaluation and enhance their ability to use data to inform decision-making and program improvement.
We are proud to partner with several CCs across the nation on grants funded by the NSF (SSTEM, ATE, IUSE), USDOL (TAACCT, SCCT), USDE (CTE, Promise Neighborhood, Title III, V, HSI-STEM), and NASA (MUREP, MIRO).
Our partnership with CCs reflects our continued commitment to supporting institutions that play a critical role in creating a more equitable and prosperous society.
