History of Community College

By Murmuration

  • Land Grant Act

    Then Land Grant system provided land and funding to establish colleges for the purpose of providing education for US citizens of average means. This helped to extend opportunities for higher education to more broad segments of the US population.
    Achievements:
    Affordable access to public higher education
    Expansion of minority student body
    Flexible schedule for working adults
    More social equality

  • Global Economic Competetion

    The need for more skilled workers to enter the workforce leads to the emergence of community colleges. High school graduates want to stay close to home. The economy Youth are seeking new ways to serve their community

  • A Community College is Born

    Joliet, Illinois is the birth place of the first high school based community college in the U.S. High schools were looking for new ways to serve the community and meet local needs. Community college combines traditional education with the vocational programs.
    In response to a changing society, the community college provided accessibility to women, training in both academics and and extra curricular programs, short term certification, preparation for grammar school teachers.

  • ACE IT! Achieving a College Education

    ACE is a program at Phoenix College that targets at-risk high school students with a focus on motivating students who are from diverse cultural and socio-economic backrounds. Students take college courses concurrently with high school courses. The purpose is to motivate under-represented population mentor and develop their leadership qualities.

  • College Innovation Network

    College Innovation Network is designed to connect leaders from community college with education technology innovators.
    Rio Salado College is serving as founding member of CIN.

  • Pandemic and Education- shaping Phoenix College

    The pandemic forces Phoenix College to adopt online mode of education delivery. Adding to the already low enrollment trends, this crisis has forced many students to drop their formal study. Although we are in great difficulty, with imagination and focus, we are finding new possibilities in education that include innovation, and the ability to reach across normal boundaries.