More than 150 community leaders, including philanthropists, nonprofit executive directors, elected officials, and students and alumni from community colleges, convened at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport to focus on advancing the community college student success movement. The gathering was coordinated and sponsored by Fairfield County”™s Community Foundation Fund for Women & Girls.
Among the subjects covered was how employers can effectively partner with community colleges to meet their current and future labor market challenges.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, speaking via video, said that community colleges “provide an invaluable pathway for students to achieve academic and professional goals.” Blumenthal said students should have the ability to attend community college tuition free.
The keynote speaker was Thomas Bailey, director of the Community College Research Center at Teachers College Columbia University. He addressed efforts to redesign the nation”™s community colleges, including a focus on guided academic pathways for students.
Bailey participated in a panel discussion led by Juanita James, president and CEO of Fairfield County”™s Community Foundation. Other participants were Mark E. Ojakian, president, Connecticut State Colleges & Universities; David Levinson, president, Norwalk Community College; and Paul Broadie, president, Housatonic Community College.
