KENTFIELD/NOVATO, CA — Throughout April, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) coordinates #CCMonth, a monthlong grassroots education and stigma-busting campaign. The primary goals of #CCmonth are to improve awareness of the economic, academic, and equity advantages of attending community colleges, and to bust longtime stigmas wrongly associated with public, two-year colleges.
Public community colleges are a uniquely American educational model that was designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality higher education for all people. They are the primary educators of life-saving nursing and other healthcare professionals among many others. They also serve as an onramp to bachelor’s, master’s and higher-level degrees for many students, and particularly for the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students. They guarantee fair admissions for all students. They offer supports for adult students who have to work to support their families. And without community colleges, many American students would not be able to access higher education at all.
In short, community colleges were created to serve the needs of their communities, and they do it exceptionally well. Despite all this, many American people wrongly believe that community colleges are inferior institutions, and in most states, universities receive significantly more per-student state support than community colleges do. These negative attitudes and disparities support and encourage ongoing socioeconomic and demographic disadvantages and inequities in the United States.
What do our students think about the opportunities and experiences they've had at College of Marin, their community college? Click on the videos to find out!
Emma Rose Neal
President, Associated Students of College of Marin (ASCOM)
Ryan Barbosa and Christian Royal
COM Student Trustee and ASCOM Student Activities Representative
Alivia Hammond
COM Student
Ashby Remak
COM Student