Why We Celebrate Community College Month!

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Friday, April 1, 2022
College
decorative photo of students in graduation regalia with text: Rio Salado College celebrates #CCMonth

Why We Celebrate Community College Month!

April is national Community College Month, and a time to shine the light on why community colleges matter. From affordability to access to education locally and online, and the availability of career-preparing certificate and degree programs, community colleges are an integral part of higher education.

Community colleges are vital to their communities. 
They help students get the education and training needed to prepare for careers, and benefit the local workforce by filling jobs, reducing unemployment, and contributing to economic stability. They provide classes created specifically to address the needs and interests of their communities.  

Community colleges provide access to education.
They offer general education courses that lead to associate degrees which typically transfer to four-year universities for the completion of bachelor's degrees. Most community colleges offer resources and flexibility that make it possible for students with other life commitments to enroll, stay enrolled, and complete their programs. 

Community colleges are affordable.
Tuition at a community college is significantly less than a four-year institution. Students can save thousands of dollars if they attend their first two years at a community college to complete an associate degree before transferring to a university to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Did you know? Public community colleges:*

  • Provide higher education to students with the fewest resources and the greatest obstacles

  • Are primary educators/certifiers of in-demand nursing and other healthcare professionals

  • Offer the most affordable high-quality higher educations

  • Are the most in-demand institutions during and following times of economic recession

  • Serve the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students

  • Guarantee fair admissions for all students

  • Are there for their communities in times of crisis

Without community colleges, many American students would not be able to access higher education at all. That is why it is important to celebrate community colleges nationwide, and how they benefit communities locally. 

Stay tuned this month as we highlight a Rio Salado College student each day to find out why they chose to attend community college – and specifically why they chose Rio.

*Source: https://acct.org/ccmonth

 - By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer

 

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