CCCSE at 20 Years: What We’ve Learned and Where We’re Headed

Dr. Linda GarciaAs the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCSSE) celebrated its 20th anniversary over the last year, we’ve reflected on what we’ve learned so far about community college students and what helps them succeed. Upon this reflection, here are some long-held beliefs we have about community college students:

Relationships matter

Relationships are vital for community college students. When students participating in CCCSE focus groups are asked if they have ever considered dropping out of college, many say they have. And when they are asked what helped them stay, students’ answers, almost without exception, are about relationships.

Engagement doesn’t happen by accident, but by design