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In this episode of In The Margins, Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, host of Discovering Your Mission, sits down with Jee Hang Lee, President and CEO of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), for a timely and unfiltered conversation on the future of community colleges, leadership, and student success.
Drawing from his journey from Capitol Hill to leading one of the most influential organizations in higher education, Lee shares a national perspective on the growing pressures facing community colleges, from funding uncertainty and political complexity to increasing competition across the education landscape. He challenges leaders to rethink how institutions define value, emphasizing that programs must translate into real economic opportunity for students.
Their conversation dives deep into what separates high-performing governing boards, the evolving role of college presidents, and why leadership today requires far more than academic expertise. Lee also unpacks the importance of long-term strategic thinking, workforce alignment, and building systems that truly support students, especially those navigating complex life circumstances.
At its core, this episode is a call to action: for leaders to stay mission-driven, think systemically, and ensure that community colleges remain not just a point of access but a pathway to lasting success.
KEY POINTS:
● Lee’s journey from public policy to leading ACCT and advocating for community colleges
● The growing pressure to prove the economic value of higher education programs in a post-pandemic world
● Why community college programs must align with real wages and workforce outcomes
● The shift toward stackable learning and incremental education pathways for modern students
● The 3 core governance principles (duty of care, loyalty, obedience) that define high-performing boards
● How funding instability and state-level decisions are reshaping institutional strategy
● The expanding competition from four-year institutions entering workforce and associate degree spaces
● Why today’s college presidents must operate as advocates, fundraisers, communicators, and crisis managers
● The importance of long-term strategic planning, including demographic shifts and enrollment pipelines
● Why community colleges may be the “first and last door” to higher education for many students
● Leadership requires a mission beyond compensation to sustain impact and longevity
● Brownlee’s recap of the 3 Key Takeaways from this interview
QUOTABLES:
“We have to do a better job of showcasing the earning potential… and really showcase that there is substantive value for our students.” – Jee Hang Lee
“Politics has always… permeated public institutions of higher education.” – Jee Hang Lee
“You have to have a grounding of why you do your job.” – Jee Hang Lee
“Providing that opportunity to build your educational platform… is something that we should be focusing on.” – Jee Hang Lee
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Closed captioning and a live show transcription are available in the video for this episode.
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