As she prepares to transition from Tarrant County College District (TCC) in Texas to assume the leadership of Delaware County Community College (DCCC), Dr. L. Joy Gates Black reflects on changes in the community college sector.
“The needs of our students are not the same needs as those in the past,” Gates Black said. “Many of our students come to us while working full-time jobs, having families, among other responsibilities, so we have to create a number of different opportunities and modalities for them to learn and get the education that they need.”
Gates Black has been tapped to lead DCCC, an institution serving 28,000 credit and non-credit students at nine locations in Delaware and Chester counties in Pennsylvania. She will be the first African-American and first woman to lead the institution, which was founded more than 50 years ago, and will succeed Dr. Jerry Parker, who is set to retire on June 30 after leading the college for 14 years.
Community colleges serve a wide variety of student interests, from general education courses to workforce specific certificate programs. Their course offerings are often tailored to meet local workforce needs. As the labor market rapidly evolves, so must community colleges in order to meet the demands of business and industry, Gates Black said.
Given the depth and breadth of their offerings, community colleges see a wide variety of students of all ages and backgrounds. Some might be dually enrolled in high school and college and others seeking an associate degree and to transfer to a four-year institution. Others still might be returning to school after an absence, for either a GED, diploma or certificate. At DCCC, for instance, the average student is 26 years old.
Gates Black does not see the diversity of student background and experience currently prevalent at many community colleges changing any time soon. “Our mission is broad and increasingly varied,” she said.
At Tarrant, which has an enrollment of 100,000 credit and non-credit students, Gates Black currently serves as the vice chancellor for academic affairs and student success and formerly served as the interim president of the college’s South Campus.
