The pressure on higher education to prove its worth has never been greater. For community colleges and other broad-access institutions that center on economic mobility, the stakes are especially high. But with public skepticism rising and only a fraction of non-degree credentials delivering real wage gains, that promise is harder to keep — and harder to communicate. A panel of college leaders and policy experts discussed the practical and political realities of closing the gap between what colleges promise and what students experience.
You’ll come away with a clearer understanding of:
- How to define economic mobility in ways that reflect the realities of today’s diverse student populations, including adult learners, working students, first-generation students, and those from low-income backgrounds.
- What institutions and state systems should be tracking in the data, and where the gaps are.
- How community colleges balance rapid labor-market responsiveness with their broader civic mission.
- How college leaders can communicate institutional value to students, employers, policymakers, and the public.
Watch on demand.
