Lansing Community College Joins National Network Advancing High-Value Credentials That Lead to Good Jobs and Bachelor’s Degrees
LCC joins a national network of community colleges working to align programs with good jobs and bachelor’s pathways, addressing local talent needs and changing student lives.
LCC, alongside 54 other colleges, will join 10 pilot institutions in a growing national effort to align their programs and student advising with the two most important goals of community college students: leaving college with a credential and a good job or transferring and completing a bachelor’s degree. Through three years of focused reforms, these colleges will work with Aspen to assess current programs, set goals, and implement research-based reforms to increase student success.
“Lansing Community College is honored to join this national initiative in collaboration with the Aspen Institute, aimed at transforming community colleges to better align with labor market needs,” said Steve Robinson, President of Lansing Community College. “By enhancing support for our students, we are opening doors to quality employment opportunities and pathways to further education. We’re excited to drive this vital work forward, with the promise of strengthening our regional workforce for the future.”
“Every year, millions of students rely on community colleges for a low-cost pathway to what they assume will be a high-value credential,” said Josh Wyner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “They rightly assume that the degree and certificate programs their colleges offer will deliver a good job and fulfilling career either directly after community college or after transferring and earning a bachelor’s degree. The leaders at each of the 55 colleges that have signed up for Unlocking Opportunity have made clear that they will spend the next three years working towards the kinds of reforms needed to make that assumption a reality for thousands more students.”
The multi-year initiative will engage college leaders and teams through a series of virtual and in-person sessions focused on scaling reforms that align their community college programs with available good jobs and bachelor’s degree pathways in their regions. Guided by lessons from successful reforms implemented by the 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions, the new 55 colleges will set goals to increase student enrollment in and completion of high-value workforce and transfer programs, while reducing lower-opportunity pathways.
The 10 Unlocking Opportunity pilot institutions are on track to collectively move over 20,000 students into high-value programs of study that lead to good jobs. With this expansion, Aspen will (for at least the next three years) track and support progress for 65 participating colleges, including those 55 just selected. Aspen will use insights from this work to inform the broader field through fellowship programs, publications, and state partnerships to provide professional development to college leaders and teams.
The full list of colleges joining the expanded network is available here.
Unlocking Opportunity, developed in partnership with the Community College Research Center, is supported by Arnold Ventures, Ascendium Education Group, Bank of America, ECMC Foundation, and JPMorganChase. The expansion of the Unlocking Opportunity network is made possible by the support of JPMorganChase.
To learn more about the network, visit https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/programs/unlocking-opportunity
About Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College, founded in 1957, is one of the largest community colleges in Michigan, serving more than 14,500 students across a six-county area each year. LCC offers courses in general education for those interested in transferring to a four-year institution, career and workforce development, developmental education and personal enrichment. To meet the professional development and training needs of regional employees, the college offers customized programs for credit, non-credit and continuing education. The Transfer Center at LCC offers students the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from five partner universities on the downtown LCC campus. For more information, visit lcc.edu.
LCC provides equal opportunity for all persons and prohibits discriminatory practices based on race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, creed, ancestry, height, weight, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, familial status, marital status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, military status, veteran’s status, or other status as protected by law, or genetic information that is unrelated to the person’s ability to perform the duties of a particular job or position or participate in educational programs, courses, services or activities offered by the College.
For information regarding the nondiscrimination policies contact: Equal Opportunity Officer, Washington Court Place, 309 N. Washington Square, Suite 150, Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1730.
For employees 504/ADA Accommodations contact: HR Director of Total Compensation & Employment, Administration Building, 610 N. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1875;
For students 504/ADA Accommodations contact: Care Services Manager, Center for Student Support, Gannon Building, 411 N. Grand Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1358.
For Title IX, reporting, or complaints contact: Director of Risk Management & Legal Affairs, Student and Employee Title IX Coordinator, Washington Court Place, 309 N. Washington Square, Suite 150, Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1730, and/or U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, Michigan Department of Civil Rights.