Howard Community College

T HE M ANY FAC E S O F S T U DE N T S U C C E S S <<< Defining Student Success Picture yourself as a new student at Maryland Association of Community Access to Success As the focus on academic Howard Community College (HCC). Colleges. Enrollment in most areas rose You may be searching for a program that sharply after the economic downturn and completion increases, community will allow you to enter the workforce is predicted to continue climbing through colleges continue to reach out to all as soon as possible; or you plan to the next 10 years. students with a wide variety of goals, President Obama recently emphasized begin postsecondary studies here and many of whom are balancing work, school, and family obligations. finish at a four-year college. Maybe the vital role community colleges play your job requirements changed, and in reaching his objective for the U.S. you enroll part-time to sharpen your to achieve the highest proportion of for open door access, which provides skills or improve your opportunities for college graduates in the world. Governor educational opportunity to every student, advancement. Perhaps you plan to travel O'Malley endorsed the importance of regardless of individual goals and and want to take classes in a foreign college completion, setting the goal that academic preparation," says Norma language, history, or art. 55 percent of the state's adult population Kent, senior vice president, American have a two- or four-year college degree Association of Community Colleges by 2025. (AACC). "With their growing attention For all of these reasons and many more, over one-half million Marylanders In support of this initiative, the state's enroll annually in one of the state's 16 community colleges, reports the community colleges issued "A Promise "Community colleges are well known to the national completion agenda, the colleges are now saying that student to Act," pledging their collective effort to increase access that has long been the cornerstone degrees and certificates. Associate's Degree success must be of equal importance to the of their mission." "While it is an aggressive "HCC places its students' definitions of Hetherington. "Whether they desire aligns with our core mission academic degrees or program certificates, to provide pathways for workforce development or personal student success." Workforce Certification success front and center," says President Kate Hetherington, "it Transfer goal," says HCC President enrichment, students define academic During the last five years of HCC's explosive success in a variety of ways." In the following pages, you'll meet several HCC students who will share has also been a significant their stories and tell you how HCC is increase in the number of providing a learning environment that students earning academic helps them achieve success – as they credentials before moving Personal Enrichment enrollment growth, there define it. on to the workplace or a transfer institution. 2 Pathways | Howard Community College Spring 2012

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