The Nature of Innovation in the Community College

Support provided by:

With support from MetLife Foundation, the League for Innovation led a one-year research project during 2009 to identify the traits of successful innovation in community colleges and the effects of award recognition on programs, individuals, and institutions. Participants in the study included recipients of the League’s Innovation of the Year Award during the decade spanning 1999 through 2008, and the participants represented 19 League member institutions listed below. The study included categorization of award-winning innovations in terms of content and substance; a survey of 400 identified award recipients; exploration and identification of characteristics of a college culture of innovation; and interviews with selected award recipients.

Click here to download the report and view the video.

Project Research Team

Terry O’Banion, Principal Investigator
President Emeritus, League for Innovation in the Community College
Director, Community College Leadership Program, Walden University

Laura Weidner, Research Associate
Dean, Workforce Development
Anne Arundel Community College

Project Advisory Committee

Ronald L. Baker, Executive Vice President
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Richard Kazis, Senior Vice President
Jobs for the Future

Ken Kempner, Professor, School of Education
Southern Oregon University

Kay McClenney, Director
Community College Survey of Student Engagement,

Lisa Petrides, Executive Director
Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education

Daniel Salter, Director, Ph.D. Program in Education
Walden University

Belle Wheelan, President, Commission on Colleges
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Participating Colleges

Anne Arundel Community College (MD); Central Piedmont Community College (NC); Cuyahoga Community College (OH); Dallas County Community College District (TX); Delta College (MI); Foothill-De Anza Community College District (CA); Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (ON); Johnson County Community College (KS); Kirkwood Community College (IA); Maricopa Community Colleges (AZ); Miami Dade College (FL); Monroe Community College (NY); Moraine Valley Community College (IL); San Diego Community College District (CA); Santa Fe College (FL); Seattle Community College District (WA); Sinclair Community College (OH); and St. Louis Community College (MO).

League Staff Contact

Cynthia Wilson, Project Liaison
Vice President, Learning and Research
League for Innovation in the Community College