Innovations
Each year, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) enrolls approximately 18,000 credit students who work to earn an associate degree, certificate, or college credits. But before they can start classes and work toward their goals, each student must first apply for admission. While some may think the admissions process begins once a student submits an application, several touchpoints occur before that decision is made. Prospective students become aware of the college, research its offerings, and sometimes visit the campus for a tour—all before applying.
Until recently, JCCC did not have an...
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape conversations related to teaching, learning, workforce preparation, instructional design, and institutional effectiveness across higher education. Community colleges are increasingly exploring how AI can support active learning, creativity, communication, student engagement, and workforce readiness while also responding to changing expectations from employers, students, and industry partners. As institutions expand their AI adoption efforts, many are discovering that long-term success depends less on selecting individual tools and more on...
Somewhere in St. Louis right now, a first-generation student is trying to figure out whether she belongs in college. Not whether she can afford it. Not whether the schedule works around her job. Whether she, as a person, belongs.
That student does not experience our institutions the way we draw our organizational charts. She does not know that advising reports to Student Affairs while curriculum reports to Academic Affairs. She does not know that financial aid operates in its own lane, or that the faculty member teaching her English composition course has never spoken with the advisor who...
For the past 18 years, the Employer and Workforce Solutions (EWS) division at St. Louis Community College (STLCC) has produced the annual State of the St. Louis Workforce report and facilitated a corresponding event. What began as a research initiative has evolved into one of the region’s premier workforce forums, positioning the college as a trusted convener, strategic partner, and thought leader on the workforce trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the St. Louis economy.
The initiative begins each September with stakeholder engagement. EWS meets with employers, industry leaders,...
Higher education is going through a structural shift that is happening faster than most institutions want to admit. Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how professional work gets done, and the students showing up on campuses today no longer resemble the ones the college system was designed to serve.
For much of the last century, higher education was organized around a clear picture of how education fit into a student’s life. Students arrived from high school, enrolled full time, moved through general education into a major, and graduated into a profession. Institutions built themselves...
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For generations, the region around Dayton, Ohio, has proudly carried the moniker "the birthplace of aviation." It was here that the Wright brothers designed, refined, and perfected the concept of powered, controlled flight. Today, Sinclair Community College ensures that the region remains at the epicenter of the aerospace universe. By establishing its National UAS Training and Certification Center, Sinclair has successfully bridged the gap between traditional aviation and the burgeoning field of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
AAM represents the next profound...
As Vince Lombardi famously noted, “Leaders aren’t born, they’re made.” However, in the context of higher education, the method of developing leaders among college employees varies widely.
Although some faculty and staff enter community college positions with prior academic preparation in leadership theory and research, that training often falls short in equipping them for the practical challenges of leadership (Channing, 2022). Furthermore, community colleges bring together employees from a variety of backgrounds. “Unlike traditional development routes of graduate programs, 38% of the...
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In April 2026, Mohave College used an interactive duck hunt to invite new students into the Career Services office. Small rubber ducks were hidden across campus as part of a student engagement activity. Students who found a duck brought it to Career Services, where staff used the moment to begin conversations about goals, pathways, employment, and what it means to stay focused on the finish line long before graduation arrives.
The idea was intentionally lighthearted. The response was not. Students quickly turned the activity into something more personal. One student walked into the building...
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August
2026
A professional development activity has brought together over 70 Delta College faculty each fall and winter semester for the past five years. The college’s Faculty Investment Teams (FIT) are small groups of instructors who invest in the success of their students by learning about, implementing, and discussing Delta’s four institutional investments: creating community, having conversations, supporting student success, and practicing situational fairness.
Teams of four to six faculty are identified within the first month of each semester. They are grouped by meeting day/time availability, Zoom...
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Institutional AI adoption in higher education jumped from 49 percent to 66 percent in 2025, and 88 percent of higher education professionals expect that growth to continue (Ellucian, 2026). Community college leaders are under real pressure to have answers. Boards are asking about it. Presidents are mentioning it in strategic plans. Vendors are calling with demos. And somewhere in the middle of all that noise, a budget decision is being made—often without a clear framework for what success looks like.
Most of those decisions are being made in the wrong order. Institutions are choosing tools...
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Imagine this scenario on a community college campus: Students, faculty, and staff gather in welcoming spaces organized around meta-majors. Faculty are holding classes or office hours. Some students are quietly studying, while others are working with embedded tutors. Learning communities also congregate in the space, with dedicated counselors available to assist with both academic and life issues. There are free snacks, and organizers plan both career-oriented events and fun social activities, such as karaoke and Pictionary games, to create a sense of belonging and connection.
Operational...
In higher education, innovation is often defined by an institution's ability to undergo digital transformation and adopt tools that reflect current professional standards. For a Design and Digital Media department, bringing an LED virtual production wall online represents far more than a facilities upgrade. It signals a fundamental shift in what community college students can reasonably expect to access. In the film and media industry, LED walls are used for virtual production, replacing traditional green screens with real-time digital environments that allow filmmakers to place actors inside...
Most discussions about biotechnology innovation begin in places like Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Research Triangle—ecosystems anchored by elite research universities, concentrated National Institutes of Health funding, and billion-dollar venture capital funds that most communities don't have (EY, 2025). This geographic concentration is not accidental. Biotechnology is one of the most capital-intensive industries a first-time founder can enter (Fortrea, 2025). A single instrument, such as a mass cytometer used in cell analysis, can run anywhere from $500,000 to $1.5 million—...
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Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Innovation of the Year Award winners from 26 participating League member colleges! The League established the Innovation of the Year Awards almost 45 years ago to recognize local community college programs and initiatives that reflect the spirit of innovation and experimentation on which our organization was founded. The award provides an opportunity for colleges to showcase their innovative efforts; celebrate the dedicated educators, staff, and administrators who are responsible for this exceptional work; and promote a culture of innovation at their...
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Texas higher education is navigating a new reality. Student mental health is no longer a student services issue at the margins of institutional strategy; it is a core condition of student success, shaping persistence, completion, and the ability of learners to fully participate in the educational experience. Yet, even as community colleges and universities have increased support in recent years, many efforts across the state remain fragmented and difficult to scale in ways that are actionable, sustainable, and measurable. That is why a coalition of Texas higher education institutions and...
As the manufacturing sector undergoes a rapid digital transformation, the gap between traditional education timelines and immediate industry needs has widened. Sinclair Community College, in partnership with the Employers’ Workforce Coalition and the Dayton Region Manufacturers Association (DRMA), has launched the Manufacturing Skills Sprint. This intensive, employer-connected model utilizes work-based learning and condensed technical training to move jobseekers into high-demand roles within weeks, rather than years. This article explores the program’s design, its reliance on community...
Agriculture remains the backbone of California’s economy, contributing over $50 billion annually and employing millions (California Department of Food and Agriculture, 2020). But as the industry evolves through rapid technological change, the need for a highly skilled workforce has never been more urgent.
California’s Central Valley, a global agricultural powerhouse, faces persistent workforce shortages. Many farm laborers and processing plant workers lack formal training, which limits their career advancement opportunities. To address this gap, Merced College launched the Agricultural...
Mitigating risks associated with crime scene investigation can make all the difference when carrying out justice effectively. Julian and Kelty (2015) identified key risks in the forensic process, including a low level of forensic awareness among first responders, lack of professionalism and training among crime scene examiners, inefficient or ineffective laboratory processes, limited forensic literacy and poor communication among key actors in the criminal justice system, and limited financial resources at the front end of the forensic process. The authors noted that, “Ultimately, it is these...
Santa Fe College (SF) is currently celebrating 60 years of providing essential liberal arts education, university preparation, career and technical education, and a ticket to upward mobility for students in nearby counties. With a $425.8 million impact on the regional economy in fiscal year 2024 (Lightcast, 2025), the college is strategically poised to have even greater reach by (1) finding innovative ways to meet students from all backgrounds where they are, academically or geographically, and (2) using novel methods to accelerate their success and prepare them to satisfy Florida's high...
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