The League for Innovation in the Community College’s August 2025 publications spotlight bold institutional strategies that challenge the status quo in student success, academic organization, and classroom engagement. This month’s Leadership Abstracts, Learning Abstracts, and Innovation Showcase feature fresh thinking from colleges across North America working to better serve today’s diverse learners.

In Leadership Abstracts, “Academic Transformation at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology” by Maureen Toews and Jayne Steffler explores how SAIT has undertaken a comprehensive reorganization of its academic schools and support services to strengthen learner outcomes and foster a more agile, future-ready institution. The article outlines key drivers behind the transformation, including labor market needs and evolving learner expectations, and shares valuable insights for leaders navigating similar change processes.

The Learning Abstracts article, “Fostering Classroom Belonging: Santa Fe College’s Approach to Student Success” by Leslie Rios and Bobby Hom, delves into efforts to build a stronger sense of belonging for students in the classroom. Highlighting Santa Fe College’s belonging initiative, the authors discuss faculty-led strategies; data-informed approaches; and the importance of inclusive pedagogy in cultivating environments where students feel seen, valued, and motivated to succeed.

In this issue of Innovation Showcase, “Reenvisioning the First-Year Experience for Students at Maricopa Community Colleges,” author Meredith Warner details how Arizona’s largest community college system is revamping its first-year programming. The article introduces the district’s new student experience framework, a holistic, student-centered model designed to foster connection, clarify purpose, and support persistence through the critical first year of college.

These timely and thought-provoking articles are now available at www.league.org/innovation. We invite educators, leaders, and practitioners to explore these pieces and consider how their insights can inform practice and policy at institutions in the U.S. and beyond.