The learning process implies change. Once we’ve learned something, we aren’t quite the same person anymore, whether we’ve learned how to solve an equation, play tennis, make a vinaigrette, change a flat tire, or speak a second language. A recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer tells the story of immigrant Yaya Dia, who now plays … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—On the Path to a COVID Vaccine and to a Career
TURNING POINTS—America’s Greatest Economic/Educational Counter to The COVID Recession Is Its Community Colleges
COVID-19 has changed the work and employment landscape in the US and elsewhere, but our network of community colleges may provide the resource we need to re-train displaced workers and to enable degree-seeking students a chance to take valuable steps toward their goal. Last week, reader Rich Conti steered the Turning Points conversation toward David … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—America’s Greatest Economic/Educational Counter to The COVID Recession Is Its Community Colleges
TURNING POINTS—Earth Day and Earth Rescuers
Celebrated on this date in 1970, the first Earth Day prompted a half-century of environment-conscious efforts that have resulted in what most would consider needed changes and improvements on our planet. It was certainly a turning point both culturally and individually for thousands then and many more since April 22, 1970. In Philadelphia, the occasion … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Earth Day and Earth Rescuers
TURNING POINTS—Faves of 2019
We’ve celebrated numerous published articles here that have shined light on important turning points in people’s lives. As readers know, these posts tend to focus on underappreciated contributions to life, especially as they relate to the most vulnerable among us. We all experience moments that matter, turning points in our lives--and other people often are … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Faves of 2019
TURNING POINTS—Fostering Persistence
Last year, I was fortunate to speak with faculty at Maryland’s Howard Community College about OPEN ADMISSIONS and the mission of teaching nontraditional students. HCC President Kate Hetherington’s praise for the book meant a lot to me, as did her invitation to address the faculty then to work with a small faculty group. I was … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Fostering Persistence
TURNING POINTS—Smart First Steps in Higher Education
Slowly but surely, stigmas about community college are being replaced by accurate (and positive) perspectives. Just ask admissions staff at Ivy League and other top tier schools about community colleges. In a recent New York Times article, Laura Pappano cites Williams College, Brown University, and Muhlenberg College as selective schools that are finding community college … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Smart First Steps in Higher Education
TURNING POINTS—The Ripple Effects of Kindness
Speak with someone who is recovering from illness or injury, and there’s a good chance that you’ll hear about the role that other people have played in their story. Others can make a difference for the better when we’re battling sickness. They can provide turning points in our lives. Just knowing that we have people … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—The Ripple Effects of Kindness
TURNING POINTS—Learning Perspective
Real education is transformative. For nontraditional college student Gina Barreca, it added to and changed her perspective. The curious and open-minded Brooklyn kid moved from one learning experience to another, and today she is a professor of English at University of Connecticut and a highly regarded author. Her writing can be very funny, and I … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Learning Perspective
TURNING POINTS—Second Time’s The Charm
Anysaa El Manfaa tried community college immediately after high school, but a year later she was working at a bakery counter fulltime to meet the demands of life. An encounter with a customer became a turning point in her life. Making a sale to the fifty-something man who was in town to deliver a presentation … Continue reading TURNING POINTS—Second Time’s The Charm
Congratulations to Susan and Judy, and brava!
Susan Tobia and Judith Gay's clearly written and valuable UP AND RUNNING provides a blueprint for how community colleges can encourage and develop future leaders among faculty and staff. As Walter Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges, notes in the book's foreword, UP AND RUNNING arrives at a critical moment. … Continue reading Congratulations to Susan and Judy, and brava!
