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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2020)
February 5, 2020 Page 5 Community Colleges is How We Bridge the Gap Cascade Connections by Dr. Karin Edwards When I was a little girl grow- ing up in the Bronx, in New York City, my borough may have well as been a million miles away from the glittering skyscrapers and townhouses of Manhattan. The people there, by virtue of their position and privilege, were able to make choices, to exert a level of con- trol over their lives that seemed beyond what was possible for most folks in my neighbor- hood. There was even a phys- ical barrier -- the Harlem River – that seemed to emphasize the difference between us. Things changed for me, though, in middle school, when I received a scholarship to attend Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, a prestigious institution across the river in midtown Manhat- tan. Suddenly, I was studying side-by-side with the sons and daughters of privilege, people whose career goals and aspi- rations were limited only by their ambition and the choices they made. I was grateful for the op- portunity afforded to me, and determined not to let it go to waste. But more importantly, I realized that education was the key to opening up one’s future, to exerting control over one’s life. This realization was so profound that I decided to make education my career. But I also realized that not everybody gets a chance to go to a Columbia Prep. When my career path took me to a job at a community college, the pieces fell into place and I understood: This – commu- nity college – is how people everywhere can live the lives they want. The fact is, if we didn’t al- ready have community col- leges, we would need to invent them. They are the best way we have to connect people with fulfilling careers, with living-wage incomes, with the next stage in their educational journeys, if that’s the way they want to go. Community col- leges are how we bridge the gap between people’s current circumstances and their life goals. The reason that community colleges are so successful at this is because they’re the seg- ment of the higher education- al continuum with the fewest barriers to entry. Tuition and fees are very low in compar- ison with virtually any four- year institution. There are no standardized test requirements for admission, no expensive fees; we take people as they are, where they are, in good faith and without judgment. And – as the name suggests – community colleges are, for most people, located close to home. Simply stepping foot onto a community college campus, though, will not magically in- stall you in the career or your dreams, or instantly grant you the life you want. Make no mistake – anything worth hav- ing is worth working for; and if you go to college, you have to do the work. Fortunately, community college has you covered there, too. For example – at the Cas- cade Campus of Portland Community College, where I am the campus president, there is a whole range of ser- vices and programs designed to help you make the right decisions to reach your edu- cational goals, and to support you along the way. There are advisors to help you plan your choice of classes. There are tu- tors, both students and faculty, who can help you to master your coursework. There is cut- ting-edge technology in our workforce training programs to ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running in your new career. There are opportu- nities to serve your communi- ty and develop your skills as a leader. And when times are challenging, there are counsel- ors to help you find your way. There’s another reason, too, that community colleges are an essential component of American life. Earlier, I mentioned another barrier, the Harlem River, and how it came to symbolize far more than just the physical sepa- ration between my neighbor- hood and midtown Manhattan – and between me, a young black girl, and the life I want- ed for myself. Here it is: Community col- leges are the engine that can lift people of color and mem- bers of other underserved populations from the cycle of intergenerational poverty that has kept too many of us down for too long. Community col- leges are how you can cross that river. Students from underrepre- sented backgrounds can often be the first members of their families to go to college, and are thus unfamiliar with cam- pus life and all that it entails. Many may never have consid- ered college to be a possibili- ty, and as a result can feel like an impostor, like they don’t belong. Many aren’t aware of the support systems available to them, and are vulnerable to dropping out during times of stress. So let me be very clear: If you’re a person of color, if you’re a first-generation stu- dent, if you’re queer or an im- migrant or differently abled – you are not an impostor. You do belong at community col- lege. You do deserve the ca- reer and the life that you want. There are people at communi- ty college who look like you, who have shared experiences similar to yours, who have struggled with that same feel- ing of being on the outside looking in – and they are wait- ing to welcome you and help you succeed. What are you waiting for? Dr. Karin Edwards is pres- ident of Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus.