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CCA On the Air

CCA On the Air

By Complete College America

Complete College America (CCA) is committed to being a bold voice in the higher education space elevating critical conversations that both actively and passively impact college completion. We find ourselves at a time when the need for these conversations has reached a heightened level of importance. As a convener of thought leaders, CCA's On the Air podcast provides access to the most innovative and effective higher education leaders and advocates through candid conversations.

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Supporting Student Success at Predominantly and Historically Black Community Colleges

CCA On the AirMar 08, 2022

00:00
40:55
Nimble Teams: Student-centered Solutions from CCA PEP Coaches

Nimble Teams: Student-centered Solutions from CCA PEP Coaches

In today's episode, three CCA PEP coaches will explain the concept of "Nimble Teams" and how they empower institutional change based on learnings from the PEP Initiative in Arkansas, Montana, and Oklahoma.

Dr. Brandon Protas, Assistant Vice President of Alliance Engagement at CCA, will lead the discussion. Our PEP coaches are Dr. Margaret-Montgomery Richard, Dr. Arnel Cosey, and Dr. Heidi Loshbaugh.

We will explore how faculty, staff, and leadership investigate campus policies and practices and how each college can find unique, student-centered solutions.

Visit completecollege.org/cca-on-the-air to view a transcript of this episode.

Mar 20, 202433:08
Equity and AI in Higher Education: Perspectives from the CCA Council on Equitable AI
Mar 05, 202451:11
A Coached Experience: Exploring Indiana University's Coaching Conversations Program

A Coached Experience: Exploring Indiana University's Coaching Conversations Program

Indiana University didn't just want to build a coaching initiative with the Coaching Conversations program; they wanted to impact the culture. In this episode, IU's Kate Goldstein and Emily McCord describe how the program was developed and how IU has intentionally built a "coached experience" into their student support.

 

The Coaching Conversations program offers workshops across nine campus locations, including online options for better accessibility. Kate and Emily discuss their backgrounds and how they came to coaching, the growth and development of the program over the years, and their future plans to infuse well-being practices into the training.

Feb 20, 202432:41
A Closer Look at the CCA Alliance: A Conversation with CCA's Alliance Engagement Directors

A Closer Look at the CCA Alliance: A Conversation with CCA's Alliance Engagement Directors

In today’s episode of CCA on the Air, we delve into CCA’s mission of advocacy with our two new Alliance Engagement Directors, Dr. Janelle Jefferson and Nichole Mann. Drawing from their backgrounds in academic advising, our AEDs shed light on their personal journeys and their pivotal role in amplifying student success stories. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of CCA’s mission and how it strategically connects leaders in higher education to foster collaboration and drive positive change.

Feb 06, 202434:49
Future Ready Policy: Charting the Course for College Completion into 2024

Future Ready Policy: Charting the Course for College Completion into 2024

This episode was recorded live at Future Ready, Complete College America's 2023 Annual Convening in Las Vegas.

Listen to key members of Complete College America's Policy Advisory Council as they discuss the intersection of policy, equity, and college completion, casting a vision for what lies ahead. This panel delves into the institutional, state, and federal policy landscape as it pertains to college completion, offering timely updates and insights as we enter the new year.

Our speakers focus on how policy can foster a more equitable and inclusive higher education system, touching on the strategies, challenges, and opportunities that will define our collective path forward.

Jan 23, 202443:52
Future Ready Presidents: Presiding Over Campuses for Learners of Today, Tomorrow, and Far Beyond
Jan 09, 202454:55
A Future Ready Approach to College Completion and Higher Education Attainment
Dec 19, 202353:60
Perpetual Pathways at a Historically Black Community College - Part II

Perpetual Pathways at a Historically Black Community College - Part II

Perpetual Pathways at Denmark Technical College, a historically Black community college in South Carolina, provides students with a guided journey to connect their education to their planned careers. The program supports students from their first experience registering for classes to after graduation. The effort has been transformational for the institution.

In the second part of this conversation, CCA's Nikolas Huot continues with A. Clifton Myles, Ph.D. executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Denmark Tech, Leslie Holman-Brooks, executive director of career and student services at Denmark Tech, and Edson Barton, founder and CEO of YouScience.

Nov 28, 202334:12
Perpetual Pathways at a Historically Black Community College - Part I

Perpetual Pathways at a Historically Black Community College - Part I

Perpetual Pathways at Denmark Technical College, a historically Black community college in South Carolina, provides students with a guided journey to connect their education to their planned careers. The program supports students from their first experience registering for classes to after graduation. The effort has been transformational for the institution. In this week's episode, CCA's Nikolas Huot is joined by A. Clifton Myles, Ph.D. executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Denmark Tech, Leslie Holman-Brooks, executive director of career and student services at Denmark Tech, and Edson Barton, founder and CEO of YouScience.

Nov 14, 202331:50
STEM Equity: Strategies for Inclusive Support in Online and Hybrid Learning

STEM Equity: Strategies for Inclusive Support in Online and Hybrid Learning

Join Meacie Fairfax, Strategy Director at Complete College America, in a captivating conversation with Dr. Jun Fu, an educational psychologist, on supporting historically excluded student populations in STEM education online. Uncover key learning outcomes, strategies, and actionable measures for inclusivity. Explore the vital role of socio-emotional support in enhancing learning for marginalized groups. Gain insights into tailored support mechanisms and the imperative to incorporate data disaggregation in program assessment. Tune in for transformative insights into applying an equity lens in STEM education, offering actionable takeaways for educators, administrators, and policymakers dedicated to fostering inclusivity.

Oct 31, 202339:12
Insights and Learnings from a Learning Recovery Program - Part II

Insights and Learnings from a Learning Recovery Program - Part II

Part II of Meacie Fairfax's conversation with the co-creators of Lehman College's Learning Recovery Program, Dr. Althea Forde and Dr. Elin Waring. Entering its third year, the program provides multi-faceted interventions for COVID-19-impacted students during their first year in college and is a national model for equitably supporting unfinished learning.

Oct 17, 202327:41
Insights and Learnings from a Learning Recovery Program - Part I

Insights and Learnings from a Learning Recovery Program - Part I

Meacie Fairfax is joined by the co-creators of Lehman College's Learning Recovery Program, Dr. Althea Forde and Dr. Elin Waring. Entering its third year, the program provides multi-faceted interventions for COVID-19-impacted students during their first year in college and is a national model for equitably supporting unfinished learning.

Oct 03, 202336:40
Artificial Intelligence: Uses, Cautions, and Implications for Student Success

Artificial Intelligence: Uses, Cautions, and Implications for Student Success

Will AI actually change higher education? How can institutions use it for better and appropriately exercise caution? CCA's Cassie Walizer is joined by Audrey Ellis for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving role of artificial intelligence in higher education.  

Sep 19, 202328:06
Multiple Measures Assessment: What Have We Learned and Where Are We Headed?

Multiple Measures Assessment: What Have We Learned and Where Are We Headed?

There has been an increased interest in multiple measures in the last few years. In this podcast, Dan Cullinan of MDRC speaks with CCA Assistant Vice President Brandon Protas about what this really means, particularly for placement into college-level courses and as part of developmental education reform.

Sep 05, 202331:19
Transfer Student Support

Transfer Student Support

What is the current landscape for transfer students? Why does it matter? Vistasp Karbhari and Elena Quiroz-Livanis speak to Cassie Walizer about the myths surrounding this critical, and growing, group of students.

Aug 22, 202341:40
Building Programs Explicitly for Adult Learners, Part II

Building Programs Explicitly for Adult Learners, Part II

How might we build a postsecondary experience that is designed especially for adult learners?  In the second part of this conversation, Buffy Tanner speaks to Laura Schueller about the ACE program at Shasta College; what has been successful and what they have learned along the way.

Aug 08, 202324:23
Building Programs Explicitly for Adult Learners Part I

Building Programs Explicitly for Adult Learners Part I

How might we build a postsecondary experience that is designed especially for adult learners? In this conversation, Buffy Tanner speaks to Laura Schueller about the ACE program at Shasta College; what has been successful and what they have learned along the way.

Jul 25, 202327:16
What Is the Role of Career Services Professionals in the Student's Journey?

What Is the Role of Career Services Professionals in the Student's Journey?

Nikolas Huot is joined by the president of NCDA (National Career Development Association), Dr. Lakeisha Mathews, in this conversation about the crucial role career services play in retaining and graduating our students.

Jul 11, 202344:08
A New Look at Math Pathways: Who Has Been Left out and How Might We Design with Them in Mind?

A New Look at Math Pathways: Who Has Been Left out and How Might We Design with Them in Mind?

Laura Schueller is joined by David Kung, from the Charles A. Dana Center, to explore how we arrived in postsecondary math and what opportunities there are to rethink math pathways in light of the need to modernize and consider the role of equity. 

Jun 27, 202334:31
What People Get Wrong about Working with Data

What People Get Wrong about Working with Data

CCA’s Brandon Protas is joined by Dr. Timothy Renick, CCA Fellow and Executive Director at the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. They discuss how data can be effectively harnessed to drive action and create significant change in student outcomes.

Jun 13, 202339:09
Coaching to Success: Meeting PBCC Students Where They Are

Coaching to Success: Meeting PBCC Students Where They Are

CCA's Nikolas Huot is joined by Dr. Tammie Briggs, Jennifer Reynolds, and Lula Snowden from Wallace Community College Selma to discuss their scaled coaching model. Together, they share how their intentional coaching model creates meaningful relationships with students and breaks down silos to increase student success and retention at this Predominantly Black Community College.

May 30, 202341:51
New Mexico Coreq Project Echo®

New Mexico Coreq Project Echo®

CCA AVP of Alliance Engagement, Brandon Protas, speaks with Dr. Barbara Damron, Professor and Senior Advisor at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences about the kick-off of the first ever higher education research project testing Project ECHO® as an intervention to scale up the corequisite model in New Mexico.

May 16, 202331:20
How the Connecticut Community Colleges Created the Ideal Student Advising Experience

How the Connecticut Community Colleges Created the Ideal Student Advising Experience

CCA’s Meacie Fairfax is joined by Dr. Michael Buccilli from CT State Community College, which officially launches July of this year, to discuss the guided pathways advising experience that at times feels so personalized it appears to rival those provided by private institutions or provided through cohort or athletic support programs.  The advising redesign across 12 campuses allows the college to provide local and systemwide supports and opportunities that benefit the student academically and boosts their well-being.

May 02, 202331:43
Myths Dispelled: Credit for Prior Learning’s Path to Higher Education Prosperity

Myths Dispelled: Credit for Prior Learning’s Path to Higher Education Prosperity

Brandon Protas, Assistant Vice President for Alliance Engagement at Complete College America, is joined by Matt Bergman, Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership at the University of Louisville and CCA Fellow, to discuss the power of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL). They will talk about how CPL can propel students, colleges, and universities forward to increase success at individual and institutional levels.

Apr 18, 202329:05
The Time Is Now: Serving Undocumented Students in Higher Education
Apr 04, 202324:43
Say What? Communicating the Value of Higher Education

Say What? Communicating the Value of Higher Education

Nikolas Huot, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Transformation at Complete College America, is joined by Charlee Beasor, Associate Commissioner for Marketing & Communications of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and Alison Kuehr, Communications Director for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education for a conversation about rethinking how we communicate the value of a college degree (certificate, Associate's, and Bachelor's) to different audiences. Hear more about the findings from this statewide outreach.  

To learn more about the excellent work and efforts in this area occurring in Indiana, please visit:  https://resources.learnmoreindiana.org/edvalue


Mar 07, 202343:30
 The Roadmap for Change - Equity, Admissions, and Purpose First
Feb 21, 202343:45
No Wrong Door: Creating Opportunity with Tuition-free College in New Mexico

No Wrong Door: Creating Opportunity with Tuition-free College in New Mexico

Stephanie Rodriguez, Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico New Mexico Higher Education Department, and Dr. Patricia Trujillo, Deputy Secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, join Brandon Protas, Assistant Vice President for Alliance Engagement at Complete College America to discuss the exciting opportunities and work occurring in New Mexico, including the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, work on student food insecurity and mental health, what it looks like trying to push initiatives through at the legislative level, and more.

Feb 07, 202344:14
The Three-Year Bachelor's Degree - A New Model From NewU University

The Three-Year Bachelor's Degree - A New Model From NewU University

CCA president Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by NewU founder and president, Stratsi Kulinski, to discuss the three-year bachelor's degree program model, lessons learned in its development, the founder's aspirations for scaled student success, and more. 

Jan 24, 202331:23
Want To Care for Students' Mental Health? Start with Your Colleagues

Want To Care for Students' Mental Health? Start with Your Colleagues

The Self Care Doc, Dr. Rae Lundy, joins CCA’s Meacie Fairfax in the final episode of our mental health series to discuss a sorely needed campus-based culture shift - supporting faculty, staff, and administrators' mental health care. Dr. Lundy explores how this internal change can trickle down and inform the work and care we must deliver to our students. They also discuss the 8 areas of wellness and how to incorporate the Surgeon General's 5 aspects of a mentally healthy workplace.

Jan 10, 202345:43
How to Create Psychological Safety: Campus-Wide Applications of Trauma-Informed Strategies

How to Create Psychological Safety: Campus-Wide Applications of Trauma-Informed Strategies

Wiley College’s AVP of Student Health Counseling and Wellness, Dr. Rae Lundy, joins CCA’s Meacie Fairfax in episode 2 of our mental health series to discuss trauma-informed campus strategies. Dr. Lundy shares how embracing and elevating trauma-informed leaders institutions can embed a much-needed culture of psychological safety, active listening, skilled practitioners, and leadership who understand and examine the pivotal role individuals, institutions, and technology play in supporting the mental health needs of the campus community.

Dec 20, 202237:42
Is Your Campus’ Approach to Mental Health Outdated?

Is Your Campus’ Approach to Mental Health Outdated?

Wiley College’s AVP of Student Health Counseling and Wellness, Dr. Rae Lundy, joins CCA’s Meacie Fairfax to discuss how administrators, faculty, staff, and the larger community can come together to support the mental health needs of students in and outside of the classroom. Dr. Lundy points out the dangers of using a reactive approach to mental health and discusses ways to embed mental health in the culture and to further bolster student success outcomes.

Dec 06, 202245:03
Student Success at Henderson State University

Student Success at Henderson State University

CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Henderson State University Chancellor, Dr. Charles Ambrose, to discuss his tenure, challenges faced in higher education leadership, and the great work that Henderson State University is doing to bolster student success as a public institution. 

Sep 06, 202233:43
When You've Seen One Rural College... You've Seen One Rural College

When You've Seen One Rural College... You've Seen One Rural College

CCA Strategy Director Brandon Protas is joined by Dr. Gregg Busch, President/CEO of Mesalands Community College; Dr. Kate Mahar, Dean of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives at Shasta College, and Dr. Kathie Stromile Golden, Provost/Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs and the Executive Director of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists at Mississippi Valley State University, which is an HBCU, to speak on rural colleges and the students, experiences, and culture around them. 

For more information, please visit: 

https://www.mesalands.edu/

https://www.mvsu.edu/ 

https://www.shastacollege.edu/

Aug 23, 202237:20
Advancing Equity with Developmental Education Reform

Advancing Equity with Developmental Education Reform

CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Dr. Maxine Roberts, Executive Director of Strong Start to Finish, to speak about the great work that Strong Start to Finish has been doing in the advancement of equity through developmental education reform. 

Aug 09, 202223:02
Life Transformation: Reflections on Early College

Life Transformation: Reflections on Early College

CCA Strategy Director, Dr. Brandon Protas, is joined by Marián Vargas and Alejandra Garcia to speak from their personal experiences about the benefits and transformative aspects of dual enrollment programs.

Jul 26, 202227:37
Part II: Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned & Equity Implications

Part II: Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned & Equity Implications

CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, to discuss navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, lessons learned, and the equity implications that face students amidst this health crisis.

Apr 05, 202230:41
 Part I: Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned & Equity Implications

Part I: Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned & Equity Implications

CCA President Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, to discuss navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, lessons learned, and the equity implications that face students amidst this health crisis.

Apr 05, 202219:46
From College to Career: Implementing Equitable Programs that Advance Purpose First
Mar 22, 202238:30
Supporting Student Success at Predominantly and Historically Black Community Colleges

Supporting Student Success at Predominantly and Historically Black Community Colleges

Dr. Nia Haydel, Vice President of Alliance Engagement and Institutional Transformation at CCA, is joined by three guests: Dr. Richard Moss, Director of STEM Success at the University of Arkansas, Pulaski Technical College; Dr. Brandon Nichols, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Olive-Harvey College, and Dr. Amber Garrison Duncan, formerly Strategy Director at the Lumina Foundation, and currently the Executive Vice President at the Competency-Based Education Network. Please join us for this exciting conversation about Complete College America’s work to improve student success outcomes at Predominantly Black Community Colleges and Historically Black Community Colleges, in this two-year project, funded by the Lumina Foundation.

Mar 08, 202240:55
Connecting the Student: K12 performance assessment for college advising and placement

Connecting the Student: K12 performance assessment for college advising and placement

CCA Strategy Director, Brandon Protas, Ed.D., is joined by Dr. Monica Martinez, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Learning Policy Institute, to discuss the transformative nature of performance assessment implementation in college advising and placement processes. To learn more about the Learning Policy Institute and the Reimagining College Access initaitive that Dr. Martinez leads, please visit: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/project/reimagining-college-access


Feb 22, 202238:06
Transforming Adult Student Lives with George Mason University's BIS Program

Transforming Adult Student Lives with George Mason University's BIS Program

Strategy Director Nikolas Huot is joined by Kurt Lazaroff, Ph.D., BIS Academic Services Director and Professor, and Janet Ha Poirot, Term Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Academic Services in BIS. They discuss George Mason University’s exemplar program for adult learner engagement, the Bachelor of Individualized Study (or BIS) program. This unique program allows students to individualize their course selection, and craft their academic maps to fit their interests and career goals. Join them for their conversation about this exciting program.

Dec 13, 202138:38
Part II: Lasting Impacts: Longitudinal Results after Seven Years from a Study on Coreq with Statistics

Part II: Lasting Impacts: Longitudinal Results after Seven Years from a Study on Coreq with Statistics

CCA Strategy Director Brandon Protas,  Ed. D, is joined by Daniel Douglas, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education Studies and Sociology at Trinity College; Alexandra Logue, Research Professor at The Center for Advanced Study in Education at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York; and Mari Watanabe-Rose, Director of Undergraduate Education Initiatives and Research in Office of Academic Affairs at The City University of New York. In this two-part podcast, our guests discuss their most recent work, "Community College Students Assessed as Needing Mathematics Remediation: Seven-Year Impacts of Corequisite Remediation with Statistics". Don't forget to catch Part I and Part II of this exciting and informative conversation.

Nov 22, 202127:40
Part I: Lasting Impacts: Longitudinal Results after Seven Years from a Study on Coreq with Statistics

Part I: Lasting Impacts: Longitudinal Results after Seven Years from a Study on Coreq with Statistics

CCA Strategy Director Brandon Protas, Ed. D, is joined by Daniel Douglas, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education Studies and Sociology at Trinity College; Alexandra Logue, Research Professor at The Center for Advanced Study in Education at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York; and Mari Watanabe-Rose, Director of Undergraduate Education Initiatives and Research in Office of Academic Affairs at The City University of New York. In this two-part podcast, our guests discuss their most recent work, "Community College Students Assessed as Needing Mathematics Remediation: Seven-Year Impacts of Corequisite Remediation with Statistics". Don't forget to catch Part I and Part II of this exciting and informative conversation.

Nov 22, 202125:31
Access, Affordability, and Equity: The Dual Enrollment Pathway to College in Colorado
Aug 31, 202125:47
Davis Jenkins, Data, and the Future of Student Success in Community Colleges
Aug 24, 202131:35
Reconciling America's Past to Create a More Inclusive Future

Reconciling America's Past to Create a More Inclusive Future

Katrina Caldwell, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins University, joins Complete College America President Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D. for a candid conversation on how leaders can reconcile with America's past to create a more inclusive future for higher education students.

Jul 20, 202132:22
Rethinking Higher Education with WGU President Scott Pulsipher

Rethinking Higher Education with WGU President Scott Pulsipher

Complete College America President Yolanda Watson Spiva is joined by Western Governors University President Scott Pulsipher for a candid conversation on how higher education can meet the needs of today's student. 

Jul 07, 202131:36
Committing to Equitable Systemic Change

Committing to Equitable Systemic Change

Committing to Equitable Systemic Change featuring Lais Martinez, Assistant Commissioner for EDI, Utah System of Higher Education and Virginia Madrid-Salazar, Strategies Lead, Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC)

Listen in as we discuss a regional and state approach to turn equity into action from working being done in the state of Utah and the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) in California.

Jun 22, 202134:23
Race Consciousness and Policy: An Analysis of California's AB 705

Race Consciousness and Policy: An Analysis of California's AB 705

Adrian Trinidad, Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Southern California Race & Equity Center joins CCA Strategy Director Brandon Protas, Ed.D., to share a critical race analysis of California's AB 705 and how its goals to impact racial equity are seen through policy and practice.

May 25, 202134:54