CCA on the Air Podcast

Join us as we sit down with John Fink, Senior Research Associate and Program Lead at CCRC, and one of the authors of More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success, to explore a decade of research on guided pathways reforms. We’ll discuss how state and institutional leaders can implement proven strategies…

On this episode of CCA on the Air, we explore the world of Open Education and its transformative impact on student success. Our guest, Lindsey Gwozdz, Assistant Dean of Libraries at the Community College of Rhode Island, brings a dual perspective—as a campus-based practitioner and a regional leader in the open ed movement. Together, we…

Internships can be game-changers, but for many students, access to meaningful work experience remains out of reach. In this episode of CCA on the Air, we hear directly from Complete College America’s student interns about how their internship experience has influenced their professional growth and shaped their views on the student experience.  They reflect on the realities…

Join CCA Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann as she explores the concept of values-driven advising with Dr. Jeff Elliott, executive director of undergraduate academic advising at Purdue University. This episode examines how academic advisors can integrate their personal values with institutional mission to create meaningful student experiences. The conversation covers the holistic nature of modern…

In this episode of CCA on the Air, we sit down with Dr. Gretel Stock, Dean of University College, and Dr. William Broussard, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and CEO of the UWSP Foundation, to discuss the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s new “one front door” model for emergency aid. Learn how this approach is removing…

Student parents represent over 20% of college students nationwide, yet their unique needs often go unseen. In this episode, we’re joined by Catron Allred, Director of the Early Childhood Center of Excellence (ECCOE) at Santa Fe Community College, where the New Mexico Student Parent Alliance is housed. She shares how New Mexico is advancing student…

CCA Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann interviews Dr. Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, about workforce alignment in higher education. Dr. Flanders discusses Kansas’s comprehensive approach to connecting education with career outcomes, including stackable credentials, applied learning experiences, and strategic reforms like developmental education and guided pathways. The conversation explores…

In this episode of CCA on the Air, host Jamia Stokes introduces listeners to Complete College America’s other Alliance engagement directors: Jonathan Gowin, Nichole Mann, and Jennifer Torres. The conversation features all four regional directors who share their personal journeys, professional backgrounds, and the unique perspectives they bring to their work advancing college completion and…

This episode of “CCA on the Air” features an interview with Dr. Jonathan Anderson, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Eastern Washington University, about “unapologetic handholding”—a student success philosophy that provides intentional, high-touch support without compromising academic standards. Dr. Anderson explains how this approach helps demystify higher education systems for students, particularly first-generation…