CCA on the Air Podcast

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…

Targeted networks and student-centered approaches can transform educational outcomes for under-resourced communities. By connecting Historically Black and Predominantly Black Community Colleges, Alabama Possible is changing narratives, amplifying student voices, and creating economic pathways in one of the nation’s poorest states. Join CCA Alliance Engagement Director Jamia Stokes in conversation with Alabama Possible Executive Director Chandra…

Building stackable credentials requires faculty to decide what skills are fundamental to students’ future success. At Red Rocks Community College, business faculty decided that one of those skills is cultural intelligence, and students immediately connected with the concept. Learn more about CQ and how it supports stackable learning approaches in this episode of CCA on…

Explore the vital connections between college completion and a thriving democracy in this session recorded at All In: The 2024 CCA Annual Convening. Join education leaders and innovators as they tackle one of today’s most pressing challenges: restoring public trust in higher education while expanding access and success for all students. From innovative state programs…

Both math pathways and corequisite supports increase the chances of students making it through gateway math courses, but the current research is limited to demonstrating early benefits. How can using both initiatives together support a better path for long-term student success? CCA talks with Dr. Taylor Darwin of the Dana Center about what pathways and…

For many students, college completion starts even before application. Building a sense of community and onboarding students in a way that fosters campus engagement from the very beginning is one way that campuses can support a larger culture of completion. Dr. Lindsay Faulstick (Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students) and Chris Hitchcock (Executive Director,…

How do we move from insight to implementation in student success reforms? In the latest from CCA on the Air, Melinda Mechur Karp, Ph.D., Founder & Principal at Phase Two Advisory, discusses innovative placement practices and developmental education reform. In this episode, we talk about moving beyond traditional placement tests to more holistic approaches and…