LBCC among 30 colleges nationwide invited to join Pathways Project

Building off work it has done over the past two years, Linn-Benton Community College has been invited, through a highly competitive national selection process, to join the Pathways Project led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

LBCC is one of 30 colleges across America with a shared commitment to implement guided academic and career pathways for all students. Guided pathways provide students the structure and support to measurably increase their chances of college completion and career success.

LBCC and the other colleges will receive support funded through a $5.2 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

LBCC will be among the first group of colleges to participate in the pathways institute series over the next 2.5 years and will work with expert coaches at those institutes.  In addition, the participating colleges themselves will contribute to learning both across the initiative and more broadly, across the community college field. 

“This is an exciting endorsement for the direction LBCC has been working toward over the past few years,” said LBCC President Greg Hamann. “Our selection will speed our progress, while helping us help even more of our students set and reach goals that make their lives and our communities better places to live and work.”

AACC is coordinating the national partnership to build capacity for community colleges to implement a pathways approach to student success and college completion.

Partners include Achieving the Dream, Inc., the Aspen Institute, the Center for Community College Student Engagement, the Community College Research Center, Jobs for the Future, the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement, and Public Agenda. Partners have participated actively in the college selection process and also are substantively involved in designing a model series of pathways institutes, each focusing on key elements in a fully scaled pathway model for community colleges.

“These very diverse community colleges can feel proud of the strong foundations they have laid for this transformational work,” said AACC president Walter G. Bumphus. “We are pleased with the rigor and integrity that the Pathways partners have ensured in the selection process, and all of the partners look forward to the intensive work ahead.”

The Pathways colleges are in urban, suburban, and rural locations in 17 states, with fall headcount enrollments ranging from less than 3,000 to almost 60,000 students. Selected institutions are:

Alamo Colleges (TX)
Bakersfield College (CA)
Broward College (FL)
Cleveland State Community College (TN)
Columbus State Community College (OH)
Community College of Philadelphia (PA)
Cuyahoga Community College (OH)
El Paso Community College (TX)
Front Range Community College (CO)
Indian River State College (FL)
Irvine Valley College (CA)
Jackson College (MI)
Lansing Community College (MI)
Linn-Benton Community College (OR)
Monroe Community College (NY)
Mt. San Antonio College (CA)
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (WI)
Paris Junior College (TX)
Pierce College District (WA)
Prince George’s Community College (MD)
St. Petersburg College (FL)
San Jacinto College (TX)
Skagit Valley College (WA)
Stanly Community College (NC)
South Seattle Community College (WA)
Tallahassee Community College (FL)
Tulsa Community College (OK)
Wallace State College (AL)
Western Wyoming Community College (WY)
Zane State College (OH)