Funding for Community Colleges

From community colleges to traditional universities, a look into one student’s educational journey.

Darren Martin is a non-traditional student who has his associate of arts and his bachelor’s degrees. He is just one of the many students around the country who have benefited from the opportunities community colleges offer. Martin’s story provides a personal perspective on the difficulties he faced and how he overcame hardship. He provides a more complete picture of the educational landscape of the U.S. and how students acquire different skills from different institutions. Martin’s story shows that regardless of where you come from and what your background is, your educational is what you make it. Here’s his story.

Community colleges give non-traditional students a chance at higher education. One such student is Darren Martin. He graduated from a community college and went on to a four-year institution to further his degree. Community colleges are tasked with not only educating students, but also training them to go into the workforce quickly and helping students complete general education classes often before transferring to a four-year institution.

Recently, community colleges have been playing an increasingly vital role in the health of the United States’ economy and global standing. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says that in order to reach President Obama’s goal of being a global leader in college attainment rates, community colleges would have to lead the way and provide the country with an opportunity to grow. The future begins with higher education, and community colleges are the linchpin to that goal, says Duncan.

President Obama pledged to give community colleges $12 billion in 2009, but so far they’ve only received $2 billion. Receiving less money than they hoped for has put many administrators and professors in a pinch because they’re forced to do more with less. Regardless, these educators’ main focus is to educate those who want the education.

What is your take on the amount of aid community colleges receive? Tell us in our comment section below.