By Staff
BENTON HARBOR – With more than 45 percent of all undergraduates in the United States attending community colleges, the training programs and partnerships emanating from two-year institutions of higher education are increasingly important to the economic vitality of the communities they serve.
To highlight key innovative efforts being conducted by Michigan's 28 community colleges, the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA) is holding the first of several regional events on Monday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center for Arts and Technology.
"Michigan's Community Colleges Advancing Michigan's Communities" will showcase best practice partnerships between community colleges and economic development agencies, health care and human service organizations and governmental units that are breaking new ground in workforce development and higher education.
"Community colleges have a unique opportunity to connect with the individuals, organizations and businesses they serve to address education and training needs in an economic landscape that is ripe for change," stated Mike Hansen, president of MCCA. "The grassroots nature of the partnerships highlighted in the first in this series of conferences demonstrates that the possibilities are only limited by the imaginations of the communities we serve."
This one-day conference is designed to inform leaders from the governmental, economic development, education and business sectors throughout the state about innovative programs that are making a difference.
Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) President Dr. David Mathews said, "Creating and maintaining a workforce that has the necessary skills to compete in a global economy is one of the major functions of every community college.
"SMC accomplishes this goal through partnerships with high schools, partnerships with employers and program outcomes that align with state-of-the art practice in the workplace. Expanding these partnerships is a goal of this conference and is a win-win-win situation for businesses, our community and students."
Keynote speakers and topics will include Lou Glazer on "What's the Future of Jobs?" Glazer is president of Michigan Future, Inc., a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to be a source of new ideas on how Michigan can succeed.