Traci Schlesinger

Community College as a Structural and Cultural Intervention
By Traci Schlesinger, assistant professor of sociology at DePaul University
I did not choose a community college over other colleges; I chose it over not going to college. Many forces conspired to make this the case, but it’s probably sufficient for me to describe two. First, I was poor, as were both of my (single) parents. I needed college costs to be covered in full by federal and state grants, and community college was the most affordable option. Second, my final high school GPA was 1.8 on a 4.0 scale, so few other schools would have had me.

Charlene M. Dukes

Women’s Leadership in the Community College Sector
By Charlene M. Dukes, president of Prince George’s Community College, Prince George’s County, Maryland
I have spent twenty-eight years in higher education, and more than three-quarters of this time in community colleges. Community colleges’ missions of open access, opportunity, and success for all who dare to move forward in their educational journeys and improve life for themselves and their families—regardless of age, race, gender, and preparation—have led me to commit my efforts to this sector. I have found that community colleges’ willingness to embrace creativity, ingenuity, collaboration, and teamwork puts them at the cutting edge of higher education.

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