Carmen Cortez – Argument

In working to develop an argument that propels a greater discussion around effective methods toward increasing retention within community colleges, I have directed my study toward the effectiveness of career-focused or vocation programs in community colleges. According to “Pathways to Prosperity Project” at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, 30 percent of African Americans and 20 percent of Latinos in their mid-20s have earned an associate’s degree meanwhile a growing percentage of jobs are expected to require a postsecondary education. Providing students with a quality education and driving college completion has become a national imperative. Efforts made include summer bridge programs, monitored progress and creation of a tracking system, learning communities, mentorship programs, and college affordability initiatives among many others. Yet career focused programs are exhibiting success both in terms of retention and expectations, where students are transferring to four-year colleges in higher percentages. Elena Nitecki in “The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program Can Improve Community College Student Success explores two career focused program that have successfully raised retention in an urban community college that has been been ranked for having “some of the lowest community college retention rates in the state” (Nitecki, The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program Can Improve Community College Student Success, 2011). The value presented resides within experiential learning, which has been shown to elevate college expectation among high school students. The vocational programs created a strong culture of preparation and support that center on the specif profession track and provided students with consistent exposure. My argument is focused on supporting the effectiveness of vocation program in raising graduation and transfer rates, given careful attention to implementation measure and experiential learning.