The outcomes states gain from investing in postsecondary financial aid programs remain hotly debated, leading to great interest in developing programs that are both cost-effective and productive in helping states meet goals. In the 2012-13 academic year, states collectively provided approximately $11.2 billion in financial aid to students enrolled…

This article describes how out-of-work miners are engaged in the Empowering Education Initiative, a unique alliance between Country Music Television (CMT) and community colleges in Appalachia. The initiative, which includes a website and a series of country music concerts, is changing the conversation in the Appalachian region, giving hope to…

This document discusses the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and how it has become the lead agency in workforce development for Virginia as well as advancing Virginia's workforce through non-credit training, retaining courses and programs to meet the needs of business and industry. This document contains a summary of activities and…

In Virginia, a community college consortium for semiconductor education and training programs works with a semiconductor manufacturers' partnership to review programs based on a national core curriculum model. The results are being used to improve curriculum development, faculty training, facility improvement, and student recruitment. (SK)

Virginia's community colleges could easily be more closely linked to the economic and industrial development upgrade occurring through the Commonwealth. The colleges' educational partnership programs, which have recently been stimulated by government encouragement and intercollegiate cooperation, are ready-made facets of industrial training and…

This paper aims to provide an examination of the entrepreneurial role of the community college president as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with that role. The author examines the literature, and presents case studies of four community colleges in Virginia. The 23 Virginia community colleges are located on 40 campuses and have…

This Institutional Effectiveness report for Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) offers statistics comparing PVCC's performance with that of the entire Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Highlights of findings included in the report are: (1) the student advancement rate (those who are still enrolled in PVCC, those who have…