2015-2016 Community College Presidents’ Symposia
Program Overview
Achieving the Dream is working with the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program to offer
a new series of leadership symposia for community college presidents, made possible by
generous funding from the Kresge Foundation, John M. Belk Endowment, Greater Texas
Foundation, and College Spark. Utilizing a curriculum developed by the Aspen Institute College
Excellence Program with national experts in research and practice, each two and one-half day
symposium will address student success in one of four areas:
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Implementing Guided Pathways as Structural Reform
Working with Employers to Create Sustained Economic Impact
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Engaging Faculty in Scaled Improvements to Teaching and Learning
● Engaging Four-year Institutional Partners to Ensure Strong Transfer Outcomes
Our goal is to provide an opportunity to 100 presidents over the next year to participate in a
symposium that best matches their interests and their institution’s capacity building priorities.
Each symposium will engage 25 presidents in reflective discussion and problem solving, using
each other and national experts as sounding boards and advisors for change strategies. The
presidents will be exposed to best practices for leading institutional reforms drawn from
Achieving the Dream Leader College and Aspen Prize finalists’ experiences and will develop
personal plans for how they will apply lessons and new skill sets. Presidents will report back
periodically over the following year on the impact of their plans and also participate in a special
session for presidents at ATD’s annual DREAM Institute in Atlanta, February 24, 2016. The
symposia and half-day session at DREAM2016 will connect presidents from across the country,
fostering new relationships that presidents can draw upon for further consultation and problem
solving.
Achieving the Dream and Aspen will make every effort to schedule interested presidents for their
first choice topic but ask applicants to indicate a second choice in case symposia are oversubscribed. Priority for selection will be given to presidents that expect to remain in the
community college field for three or more years. Travel expenses for invited presidents will be
covered by Achieving the Dream.
Symposia Dates/Topics
September 27-29, 2015
Arlie House, Warrenton, VA
Implementing Guided Pathways as Structural Reform. This symposium will focus on (1) the
potential for guided pathways to improve student outcomes substantially, and (2) the critical role
of the president in leading the transition from current “cafeteria” models to guided pathways
structures. The session will cover the primary goals of guided pathways reforms; the core
elements of a guided pathways approach that distinguish it from most existing structures; and
concrete steps the president can take to initiate and advance pathways design.
November 15-17, 2015
Westfields Marriott, Chantilly, VA
Working with Employers to Create Sustained Economic Impact. This symposium covers how
presidents can ensure that their community college delivers high-quality programs that result in
strong labor market outcomes for graduates. Among the topics covered will be engaging
employers in curriculum development and the provision of on-the-job training; developing
systems for strong support and honest feedback from employers; using data and conversations to
project labor market demand and assess the success of graduates in the labor markets; and the
role of the president in leading the institutional conversation about engaging business and
industry and improving labor market outcomes for graduates.
April 20-22 2016
Aspen Wye River Conference Center, Queenstown, MD
Engaging Faculty in Scaled Improvements to Teaching and Learning. This symposium
will provide concrete strategies for presidents to employ to deeply engage faculty in
student success reforms. Drawn from institutions around the country with exceptional
faculty cultures, the session will cover strategies for building urgency and common
understanding of student success challenges; structures and tools that can be used to
broaden faculty engagement; and ways to align hiring and professional development with
student learning goals.
June 26-28 2016
Aspen Wye River Conference Center, Queenstown, MD
Engaging Four-year Institutional Partners to Ensure Strong Transfer Outcomes. This
symposium will cover the role of the president in developing highly effective community
college-to-university transfer partnerships that maximize student transfer and baccalaureate
attainment. The symposium will equip community college presidents to develop strong
relationships with their four-year counterparts, empower others in their institutions to do the
same, and work with internal stakeholders to align advising, courses and program structure with
the goal of improving opportunity and success among transfer students.