Virginia's Community College System’s Post

It's Decision Day in South Carolina! We asked a few recipients what's important to consider when choosing a college. We also have our new College Report, which offers an overview of the state's best colleges. https://bit.ly/3VXZvu5

Please follow EDUCATIONAL FIRST STEPS to watch the magical impact unfold….

This is a great feature article about our new apartment residence complex under construction - this one is keeping us pretty busy in the planning, design, & construction shop!

Count me among the students Judy Brown helped during her 43 years at Watkinson School . As a new educator, here are some #wordsofwisdom I gleaned from Judy's career: 🥉 Keep your humanity front and center. Often, this advice is applied in the context of interacting with students (e.g: see students as human), but I think that it is easier to be human as a student—especially if you happen to be a student with one or more marginalized identity—if the people in power who you interface with (that means educators in all roles) first own their own fallibility—and lives outside of work! An easy way to set these kind of humanity-affirming (and thus healthy) expectations: Explicitly say when you check your emails/other work communications in your email signature, syllabus, or any other student-facing information page. If you, for example, work from 9 to 5 on Mondays through Fridays then, this way, a student who sends an email at 6 PM at Friday KNOWS that you are not blowing them off if you respond at 9 AM on Monday. Another (more fun) way to display your humanity is to have mementos in your office or virtual space, inviting conversation about hobbies and other non-work dimensions of life. (No person is one-dimensional!) 📧 🍋 🥈 Don't forget about SMART goals. At least for me, this is something I tend to slip with as the school year / semester goes on, but they're called SMART goals for a reason! And they're smart for students and educators alike! Start a meeting with discussion of goals named (and preferably written or in some other way made "tangible") last time. End a meeting with articulation of new goals and/or refinement of previously-articulated goals. Ambition is important, but ambition without direction is a recipe for burnout. And victories of any size are revitalizing—and call for celebration! 📋 🔥 In case you need a reminder of what SMART goals are: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-Based 🥇 Always maintain a curiosity stance. Enter as a co-investigator, not the judge. Combine your expertise (e.g: of a program's GPA requirements, of your class' rules around late work, etc.) with the expertise of the student (e.g: career goals, circumstances that led to work not being completed on-time, etc.). You are on the same team! And even if you do not get the result that you want, there is always a learning experience to be gleaned. 🔎 🧠 What lessons have you learned from retiring educators who touched your life? Please share in this space! 💭 #grateful #reflection #educator

We are thrilled to announce that William James College has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation to support the launch of our Men of Color Career Advancement (MoCCA) Program! This year-long pilot project will help establish a pipeline of professionals of color who can address the mental health and substance use needs of historically marginalized groups in the Commonwealth. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eb9mWJ7u .

“William James College’s MoCCA Program will accelerate efforts to diversify the behavioral health workforce and lessen disparities in mental health and substance use care,” said Jacquie Anderson, Senior Director of Grantmaking at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation. “We are pleased to support and invest in this project to create sustainable career pathways for men of color and increase access to culturally responsive behavioral health services across the Commonwealth.”

UMBS is making it easier for families to live and work at the research and teaching campus in northern Michigan this summer. A new grant will fully fund the summer camp for children of researchers, students and staff living at the field station along Douglas Lake. https://myumi.ch/ErVPJ

Honors College alumnus Christian Johnson is grateful to his parents, Franklin and Kathleen Johnson, who instilled the value of academic excellence in their children. He and his five siblings all received an Honors Education: Emily Ann Johnson (Ott), Martha Ann Johnson (Jackson), Eden Ann Johnson (Ellingson), Joshua Johnson, and Samuel Johnson. Read more about Christian's inspiring educational and career journey, and how his time in the Honors College impacted him, by following the link below. https://lnkd.in/gPEbtSkU

Exciting news for Michigan! 🎉 Our state has the 5th largest acceleration in the growth of its younger adult population. There's a misconception that we are losing this talent, but we're actually reversing the brain drain. Since 2020, Michigan's younger adult population (25 to 44 year olds) has grown, with multiple Metro Detroit counties among some of the biggest gainers.   Love to see young talent choosing to stay in the state! I always tell people Michigan has so much to offer -- fresh water, skiing, golf, nationally-acclaimed micro-breweries and wineries, top-tier universities, stunning fall foliage, culture, and so much more. Michigan truly has it all. 🍂🍷   We're hoping to keep this positive trend going! Why do you think young professionals are choosing Michigan, and how can we continue to build on this momentum? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 💡   📖 Read Ron Starner's article: How Michigan Engineered a Lightning-Fast Turnaround to its Talent Pool Page 160-161 :)