Building Bachelor’s Degree Programs at Rural-Serving Community Colleges

In many fields, like early childhood education and nursing, educational requirements or employer expectations have now risen to the bachelor’s degree. One way to make these degrees more accessible is for community colleges to offer them. In 24 states, community colleges are authorized to offer these programs, which are designed to support residents’ entry and advancement into the local workforce. 

Geography, in addition to local labor market need, factors into the motivation to start a bachelor’s program. Considerably fewer rural residents hold four-year degrees than their metropolitan counterparts. And millions of prospective college students live in areas where the only local public college is a community college. Short of these institutions offering bachelor’s degrees, there may be no affordable local option to advance their education. Thankfully, many rural-serving community colleges have developed innovative ways to finance, staff, and sustain these programs.

New America invites you to join us on Monday, May 5 for a webinar highlighting current examples of bachelor’s programs at rural-serving community colleges and new research on these programs. 

Introductory Remarks

Sue Cui, Senior Program Officer, Ascendium Education Group

Research Presentation

Ivy Love, Senior Policy Analyst, New America

Practitioner Panel

Brandon Burk, Program Director - Respiratory Therapy, Ozarks Technical Community College

Carin Burr, Professor of Social Services, Clark State College

Russell Reid, Agriculture Department Chair, Feather River College 

Ivy Love, Senior Policy Analyst, New America (Moderator)

Concluding Remarks

Iris Palmer, Director for Community Colleges, New America