A teacher is back home in Wisconsin after attending the White House Summit on Community Colleges.
Madison Area Technical College Instructor of Sociology Suzanne Sublette is one of only six college faculty members from across the country who attended the very first summit in Washington, D.C. “What I walked away with from that meeting was the idea that quite frankly what we’re doing at Madison College is really the right thing.”
The summit brought together community colleges, business, philanthropy, federal and state policy leaders, as well as students to discuss the role community colleges have in developing America’s workforce and reaching our educational goals.
Sublette focused on bachelor degree attainment and the importance of an articulation agreement, which guarantees a graduate of the two-year school admission to a four-year college. “If you don’t have a solid articulation agreement in place, you’re students suffer. Literally the course they take with you are not guaranteed to go with them if they plan on transferring.”
Sublette says she didn’t realize how many community colleges across the nation struggle with trying to be recognized by the four-year colleges and universities in their area. MATC is already doing the right thing; She says it’s just a matter of expanding access and capacity.
President Obama calls the community colleges “the unsung heroes of America’s education system.” The summit was chaired by Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden’s wife.