NASHVILLE - Chattanooga State Community College is among four colleges from across the country to earn nationally prestigious "Leader College" status in recognition of reforms fueling steady improvements in student success.
The local college, as well as Southwest Tennessee Community College, were awarded the honor Thursday during Achieving the Dream's national conference at National Harbor, Maryland, for work resulting in improved completion rates among all students.
Achieving the Dream was conceived in 2004 by the Lumina Foundation, along with seven partner groups, to boost the proportion of Americans with postsecondary degrees.
"Becoming a Leader College requires institutions to have data that show concrete progress toward building a student-centered culture that drives gains in student success," said Dr. Karen A. Stout, Achieving the Dream's president and CEO, in a news release. "To achieve this, colleges must be willing to work differently to improve the educational journeys of all of their students. I'm proud to recognize these colleges that are living their commitment to change and are achieving stronger results."
Leader Colleges, certified for three-year terms, play an important role in accelerating adoption of effective practices within both Achieving the Dream's network and across higher education generally.
They are recognized for the quality of their work in "whole-college" reform, resulting in increased completion rates for all students. They then work with other colleges to share knowledge and facilitate exchanges of ideas about evidence-based reform strategies.
Chattanooga State President Dr. Rebecca Ashford said, "I am incredibly proud of the students, faculty and staff who have worked so hard to increase our student success outcomes. This recognition from Achieving the Dream is a testament to Chattanooga State's commitment to improving the lives of our students through education. I am humbled to be part of this important work."
Southwest President Dr. Tracy D. Hall said, "[Achieving the Dream] has been a game changer for us. We have worked hard to successfully transform the student experience through the outstanding guidance and framework provided by ATD," and called it a "fantastic affirmation of our hard work and the improved student outcomes we see every day."
Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings, a former Chattanooga State president and supporter of Achieving the Dream, congratulated both Tennessee colleges.
"I'm very proud of the work that Presidents Ashford and Hall and all the faculty and staff at Chattanooga State and Southwest have done to improve student success, as recognized by this high honor from ATD," Tydings said. "Our system shares the ATD vision of community colleges that highly value preserving access and ensuring success for all students."
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.