CCA On the Air

In this episode of CCA on the Air, Alliance Engagement Director Dr. Jamia Stokes is joined by Dr. Anton Reece, President of West Kentucky Community and Technical College — a record five-time Aspen Prize top 10 finalist. Dr. Reece unpacks the philosophy behind WKCTC’s nationally recognized student success model, sharing how a data-driven, empathy-centered culture has produced outstanding outcomes for first-generation, lower-income, and diverse students across a 16-county, four-state region. He also discusses how a transformative $15 million gift from Mackenzie Scott is fueling community investment through a seven-sector vision and what mission-centered leadership looks like in today’s rapidly shifting higher education landscape.

In this episode of CCA On the Air, Alliance Engagement Director Jennifer Torres sits down with Dr. Carlos Cruz, Associate Vice Chancellor for Well-Being and Social Support at Dallas College. Together, they explore how Dallas College built a coordinated Student Care Network, transforming fragmented services into an integrated system of support for more than 100,000 students. Listeners will hear how Dr. Cruz and his team made the case for holistic student care through intentional leadership, shared infrastructure, community partnerships, data, and a clear return-on-investment framework, offering practical lessons for campus leaders looking to scale holistic student support and drive persistence and completion.

Midwest Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann speaks with Breana Brown, Program Coordinator at Illinois State University's Stevenson Center, about her journey from first-generation college student to passionate advocate for student success. Breana shares her unique perspective working with both graduate students and first-year undergrads, emphasizing the importance of shifting from a deficit lens to examining how institutional systems can better serve all students. Through powerful personal stories and practical insights, she demonstrates how bringing your authentic self to student success work can create transformative connections and help students recognize their own potential.

In this episode of CCA on the Air, recorded live at CCA's Data Days convening in Denver, we dive deep into Kentucky's ambitious journey toward its 60 by 30 educational attainment goal. Hear from higher education leaders across the state who are redefining what success looks like by moving away from rigid target-setting toward progress-based benchmarking.

In Kentucky, constant communication, transparent data validation, and collaborative processes are driving real results. Learn how they've built trust between state agencies and institutions, aligned KPIs across multiple levels, and leveraged performance funding to support underrepresented student populations.

Whether you're working at the state, system, or institutional level, this conversation offers practical insights on building effective data partnerships, measuring what matters, and moving everyone in the same direction.

Featuring:

Travis Muncie, MS, Chief Information Officer, Data & Advanced Analytics, KY Council on Postsecondary Education

Christopher Ledford, PhD, Director, Data and Advanced Analytics, KY Council on Postsecondary Education

Melissa Young, Senior Fellow, Communications, KY Council on Postsecondary Education

Alicia Crouch, MPP, Vice Chancellor of Research and Policy Analysis, KY Community & Technical College System

Cori Henderson, EdD, Associate Director, Institutional Research, Northern Kentucky University

Moderated by Carrie Hodge, EdD, Director of Data Analysis, Complete College America

Helpful links:

Kentucky's 60x30 Goal: http://www.cpe.ky.gov/ourwork/60x30.html

Kentucky CPE's Data Center: https://cpe.ky.gov/data/index.html

Join Nichole Mann from Complete College America as she explores corequisite education in the sciences with Dr. Thomas Dickson from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and Geoff Woolf from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. This episode examines Ohio's Strong Start in Science initiative, which applies successful corequisite models from math and English to introductory biology, chemistry, and anatomy courses. The conversation covers implementation challenges, faculty culture change, and strategies for improving student success in gateway science courses.

Accreditation sits at the heart of higher education’s promise to deliver value, quality, and opportunity. But in 2025, the landscape is shifting fast, fueled by questions of accountability, the rise of alternative accreditors, and new expectations around data and student success. In this episode of CCA on the Air, we sit down with Dr. Maria Toyoda, the new President and CEO of WSCUC. Together, we explore how WSCUC is using data to drive innovation, the role of accreditation in the evolving higher education landscape, and how accreditors can balance rigorous standards with access, student success, and innovation.

Join us as we sit down with John Fink, Senior Research Associate and Program Lead at CCRC, and one of the authors of More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success, to explore a decade of research on guided pathways reforms. We'll discuss how state and institutional leaders can implement proven strategies to help more community college students complete their programs on time and graduate career-ready. From accountability for post-completion outcomes to reimagining dual enrollment, discover actionable insights for transforming community college success rates and ensuring students achieve upward mobility through affordable, high-quality education.

In this guest episode of the Voices for Justice podcast, host Alyssa Silva speaks with Dr. J. Luke Wood, the ninth president of Sacramento State and a nationally recognized scholar on racial equity in education. Together, they explore what it means to lead with courage during politically charged times, the launch of the nation’s first Black Honors College, and how innovation and resilience are shaping the future of higher education.🎙️ Tune in to hear Dr. Wood’s insights on leadership, equity, and justice and the advice he has for students and early-career professionals striving to create lasting change.

Internships can be game-changers, but for many students, access to meaningful work experience remains out of reach. In this episode of CCA on the Air, we hear directly from Complete College America’s student interns about how their internship experience has influenced their professional growth and shaped their views on the student experience.  They reflect on the realities of navigating college while pursuing professional growth, what they’ve learned as part of the CCA team this summer, and how internships can be designed to better serve all students.  Tune in for a candid conversation that challenges the status quo and reminds us why student voice must lead the way in reimagining the future of work and learning. 

Join CCA Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann as she explores the concept of values-driven advising with Dr. Jeff Elliott, executive director of undergraduate academic advising at Purdue University. This episode examines how academic advisors can integrate their personal values with institutional mission to create meaningful student experiences. The conversation covers the holistic nature of modern advising, professional boundaries and burnout prevention, and the potential for AI to enhance rather than replace the human dimensions of advising work.

Student parents represent over 20% of college students nationwide, yet their unique needs often go unseen. In this episode, we’re joined by Catron Allred, Director of the Early Childhood Center of Excellence (ECCOE) at Santa Fe Community College, where the New Mexico Student Parent Alliance is housed. She shares how New Mexico is advancing student parent success through powerful data insights and innovative policies and practices. This episode highlights the importance of designing systems that support the whole student and offers actionable lessons for institutions and states looking to do the same.

CCA Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann interviews Dr. Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, about workforce alignment in higher education. Dr. Flanders discusses Kansas's comprehensive approach to connecting education with career outcomes, including stackable credentials, applied learning experiences, and strategic reforms like developmental education and guided pathways. The conversation explores how state systems can adapt to changing workforce needs while ensuring student success across universities, community colleges, and technical institutions.

In this episode of CCA on the Air, host Jamia Stokes introduces listeners to Complete College America's other Alliance engagement directors: Jonathan Gowin, Nichole Mann, and Jennifer Torres. The conversation features all four regional directors who share their personal journeys, professional backgrounds, and the unique perspectives they bring to their work advancing college completion and closing equity gaps across the United States. What makes this conversation particularly powerful is how each director connects their personal experiences, many as first-generation college students themselves, to their professional commitment to making higher education more accessible, navigable, and successful for all students. Their stories underscore why the work of improving college completion rates is both a professional mission and a deeply personal calling.

This episode of "CCA on the Air" features an interview with Dr. Jonathan Anderson, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Eastern Washington University, about "unapologetic handholding"—a student success philosophy that provides intentional, high-touch support without compromising academic standards.

Dr. Anderson explains how this approach helps demystify higher education systems for students, particularly first-generation learners, through proactive advising, early alerts, and structured guidance across the student journey. The conversation highlights practical examples and emphasizes meeting students where they are while helping them develop independence.

How can we help students discover a deeper sense of purpose in their education? In this episode, we explore how Nashville State Community College, in partnership with Motivate Lab, brings relevance affirmation research to life through the Values Connection Activity to strengthen students' sense of purpose, persistence, and belonging. Tune in to hear how this simple but powerful approach is transforming student success, connecting coursework to personal values and future goals for a more engaging and fulfilling academic journey.

Targeted networks and student-centered approaches can transform educational outcomes for under-resourced communities. By connecting Historically Black and Predominantly Black Community Colleges, Alabama Possible is changing narratives, amplifying student voices, and creating economic pathways in one of the nation's poorest states. Join CCA Alliance Engagement Director Jamia Stokes in conversation with Alabama Possible Executive Director Chandra Scott.

Building stackable credentials requires faculty to decide what skills are fundamental to students' future success. At Red Rocks Community College, business faculty decided that one of those skills is cultural intelligence, and students immediately connected with the concept. Learn more about CQ and how it supports stackable learning approaches in this episode of CCA on the Air with Stephanie Schooley and Julio Suarez of Red Rocks Community College.

Explore the vital connections between college completion and a thriving democracy in this session recorded at All In: The 2024 CCA Annual Convening. Join education leaders and innovators as they tackle one of today's most pressing challenges: restoring public trust in higher education while expanding access and success for all students. From innovative state programs to student perspectives on classroom discourse, this conversation offers fresh insights into the future of higher education and its vital role in strengthening democracy. Panelists:

• Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, President, Complete College America Chris Lowery, Commissioner, Indiana Commission on Higher Education
• Dr. Nicola Blake, Senior Fellow for Strategic Initiatives and Student Success, City University of New York
• Darryl Cooper, Member of the Class of 2025, Howard University
• Dr. Carol Geary Schneider, Senior Advisor, Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition

Both math pathways and corequisite supports increase the chances of students making it through gateway math courses, but the current research is limited to demonstrating early benefits. How can using both initiatives together support a better path for long-term student success? CCA talks with Dr. Taylor Darwin of the Dana Center about what pathways and corequisite math look like when they're integrated as part of a holistic approach to student success.

For many students, college completion starts even before application. Building a sense of community and onboarding students in a way that fosters campus engagement from the very beginning is one way that campuses can support a larger culture of completion. Dr. Lindsay Faulstick (Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students) and Chris Hitchcock (Executive Director, Office of Admission) at Hanover College share how they work together to share data, encourage engagement, and create community that extends beyond the first year.

How do we move from insight to implementation in student success reforms? In the latest from CCA on the Air, Melinda Mechur Karp, Ph.D., Founder & Principal at Phase Two Advisory, discusses innovative placement practices and developmental education reform. In this episode, we talk about moving beyond traditional placement tests to more holistic approaches and how institutions can use lessons from adult learners to provide flexible, targeted support to all students. Dr. Karp, a researcher and sociologist by training, also dives into the relationship between research and implementation in driving meaningful change for students.

As institutions ramp up recruiting for adult learners, their increased presence on four-year campuses highlights both the strengths of this population and some unique gaps in existing student success strategies. On this episode of CCA On the Air, Pamela K O'Neal, MA, MPH, EdD, associate director of student engagement in the Office of Online and Adult Learning, and Brett Bruner, EdD, assistant vice president of student success and persistence in the Office of the Provost, share Wichita State University's approach with the Office of Online and Adult Learning influences student support campus-wide.

In today’s episode, we dive into the transformative impact of TRIO programs on higher education.

Join us as we explore how these federally funded initiatives support first-generation students in their pursuit of academic success. Ms. Lacey Brown from Baton Rouge Community College and Mr. Antonio Robinson from Trident Technical College share the vital role TRIO plays in leveling the playing field for young people in higher education.

In this episode of CCA On The Air, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Patrice Glenn-Jones to our podcast. Dr. Glenn-Jones discusses "nurtured advising," its history, and how it was developed at Historically Black Institutions.

She'll also share her insights on how this advising model can impact and transform student success, specifically for historically excluded students.

In this episode of CCA on the Air, CCA communications director Kate Derrick interviews Amy Wolf, senior public affairs officer and storyteller at Vanderbilt University.

Today’s conversation touches on the power of storytelling to create economic opportunity and change lives.

Wolf discusses her career path from news producing to higher education storytelling, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, personal connection, and finding purpose in one's work. She also shares tips on identifying and capturing compelling student stories, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives.

Establishing a new student success approach takes a village.

In this episode of CCA On the Air, Dr. Kathy Almy, CEO and founder of Almy Education, discusses the challenges of scaling student success initiatives with faculty buy-in. She emphasizes the importance of cross-functional teams with diverse perspectives, including faculty, staff, and administration.

As a former math faculty member now supporting math success at scale at institutions around the country, Dr. Almy shares tips for facilitating open collaboration, multiple viewpoints, and honest feedback in campus cultures of all types.

In today’s episode, we speak to Dr. Tawnya Lubbes, Associate Professor of Education, ESL Program Advisor, and ESL Program Chair in the College of Education at Eastern Oregon University in Legrand, Oregon.

The Oregon Teacher Pathways program at EOU is supporting the next generation of culturally responsive teachers by implementing accessible pathways from high school to professional careers.

Dr. Lubbes shares how EOU is leveraging partnerships, peer mentoring, and identity-responsive strategies to engage students toward powerful college completion outcomes.

Join us in a conversation with Dr. Angela McLean, Director of American Indian and Minority Achievement and K-12 partnerships in the Montana University System, led by CCA Alliance Engagement Director Janelle Jefferson.

Dr. McLean shares her 20+ years of teaching experience and the student success strategies utilized and supported by the Office of the Commissioner in Higher Education in "Big Sky Country."

The National Center for Education Statistics published that 21% of college students report having a disability, often with higher numbers among historically underrepresented groups.

CCA Fellow and director of the Disability Access Center at California State University, Sacramento Dr. Mary Lee Vance shares her perspectives on the intersection of ableism and inequity, the impact of universal design on belonging, and how embedded approaches in accessibility can change the college experience for all students.

Minnesota's Direct Admissions program is centered on the belief that every student is college material and has a place in postsecondary education. Dr. Wendy Robinson and Aaron Salasek of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education share with CCA Strategy Director Janelle Jefferson how Direct Admissions connects high school students with the institutions eager to admit them and where they have a better chance of completing college.

Norfolk State University, a Historically Black University, recognized that it needed more strategies to meet its students where they were and get them to where they needed to go. Dr. Robin Marable, Director of Student Pathways and Academic Formation, inherited a system where she and her team could incorporate meta-majors to enhance student experiences. 

In this episode, hear from a seasoned practitioner about how meta-majors and courses can be developed to set students up for success as early as possible.

In today's episode, three CCA PEP coaches will explain the concept of "Nimble Teams" and how they empower institutional change based on learnings from the PEP Initiative in Arkansas, Montana, and Oklahoma.

Dr. Brandon Protas, Assistant Vice President of Alliance Engagement at CCA, will lead the discussion. Our PEP coaches are Dr. Margaret-Montgomery Richard, Dr. Arnel Cosey, and Dr. Heidi Loshbaugh.

We will explore how faculty, staff, and leadership investigate campus policies and practices and how each college can find unique, student-centered solutions.

Visit completecollege.org/cca-on-the-air to view a transcript of this episode.

Indiana University didn't just want to build a coaching initiative with the Coaching Conversations program; they wanted to impact the culture. In this episode, IU's Kate Goldstein and Emily McCord describe how the program was developed and how IU has intentionally built a "coached experience" into their student support.

The Coaching Conversations program offers workshops across nine campus locations, including online options for better accessibility. Kate and Emily discuss their backgrounds and how they came to coaching, the growth and development of the program over the years, and their future plans to infuse well-being practices into the training.

In today’s episode of CCA on the Air, we delve into CCA’s mission of advocacy with our two new Alliance Engagement Directors, Dr. Janelle Jefferson and Nichole Mann. Drawing from their backgrounds in academic advising, our AEDs shed light on their personal journeys and their pivotal role in amplifying student success stories. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of CCA’s mission and how it strategically connects leaders in higher education to foster collaboration and drive positive change.

This episode was recorded live at Future Ready, Complete College America's 2023 Annual Convening in Las Vegas.

Listen to key members of Complete College America's Policy Advisory Council as they discuss the intersection of policy, equity, and college completion, casting a vision for what lies ahead. This panel delves into the institutional, state, and federal policy landscape as it pertains to college completion, offering timely updates and insights as we enter the new year.

Our speakers focus on how policy can foster a more equitable and inclusive higher education system, touching on the strategies, challenges, and opportunities that will define our collective path forward.

Perpetual Pathways at Denmark Technical College, a historically Black community college in South Carolina, provides students with a guided journey to connect their education to their planned careers. The program supports students from their first experience registering for classes to after graduation. The effort has been transformational for the institution.

In the second part of this conversation, CCA's Nikolas Huot continues with A. Clifton Myles, Ph.D. executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Denmark Tech, Leslie Holman-Brooks, executive director of career and student services at Denmark Tech, and Edson Barton, founder and CEO of YouScience.

Perpetual Pathways at Denmark Technical College, a historically Black community college in South Carolina, provides students with a guided journey to connect their education to their planned careers. The program supports students from their first experience registering for classes to after graduation. The effort has been transformational for the institution. In this week's episode, CCA's Nikolas Huot is joined by A. Clifton Myles, Ph.D. executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Denmark Tech, Leslie Holman-Brooks, executive director of career and student services at Denmark Tech, and Edson Barton, founder and CEO of YouScience.

Join Meacie Fairfax, Strategy Director at Complete College America, in a captivating conversation with Dr. Jun Fu, an educational psychologist, on supporting historically excluded student populations in STEM education online. Uncover key learning outcomes, strategies, and actionable measures for inclusivity. Explore the vital role of socio-emotional support in enhancing learning for marginalized groups. Gain insights into tailored support mechanisms and the imperative to incorporate data disaggregation in program assessment. Tune in for transformative insights into applying an equity lens in STEM education, offering actionable takeaways for educators, administrators, and policymakers dedicated to fostering inclusivity.

Part II of Meacie Fairfax's conversation with the co-creators of Lehman College's Learning Recovery Program, Dr. Althea Forde and Dr. Elin Waring. Entering its third year, the program provides multi-faceted interventions for COVID-19-impacted students during their first year in college and is a national model for equitably supporting unfinished learning.

Meacie Fairfax is joined by the co-creators of Lehman College's Learning Recovery Program, Dr. Althea Forde and Dr. Elin Waring. Entering its third year, the program provides multi-faceted interventions for COVID-19-impacted students during their first year in college and is a national model for equitably supporting unfinished learning.

Will AI actually change higher education? How can institutions use it for better and appropriately exercise caution? CCA's Cassie Walizer is joined by Audrey Ellis for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving role of artificial intelligence in higher education.