Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College : Increasing First-year Student Engagement and Success

In an effort to explain why the first year [of college] is so important, Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College: Increasing First-Year Student Engagement and Success provides readers with an overall look at strategies that have proven to be both effective and impactful. Each chapter is rooted in data and research that serves as evidence to the reader that the approaches included in this book have worked. . . . A helpful aspect of this book is its comprehensive approach to the subject. It covers everything from orientation to learning communities to academic advising. It challenges community college administrators to look critically at their infrastructure and determine if they really are success-oriented colleges. Sharing examples of successful strategies and challenges also strengthens this book. This balanced presentation shows the reality of what it takes to impact change. It also makes the book very practical. . . .As helpful as this book is to anyone who works at a community college or wants to support students entering community colleges, the strategies included are important and applicable in serving all students, all the time, not just in the first year. More information regarding strategies that work specifically for the first year, and why approaches during this year differ from approaches used in the second year and beyond would be a valuable addition to this book. In the end, Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College provides community college administrators, faculty, and staff with a comprehensive look into strategies that work to increase first-year student engagement and, ultimately, success. It validates the work that is currently happening at some institutions while also challenging others to do more and to scale up. Moving beyond access and focusing on student success, it exposes the need for data-driven decisions and for top-down, all-around support. It calls for community colleges to be intentional about student success. Colleges must define what success looks like and set goals to achieve it. This book reminds us that success does not, and should not, happen by chance; instead it should be purposefully designed and incorporated into the student experience from day one. * Community College Journal of Research and Practice *