Advocacy Resources

Join Us In Changing The Way Colorado Goes To College

#SupportCCs

You can help our collective efforts to ensure our institutions have the resources they need to deliver high-quality, innovative post-secondary education and workforce training that is affordable for all Coloradans by staying informed and championing the good work we do for communities across the state.

Become a part of our growing community of advocates – made up of students, employees, alumni, donors, partners, and friends!

Spread the word!

Engage with your community about the value of education in today's economy, emphasizing the benefits of certificates and degrees. Highlight the affordability and quality of education offered by community colleges.

Plug into apprenticeship, internship and externship opportunities for students.

Help equip the next generation of talent with the skills they need to succeed in your industry.

Engage with your local community college.

Find out how you can support ��Ҵ�ý College efforts to provide more Coloradans pathways to a more successful future.

Share your personal community college success story.

Help students understand – from an early age – the importance of finding a higher education pathway that supports their dreams.

Submit your story here.

Invest in the future.

Join us in empowering students to reach their educational goals by making a contribution to the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges.

Write to your local, state and federal representatives.

Tell them you support equitable, affordable, and accessible higher education and workforce training provided by Colorado’s community colleges.

You can find and legislators by college region on our .

What is Your WHY?

Share what motivates you in wanting to change the way students experience college and why you #SupportCCs.

Directions: , write in Your WHY, take a picture holding your sign, and post it to your social media using the hashtag: #SupportCCs.

And don't forget to follow us on , , , and to learn why others #SupportCCs.

Don’t have social media or need assistance posting? We’re here to help.

If you are able to get as far as printing and taking a photo with your sign, email your image to us at ��Ҵ�ý.Communications@cccs.edu and we will post it for you
If navigating technology isn’t your thing or if you don't have access to a printer, don’t worry. You can submit your why statement via email here: ��Ҵ�ý.Communications@cccs.edu.

#supportCCs

Tweet and Share Your Support for Community Colleges

Tell Colorado leadership why it is imperative to #SupportCCs! An investment in our community colleges is an investment in our shared priorities – and in Colorado's future.

Then, if you're feeling especially generous, Thanks!

Tweet preview: The positive impact of the ��Ҵ�ý is undeniable. Investment in our students is the best investment we can make for our state’s future. #supportCCs

Tweet Preview: Community colleges are vital for thousands of Coloradans seeking to achieve the American Dream. #supportCCs

Tweet Preview: The success of Colorado rests on the success of our community colleges: bit.ly/cccsadvocacy. #supportCCs

More Social Media Inspiration

The success of Colorado rests on the success of our community colleges: . #supportCCs
��Ҵ�ý’s 13 Colleges are key to closing our state’s #skillsgap and powering its economic recovery: . #supportCCs
The positive impact of the ��Ҵ�ý is undeniable. Investment in our students is the best investment we can make for our state’s future: . #supportCCs
Education is a tool, not just a goal. With affordable, high-quality programs, ��Ҵ�ý’s 13 Colleges provide students supportive pathways to meet their goals and achieve upward economic mobility: . #supportCCs
Community colleges are vital for thousands of Coloradans seeking to achieve the American Dream: . #supportCCs
Community colleges are a ladder for upward mobility to the middle class: . #supportCCs
Post-secondary education and workforce training are fundamental to reviving our economy and strengthening our workforce, which is why we must #supportCCs: .
Only through smart, on-going state investment in community colleges will our state be able to successfully recover and be a place where all Coloradan’s have the opportunity to thrive: . #supportCCs

Female student sitting and listening to music

WHY COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE SO CRITICAL

A Supportive Ladder to Achieving the American Dream

A Supportive Ladder to Achieving the American Dream
For millions of Americans, community colleges are vital for upward mobility into the middle class. Community colleges serve more so-called “nontraditional” students than four-year colleges – those likely to be older, enrolled part-time because they are likely to also be working and/or supporting a dependent, servicemembers and veterans, dislocated workers, or first in their family to experience the college journey.

Almost half of all students who complete a bachelor’s degree begin their academic journey at a community college. Those who transfer to a four-year college or university often outperform the students who started at those same schools. Simply put, our students gain in-demand skills, get jobs, earn competitive wages, and enjoy fulfilling lives.

The Great Equalizer – Access, Affordability, Opportunity

Community colleges’ student population is diverse in every sense of the word and they must adjust their approach to serve all students well. Students always arrive with big ambitions but varying degrees of resources and academic readiness. So it is up to community colleges to ensure that every student has an equal chance of achieving their goals – ensuring individuals of any class have a shot at success and are equipped to compete in today’s competitive workforce.

"Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of the conditions of men -- the balance wheel of the social machinery."
- Horace Mann, pioneering American educator, 1848

Getting to and through college is not always a straight path – and good jobs increasingly require some level higher education. The leveling power of community colleges, compared to traditional four-year colleges, offer several important advantages for students:

an open admission policy, making it easier to enroll regardless of their prior academic preparation and record;
lower tuition and fees, as well as savings on room and board for campuses with housing;
relevant programs that align with business and industry demand;
close proximity to home for students; and
flexible curriculum and class schedules that greatly support working adults.

Economic Payoffs for Students, Communities, & Nation

Community colleges are rapidly evolving to support today’s student, and are needed now more than ever to keep America competitive. Though cost of attending college has increased nationwide, a certificate or degree’s still yields higher earning potential. Those who continue their education beyond high school don’t just earn more money, they serve our communities through critical research, essential care, and innovations. They’re equipped to enter the workforce qualified to contend in competitive industries.

Data for Colorado higher education institution show that Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degrees and 1 to 2-year workforce certificates both have higher wage premiums than Bachelor’s degrees early in one’s career. AAS degrees also have a higher wage premium than Bachelor’s degrees five years after graduation. This finding underscores the importance of shorter-term applied degrees to students and our state.

Public and Legislative Affairs

The Chancellor’s Office of Public & Legislative Affairs helps share the many facets of that story, illuminating the system’s impact on Colorado and beyond. Learn more about our internal and external affairs.

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