BHCC President Speaks for Community Colleges on National Public Radio
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Bunker Hill Community College President Pam Y. Eddinger described the increasingly critical role played by community colleges today on WBUR’s National Public Radio program On Point with host Tom Ashbrook. Noting that half of today’s undergraduates are now enrolled in the nation’s community colleges, Eddinger said community colleges have become “the anchor of the future.” Community college presidents from California and Texas also took part in the discussion.
With so much depending on the success of community colleges in higher education today, Eddinger said that community colleges are broadening the role they play in the lives of students. “We’re dealing with first generation or immigrant students,” she said. “Some come to us without a lot of resources." Some come hungry. "We have a company that donates bread to us every morning, and that bread is gone by 10 a.m." Nationally known programs such as Single Stop USA and LifeMap are providing students at Bunker Hill Community College and elsewhere with the social services—including assistance with housing, transportation and food—as well as the academic and career support needed for their success in college and beyond.
Asked by a caller whether ties to the business community are forcing community colleges to turn out what Ashbrook dubbed “worker bees instead of citizens,” Eddinger agreed that much public dialogue today stresses job training. "We have to overcome the rhetoric" and address the need for a well-rounded and flexible workforce, she said, pointing out that people change jobs six or more times in their careers and must “learn how to learn.” Eddinger said that ultimately a job is “a means to an end.” That end is empowering individuals to participate in and shape their society, she explained. But, she added, “We cannot underestimate the power of having that first job.”
Reacting to a question about community college funding, which has been declining in many parts of the country in recent decades, Eddinger said, “With the national spotlight on community colleges, most of our states are looking at the role [community colleges] play in higher education. I’m seeing a return in the conversation and in actual dollars. I hope it persists.”
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).