Bunker Hill Community College Learning Communities Boost Retention of Part-Time Students According to New Report
Friday, August 17, 2018
A new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP), an independent nonpartisan policy institution based in Washington D.C., finds the Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Learning Communities Program is a promising model for boosting retention of part-time college students.
According to CAP, only 37 percent of students who attend part time at any point during their college career graduate within six years, but part-time students who enroll in any of BHCC’s several types of learning communities in their first year are seven percent more likely than are other part-time students to remain enrolled in the College a year later.
“Retention is an urgent issue for community colleges, especially when it comes to best serving our part-time students,” says BHCC Present Pam Eddinger. “While many models focus on increasing course loads, we’re offering our students, many of whom are parents or work full time, key elements of the traditional college experience.”
Recognized by the national higher education reform network Achieving the Dream and the recipient of the prestigious Leah Meyer Austin Award, BHCC’s Learning Communities are designed to build community among peers, faculty and staff as well as engage students with culturally relevant, hands-on learning activities. The seminars explore topics of interest such as string theory, modern Islam and hip-hop, while clusters link courses across disciplines to examine a common academic theme. Combined with peer mentors and success coaching, BHCC’s Learning Communities Program serves as a powerful case study for improving the prospect of part-time students, who represent three quarters of community college students nationwide.
Read the Center for American Progress report.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is one of Massachusetts' largest community colleges, serving approximately 16,000 students annually. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC offers a broad range of educational opportunities throughout Greater Boston. BHCC fosters a welcoming and supportive learning environment for students by offering associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific programs.