Skip to main content

MCC Daily Tribune Archive

President's Wednesday Message


I’m writing this Wednesday Message from New York City, where I just finished my first meeting as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations Higher Education Working Group on Global Issues. I am one of just two community college presidents on the working group (in a sea of research universities, high profile privates, and higher ed policy organizations), so it was especially interesting to hear a consistent thread about the educational pipeline—in Brazil, the Middle East, and the US--throughout this morning’s discussions. As attention on community colleges and our students grows here at home, the focus on the life- and economy-changing career and technical education pipeline that community colleges can offer to countries defined as “emerging” markets is also coming to the front of global discussions.

In many ways, in the US, community colleges themselves have played an academic role as “emerging” and underserved markets for colleges and universities seeking highly qualified, prepared, and motivated transfers. Within the walls of MCC, our students are provided with the chance to participate in the same rigorous undergraduate research activities that occur on comprehensive and research campuses across the country. So, I’m excited to see that MCC’s 3rd Annual Scholars’ Day activities are beginning to stretch out to be more of a Scholars’ Week!

The events kick off tomorrow with a student-led panel discussion at DCC and continue Friday with our inaugural Legacy Lectures. These presentations, by Bonnie Connell and James Petrosino, offer retiring faculty—selected by their peers—the opportunity to share their perspectives in a “last lecture” at MCC. Friday ends with a dinner highlighting the Scholars’ Day speakers and donors. That last bit is a key point. Thanks to the generosity of community members, the MCC Foundation is able to offer six $1,000 scholarships to students whose work demonstrates excellence, creativity, and clarity in independent research.

Student presentations will run throughout Saturday, following a keynote address at 9:30 Saturday morning by Barbara Ehrenreich, author of best selling studies including Nickel and Dimed. The full schedule of events can be found online at https://web.monroecc.edu/scholarsday.

The next three days shine a well-deserved spotlight on the quality of our faculty and students, on the importance of a learning environment that promotes scholarly engagement, and on the opportunity for higher education access AND excellence that MCC offers our community. I hope you will take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of our “emerging” scholars. They are amazing!

As always, I welcome your questions or comments.

Anne M. Kress
President's Office
04/06/2011