Chattanooga State Community College joins Unlocking Opportunity network

Chattanooga State Community College has joined The Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity Network, which is part of the College Excellence Program. The college is one of 55 institutions that will be joining the Unlocking Opportunity Network alongside the 10 community colleges that were involved in the network’s pilot program. The goal of the Unlocking Opportunity Network aims to prepare students at community colleges for in-demand, well-paying careers.

According to an article on Chattanooga State Community College’s website, Josh Wyner, who serves as the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, was quoted as saying of the program’s purpose, “Every year, millions of students rely on community colleges for a low-cost pathway to what they assume will be a high-value credential. They rightly assume that the degree and certificate programs their colleges offer will deliver a good job and fulfilling career either directly after community college or after transferring and earning a bachelor’s degree. The leaders at each of the 55 colleges that have signed up for Unlocking Opportunity have made clear that they will spend the next three years working towards the kinds of reforms needed to make that assumption a reality for thousands more students.” 

The new colleges, including Chattanooga State Community College, that will be joining the 10 pilot institutions will work through three years of learning, planning, and implementing, guided by the findings of the pilot institutions. Teams of college leadership from each of the newly joined institutions will undergo lessons, both virtually and in person, to learn how to set attainable goals to set students up for success, which in the context of the Unlocking Opportunity Network, means students will earn a certification or degree at a community college and will then enter into the workforce with a high-paying job, or will transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor degree. Overall, colleges will work to re-work or eliminate low-value programs and enhance their high-value programs to ensure students will be workforce ready, and will also work to increase enrollment in these high-value programs.

Chattanooga State Community College president Dr. Rebecca Ashford said, "ChattState has a 60-year history of transforming our community through education. Through our work with Unlocking Opportunity, our College will fulfill its vision of ensuring our students have pathways that will lead to prosperous futures for themselves, their families, and our community.”

The Aspen Institute will use the findings of all 65 participating institutions to inform future opportunities, like fellowships, partnerships, and publications.

For more information about Chattanooga State Community College, visit the school’s website.