Thinking & Advocacy
Early in my career, when I began teaching English as a faculty member, I was struck by how community college classrooms served as both mirrors and windows. They reflected the lives of students who balanced multiple jobs, family responsibilities, and what Langston Hughes once famously called “dreams deferred.” Yet, they also opened windows into new possibilities students were eager to explore. I saw firsthand how a single paper, conversation, or assignment could build confidence and spark momentum.
For more than a decade, I lived the rhythms of the classroom — grading late at night, advising students during office hours, and collaborating with colleagues to strengthen courses and programs. Those years grounded me in the power of faculty-student relationships and deepened my commitment to opportunity and access.
As I moved into department chair, dean, and eventually vice president and provost roles, I realized that supporting students required more than what happened in my classroom. It demands system-level leadership that aligns academic and student affairs, equipping faculty and staff with the right resources, and creating pathways that make success possible for all learners.
That realization has shaped my journey from faculty member to nonprofit leader. Today, as chief program and network officer at Achieving the Dream (ATD), I work alongside hundreds of community colleges to strengthen institutional capacity and advance inclusive, student-centered transformation.
Through this vantage point, one truth has become clear: the sustainability of student success depends on investing in the professional development of faculty and staff, who remain the steady touchpoint for students and the true connective tissue of the institution. Developing their leadership capacity is one of the most strategic investments a college can make, underscoring the importance of sustained professional learning and the unique strengths mid-level leaders bring to driving institutional change.
Why mid-level leadership development matters
Faculty and mid-level leaders are on the front lines of community college transformation. They are the ones guiding students through enrollment, cultivating the habits of mind, communication, and problem-solving skills essential for success in college, career, and community, while also aligning workforce pathways and connecting students with holistic supports. And yet, they are often asked to adapt to new policies, technologies, or student needs without sustained opportunities to learn and grow.
Professional development is not an add-on: it is the engine of institutional transformation. When faculty and mid-level leaders are supported to deepen their skills and collaborate across departments, students feel the difference. For example, at Montgomery College, I worked with faculty to expand zero-cost textbook courses, redesigned advising to focus on student momentum, and partnered with colleagues to build stronger K–12 pipelines. Each effort required professional development — space for faculty and staff to learn, adapt, and lead.
Across the ATD Network, colleges confirm this need. Whether launching guided pathways, adopting holistic student support models, enhancing digital pedagogy, or integrating new technologies, success depends on preparing the people who will implement change. Without this, initiatives risk becoming short-lived projects rather than durable cultural shifts.
Change management and the role of mid-level leaders
Professional development also requires an intentional change management strategy. One of the frameworks I return to often is John Kotter’s 8 Steps for Leading Change. Its insights are particularly relevant to community colleges:
- Establish a sense of urgency — Declining enrollments, rising student needs, and heightened public scrutiny make transformation imperative.
- Build a guiding coalition — Mid-level leaders bridge vision and daily practice, making them essential partners in change.
- Form a strategic vision and initiatives — Tools like ATD’s Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool (ICAT 2.0) help colleges craft visions rooted in evidence and inclusivity.
- Communicate the vision — Leaders at every level must consistently reinforce why change matters and how it connects to student success.
- Empower broad-based action — This means investing in professional development and dismantling barriers to innovation.
- Generate short-term wins — Early victories, such as improved course completion rates or higher engagement in dual enrollment, fuel momentum.
- Consolidate gains and produce more change — Sustaining improvement requires celebrating success while pressing forward.
- Anchor new approaches in the culture — When professional development becomes an institutional expectation, change endures.
Mid-level leaders — deans, directors, department chairs — are especially critical in this process. They interpret institutional vision for faculty and staff, navigate barriers, and keep students at the center. Developing their leadership capacity is one of the most powerful ways to ensure transformation takes hold.
My journey’s lesson: People drive change
My journey from instructional faculty and campus leader to nonprofit executive has reinforced one essential truth: transformation begins with people. Faculty and staff who are supported and prepared do much more than teach and advise — they ignite student persistence. Mid-level leaders who are empowered don’t just manage change — they anchor it in campus culture, ensuring progress takes root and is sustained.
Strategies in action
At ATD, we have seen how intentional professional development, paired with a change management framework, equips colleges to meet today’s challenges. Several initiatives illustrate this work:
- ICAT 2.0: By assessing seven capacities — from leadership and data empowerment to teaching and learning — this tool helps colleges identify where to invest in professional development and organizational change.
- Community Vibrancy Framework: This roadmap expands leadership capacity beyond the campus, helping colleges strengthen partnerships with workforce, civic, and community partners.
- Change Management for Mid-level Leaders Seminar Series: This learning engagement is designed to equip deans, directors, and department chairs with tools to lead change, foster collaboration, and sustain transformation.
These strategies demonstrate that professional development is not merely a series of workshops but part of a comprehensive approach to institutional transformation. When mid-level leaders are equipped to manage change, they inspire their teams and sustain momentum for the long term.
Looking ahead
As community colleges confront dual pressures of change and urgency, I believe the path forward lies in embracing both professional development and intentional change management. By doing so, we not only equip our colleges to survive but also enable them to thrive — building communities where every student can move from deferred dreams to realized futures.
Learn more about ATD’s Change Management for Mid-Level Leaders Seminar Series
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