News & Updates
Throughout April, Community College Month, Achieving the Dream has spotlighted voices from its Leader Colleges and Leader Colleges of Distinction — institutions in the ATD Network that have demonstrated steadfast commitment to student success and institutional transformation. Through a monthlong series organized around four themes — Students Speak, Leaders Listen, Teaching That Transforms, and Support in Action — we have celebrated these exemplary colleges by sharing quotes from and interviews with the students, leaders, faculty, and staff who help shape their institutions into engines of opportunity.
Their voices have highlighted how progress takes shape at every level of an institution, from leadership, policy, and decision-making to teaching, support services, and lived student experiences.
As we close out the month, we are sharing additional reflections from across our Leader Colleges and Leader Colleges of distinction that continue to bring student success work to life in powerful and personal ways. These perspectives reinforce a central truth: student success is a shared effort, driven by a collective commitment to listen, investigate, adapt, and support students at every step of their journey.
“Students are our ‘why.’ Without their voice, we cannot fully understand nor meet their needs. Their stories reveal that barriers we once viewed as individual — work schedules, learning styles, child care, transportation — are systemic realities. We now design programs, advising, and supports around students’ lives, not the other way around.”
Lori Dwyer
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Reynolds Community College
“Student success is the measure that matters most. El Paso Community College has a laser-focus on student success. We have aligned our resources, talent, and partnerships around a single purpose — ensuring that students not only enroll but also graduate and thrive. We want every student who walks through our doors to have a clear path to achievement, mobility, and lifelong success.”
William Serrata
President
El Paso Community College
“Every workflow we build, every communication we send, every partnership we create — it has to answer one silent question students carry: ‘Is this place built for me?’ If we can answer that with clarity and consistency, students will do the rest. They will continue to show up and do the work. As leaders, our responsibility is to design systems that clearly communicate: ‘You belong here, and we’ve built this with you in mind.’”
Shreail Hinton
Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management
Halifax Community College
“What keeps me going is my dream of becoming an architect and all the sacrifices behind it. I feel I belong when my professors really care, and my classmates support each other. I wish more people understood that community college students are hardworking, determined, and chasing big goals, even if our path looks different.”
Jeferson Gomez Gonzalez
Student
Durham Technical Community College
“Students in my classroom will understand that learning is always the primary goal and that it feels good to understand something new. Students often ask where they’re going to use math, and I’m happy to tell them that’s not the point; the point is learning and training our brains to be used to learning and to be open to learning, which results in confidence in one’s own ability to learn.”
Jason Rouvel
Mathematics and Physics Instructor
Western Technical College
“By listening to students, I learned that complexity in our systems often becomes an invisible barrier to success. Their feedback reinforced the importance of prioritizing simplicity, alignment, and consistency in transfer pathways, course scheduling, and academic support so students can focus on learning rather than navigating processes.”
Sherria King
Interim Associate Vice President, Academic Transfer Pathways and Learning
Southwest Tennessee Community College
“At Mott Community College (MCC), we are fostering an inclusive and innovative culture because we’ve learned from our students that flexible and customized solutions are key to their success. We live in a rapidly changing world, so we are focused on adaptable learning environments and support systems that accommodate our students’ diverse schedules and learning styles. At MCC, we’re creating Extraordinary Student Experiences through individualized support services — one student at a time!”
Shaunda Richardson-Snell
President
Mott Community College
“Student-centered teaching means that the classroom belongs to my students. My role is to design learning experiences that support how they learn best, engage them through questions, real-life examples, and meaningful applications, and create an environment where learning is interactive, motivating, and enjoyable rather than passive or boring.”
Roshanak Jafari
Biology Professor
El Paso Community College
“By listening attentively to our students, I learned that decisions made without student voices often miss what students actually need to succeed in their educational studies. This insight changed how we lead by ensuring student perspectives are embedded in our planning, policies, and daily practices, rather than treated as an afterthought.”
Quintin Bullock
President
Community College of Allegheny County
“When college gets hard, my future is my motivation. Every challenge makes me stronger and more prepared for what’s ahead. CCBC always supports me through these difficulties, especially financially, which makes me feel seen and valued as a student. I wish more people understood that choosing a community college means choosing a brighter, wiser future with less debt and far greater opportunities.”
Heba Obaid
Student
Community College of Baltimore County
“Student-centered teaching in my anatomy and physiology classroom begins with recognizing that every student brings a unique path and purpose to the room. I learn my students’ names on day one and take time to understand who my students are beyond the classroom. By pairing high expectations with flexibility and support, I strive to create a learning environment where students feel valued, capable, and prepared for the careers they are working toward.”
Claire Rueckheim
Faculty
Western Technical College
“Since joining the Achieving the Dream Network in 2018, we have worked harder than ever to help more students reach their academic and career goals. We are grateful to our ATD coaches for their support and guidance as we have developed new ways to strengthen support services and promote student success.”
Mark Brainard
President
Delaware Technical Community College
“The beautiful part of this journey is that my children are watching me. I try to set the best example possible. I procrastinated a long time ago about making the choice to go back to school. This decision has been rewarding. I met some amazing professors who made the courses easy to navigate. I have connected with some awesome students who are trying to stay positive and pursue a better life for themselves. … I wish others knew of the amazing opportunities when going to a community college.”
Jacqueline Gillis
Student
Southwest Tennessee Community College
“Building trust with our students is, in my opinion, the most effective way to assure that they stay on track in their education. As educators, we need to promote a culture of care, assuring students that we are there for them no matter what. We need to meet them where they are with compassion, understanding, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to their educational success.”
Constanza Gomez-Joines
Executive Director, Center for the Global Learner
Durham Technical Community College
Stories & Case Studies