A report published in December by the Community College Review highlights the variety of initiatives designed to increase enrollment at community colleges across the nation. Post-pandemic, two-year institutions have continued to adapt their programs to meet the evolving needs of industry and the workforce, and these efforts are paying off, with more students investing in a community college education. The report dives into several potential contributing factors to the higher enrollment and retention rates, as well as the changing landscape of technological advancements, the rise of nontraditional education, and shifting American demographics. 

Growing Microcredentials 

Community colleges are increasingly awarding modular, stackable credentials and microcredentials, integrating them into academic programs to better align with specific sector requirements and evolving industry demands. Microcredentials may offer students a competitive edge when entering the workforce by presenting these awards as an indicator of advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities. Since Spring 2024, the number of microcredentials has grown by 10.3% across community colleges, offering another alternative to longer-term programs such as associate's degrees. 

Expanding Dual Enrollment 

Another emerging trend is the growing presence of dual enrollment learners. High school students taking courses for dual enrollment now make up 20% of two-year college enrollees. Two-year institutions are not only forming stronger partnerships with K-12 districts, but they are also providing early admission incentives to high school students. These recruitment strategies have been successful in engaging students early and allowing them to build a foundation of course credits before high school graduation. Entering college with pre-established credit may decrease the overall cost to obtain a degree and support program completion within a shorter time period.

Implementing Flexible Start Dates and Waiving Application Fees 

Many community colleges are waiving application fees for students and establishing more flexibility for program start dates. Adaptable timelines can better accommodate students’ work schedules or other commitments. Rather than limiting start dates to the beginning of a semester or academic year, many community colleges now provide quarterly start options or continuous enrollment. Institutions have also worked to simplify the application process and admissions forms. These initiatives all reduce the number of barriers to entry that learners may face when enrolling. 

Integrating the Latest Technology and Artificial Intelligence 

Community colleges are beginning to implement applied artificial intelligence (AI) degrees and invest in other data platforms that graduates are likely to encounter in the workforce, helping to prepare students to meet the dynamic needs of industry. Additionally, AI is being utilized to flag students who may be at-risk of struggling academically or dropping out, connecting them with advisors and other services on campus. This approach has been leveraged to improve student retention and success by providing ongoing support from admission through graduation and potentially beyond

To learn more about these powerful initiatives, read the full article, How Community Colleges are Reinventing Enrollment in 2025. 

The 2025 Annual Survey of Principal Investigators for the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program provides a detailed look into the characteristics, accomplishments, and impact of ATE projects and centers across the United States. Conducted by the NSF ATE funded EvaluATE project at Western Michigan University, the survey produces a report each year that highlights how ATE initiatives influence students, educators, institutions, and the broader STEM workforce.

In 2025, the survey was distributed to all 312 active ATE principal investigators (PIs), of which 294 responded. Grantees self-reported information on project and center activities during 2024, including evaluation, partnerships, curriculum and course development, student support services, professional development, research, publications, and program services.

The first phase of the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is underway with community college students around the country considering how to use science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) to solve real problems.

To participate in the CCIC, community college students must form two-to-four person teams that develop an innovative idea—no prototype is necessary, submit an essay and a 90-second video about their idea by April 3, and find a community college educator to serve as their mentor.

The role of mentor is one that Ellen Hause, who organizes the CCIC for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), hopes more educators in the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) community will see as an opportunity to be seized.

Community colleges play a vital role in expanding access to education and career advancement for millions of students nationwide. However, earning a credential does not always translate into higher wages, increased job opportunities, or seamless transfer to four-year universities. Published by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Community College Research Center (CCRC), Unlocking Opportunity: Eight Strategies for Community Colleges to Improve Post-Completion Outcomes presents a research-based framework to help two-year institutions strengthen the long-term value of their programs.

“Grants end. Ecosystems do not.” That, in a nutshell, is Kevin Cooper’s advice on weaving new, innovative STEM education programs into existing systems to help them endure.

Cooper is the executive director of Research and Institutional Effectiveness at Indian River State College. At the Florida community college, he has managed teams that have been awarded $18 million in grants. Altogether he has been the principal investigator of five Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grants awarded by the National Science Foundation and co-principal investigator on four others ATE-funded initiatives.

The current ATE project he leads is Project Vision, which has mentored 72 community college teams to help them build grant capacity and sustainability.

His big takeaway from Project Vision, he wrote in an email, is that “both senior administration and faculty need mentoring. It’s often valuable from an outside perspective not to look at the day-to-day and the local politics, and provide sound strategy for long-term growth.”

During a short, lively ATE Connects Countdown presentation at the 2025 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference, Cooper shared what his various ATE experiences have taught him about building STEM workforce education programs that continue after grant awards sunset.  

To him, sustaining an ATE project—or actually any new STEM workforce education program—requires educators to use these five tactics:

• Align across opportunities.
• Chase impact, not headlines.
• Secure the feeder system for students to enroll in the new or revamped program.
• Adapt what already works. 
• Partner early, lead later.

As cell and immunotherapy technologies advance, the demand for highly skilled technicians continues to grow. These fields require a workforce grounded in molecular biology, bioinformatics, data analysis, hands-on laboratory techniques, and more. Community colleges and undergraduate programs are meeting this need by integrating authentic research experiences with applied technical training. Building this workforce is essential not only for expanding access to life-saving treatments, but also for supporting the continued growth of the biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and immunotherapy sectors nationwide.

In this From the Archive blog post, we highlight three ATE-funded resources that take complementary approaches to preparing students for careers in cancer biology and immunotherapy. Together, these materials introduce cancer genomics data analysis, laboratory-based cancer biology instruction, and computational methods for predicting cancer neoantigens. Collectively, they show how combining data-driven inquiry, laboratory experience, and bioinformatics tools can help prepare the next generation of technicians for this rapidly evolving field.

In the ATE Survey 2025 researchers at The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University report that 50 percent of 294 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) initiatives provided at least one type of student service or support in 2024.

The most frequent ATE student-focused activities were support obtaining certifications or licenses; mentoring; business and entrepreneurial skills development; support for transitioning into college; and student competitions.¹

The ATE Survey 2025 authors, who are all affiliated with EvaluATE—the Evaluation Hub of the Advanced Technological Education Program, also cited other researchers’ work and noted, “Studies have shown that students who experience these types of enrichment and support programs are more likely to have positive attitudes toward science and sustain interest in STEM.”²

At the 2025 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference 44 students and recent alumni of ATE programs summarized their learning experiences on posters and provided details in conversations with conference attendees during the student poster session on October 29.

Two biotechnology students exemplify how students’ fresh perspectives lead to new, interesting findings with potential to benefit others.

Kasielynn Bussard, who completed an associate degree in biotechnology with a certificate in nanotechnology at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) this month, translated her interest in microscopy into a fundraiser for new instruments and engaging lab exercises.

Mia Ben-Ami, a biochemistry major at Los Angeles Pierce College, created a 3D prototype for holding round Petri dishes so pipetting bacteria samples for antibiotic testing could be done more efficiently with a robot.   

Released on the same day that Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard assumed the role of president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the report Resilient by Design: The Future of America’s Community Colleges offers a timely reflection on the challenges and opportunities shaping two-year academic institutions. Describing the 64-page report as “a mirror, a map, and a call to action,” Pollard invites community college educators and leaders to embrace transformation through collaboration, innovation, and data-informed strategy.

Prepared by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) on behalf of AACC, the report examines the dynamic pressures facing community colleges. Drawing on surveys, interviews, and research, Resilient by Design outlines how demographic shifts, declining enrollment rates, rapid technological changes, evolving workforce demands, differing student expectations, and broader economic and political forces are reshaping the landscape of higher education. However, the report frames these pressures as opportunities to innovate, collaborate, and rethink how colleges deliver on their mission of access, adaptability, and workforce development.

Seven years ago as a member of the team developing the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant proposal for the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Peter Kazarinoff suggested requesting funds for podcasts that would feature semiconductor technicians talking about their careers.

Kazarinoff said he thought it was important for working technicians to share their stories “so that other community college faculty can hear what those working technicians do. And then other community college students can hear what they might be doing once they graduate because there aren't a whole lot of alumni stories out there about technicians that work in the semiconductor industry.”

He pointed out that because semiconductor factories, which are called fabs, are closed environments due to the sensitivity of equipment and intellectual property most people do not know how they operate.

When Kazarinoff was interviewed for the ATE Impacts Blog in early October he had just completed his 59^th interview for Talking Technicians, which is in the midst of its sixth 12-episode season for MNT-EC.

He continues to be impressed by the “life transformations” that have happened as a result of people becoming technicians. Kazarinoff explained that he always asks the people he interviews, “How did your life change when you became a technician?

“And the answers to that question have just been illuminating and inspiring and make me want to keep working as a community college faculty member and working on MNT-EC and recording more episodes.

In an era of evolving industry demands and demographic shifts, people are living and working longer, extending opportunities for new and continuous education later in life.

Older learners, defined as those ages 35 and older, are becoming increasingly common in the post-secondary landscape. A recent report from Inside Higher Ed, supported by AARP, outlines the need for colleges and universities to adapt to the growing prevalence of older students. It notes that creating viable pathways for these learners can support economic growth, workforce development, and social engagement. Calling them “Generation Now,” older adults bring a unique set of assets to education, including a variety of lived experiences, intrinsic motivation, and focused goals spanning from career advancement to making a difference in the world.