Photo caption: Kalamazoo Valley Community College recently inducted a large number of scholars into its robust chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international society for two-year community colleges.

Joining with nearly 1,000 other community colleges across the country, Kalamazoo Valley is celebrating Community College Month. This monthlong campaign, held every April, is designed to improve awareness of the economic, academic, and equity advantages of attending community colleges and to break the stigma associated with public two-year colleges. “Community College Month is an opportunity to demonstrate not only that community colleges, like Kalamazoo Valley, should be the first choice of many college-bound students, but why community colleges are first-class institutions that are vital to our local and state economies,” said Kalamazoo Valley Community College President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.

Community colleges are a uniquely American educational model that was designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality education for all. They serve as an on-ramp to bachelor’s, master’s, and higher-level degrees for many students, and particularly for the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students.

“The credentials earned by our students prepare them to fill in-demand careers in healthcare, skilled and professional trades, technology and new media, or for transfer to four-year institutions,” Washington said. “Community College Month is our opportunity to remind citizens about the huge impact the college makes on the vitality of Southwest Michigan.”

ABOUT KALAMAZOO VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Established in 1966, Kalamazoo Valley Community College offers certificate programs in more than 50 areas of study and associate degrees in 60 others. These include business, healthcare, human and public service, and technical occupations, culinary arts, and brewing training. The college has four Kalamazoo, Michigan locations, including the Texas Township Campus, the Groves Campus, the Arcadia Commons Campus, and the Bronson Healthy Living Campus. Classes are available during the day, evening, online, and weekends. Learn more at kvcc.edu.