Meridian Community College Joins Achieving the Dream Network
MCC will advance educational equity and accelerate community growth in partnership
with Achieving the Dream.
SILVER SPRING, MD — Meridian Community College is joining the 2022 cohort of Achieving the Dream (ATD) Network to holistically advance equity, access, and student success. By joining the ATD Network, Meridian Community College is committing to a tailored engagement in whole-college transformation and gaining access to a nationwide network of peer support and expertise.
MCC is part of a cohort of seven colleges joining the ATD Network during a time of continued enrollment challenges for two-year institutions across the country, when equitable access and community engagement are more important than ever for the students that colleges serve.
Meridian Community College President Dr. Thomas Huebner said, "As evidenced by decades of data, a college education can help an individual get a job, find a better job, and create upward social mobility that changes lives, improves families, and can even rescue communities. Achieving the Dream partners a student-centered approach with best practices to equip institutions to meet the challenges associated with providing transformational educational opportunities that overcome barriers and open doors. We are so excited about being chosen to work with ATD and look forward to how that partnership will make a genuine difference in our college and the community we serve.”
“Community colleges, and particularly colleges in the ATD Network, recognize that they serve as engines of opportunity not just for their students, but for the entire communities that they serve,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “ATD’s work is centered on equity, and I am excited to see how the new Network colleges in the 2022 cohort start generating transformational change that lifts up their communities and advances the field.”
Teams from each of the seven colleges will convene in Charlotte, NC, from June 14 to 16 for a Kickoff Institute that will set the stage for their partnership with ATD. Representatives from MCC will meet virtually with ATD coaches and begin to develop customized action plans based on MCC’s strategic goals.
MCC, alongside the 2022 cohort of new ATD Network colleges, is committed to tackling equity challenges, building a culture of data-informed decision-making, and maximizing the student experience through high-quality teaching and learning.
Meridian Community College is joining the ATD Network alongside six other institutions:
- Brookdale Community College (NJ)
- Central Carolina Technical College (SC)
- Community College of Aurora (CO)
- HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College (PA)
- Northwood Technical College (WI)
- Reynolds Community College (VA)
Achieving the Dream (ATD) is a partner and champion of more than 300 community colleges across the country.
Drawing on our expert coaches, groundbreaking programs, and national peer network,
we provide institutions with integrated, tailored support for every aspect of their
work — from foundational capacities such as leadership, data, and equity to intentional
strategies for supporting students holistically, building K–12 partnerships, and more.
We call this Whole College Transformation. Our vision is for every college to be a
catalyst for equitable, antiracist, and economically vibrant communities. We know
that with the right partner and the right approach, colleges can drive access, completion
rates, and employment outcomes — so that all students can access life-changing learning
that propels them into community-changing careers. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook,
and LinkedIn.