Partnership Will Advance Educational Equity for HACC Students and Accelerate Community Growth
June 1, 2022
HARRISBURG, Pa. – HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s 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, HACC is committing to a tailored engagement in whole-college transformation and gaining access to a nationwide network of peer support and expertise.
HACC 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, and when equitable access and community engagement are more important than ever for the students that colleges serve.
“Partnering with Achieving the Dream affords HACC an opportunity to join a nationwide network of community colleges who focus on the best ways to ensure student success within their communities. Being associated with the network will provide HACC with the tools and expertise it needs to provide our students with the successes that are not only important to them but to the employers in our service region,” said HACC President and CEO John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D.
“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 ATD President and CEO Karen A. Stout, Ed.D. “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, North Carolina, from June 14-16 for a Kickoff Institute that will set the stage for their partnership with ATD. Representatives from HACC will meet virtually with ATD coaches and begin to develop customized action plans based on the College’s strategic goals.
HACC, 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.
In addition to HACC, the six other institutes in the cohort include:
Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey
Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, South Carolina
Community College of Aurora in Aurora, Colorado
Meridian Community College in Meridian, Mississippi)
Northwood Technical College in Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges. HACC offers approximately 100 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 14,023 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), follow us on Instagram (@HACC_edu), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.
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 onTwitter,Facebook andLinkedIn.