Community-College Partnerships That Work

"Education stakeholders, including community colleges, are coming together to improve links with the workforce in order to better prepare students. The fruits of these labors are streamlined systems, more clear career paths, and solid cost savings. 'The strength of these public institutions, when they collaborate, is very powerful,' says Dana Mohler-Faria, president of Bridgewater State College (Mass.) and special advisor for education to Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. 'What we're seeing now is a far better understanding on the part of the institutions about the necessity of [creating collaboration], and about the fact that it's not only in the long-term interest of the Commonwealth, but it's in their own interest.'"