Community College Summit Highlights Importance of 2-Year Schools

Today, the first ever White House Summit on Community College took place to raise awareness of community colleges and the opportunities they provide to the eight million students -- veteran and civilian alike -- who attend community college annually. The summit, chaired by Dr. Jill Biden, brought together administrators, faculty, and students from community colleges as well as leaders in business, philanthropy, and federal and state policy makers like Admiral Mike Mullen.

"For years I have said that community colleges are one of America’s best-kept secrets," Dr. Biden, a teacher for over 17 years said in the summit's opening session. "Well, with the President of the United States shining a light on us, I think that secret is out."

President Obama, who also addressed the summit, did in fact shine a light on the importance of community colleges and the roles they play in America's education system. In his address, he noted that the demand for jobs that requiring an associate's degree is projected to increase at twice the rate of the demand for jobs that require no college. "We will not fill those jobs -- or keep those jobs on our shores -- without community colleges," emphasized the President.

Furthermore, President Obama spoke about the state of America's college education system, and how the number of degree holders in this country is slipping. "In just a decade we've fallen from first to ninth in countries with colleges degrees," continued the President. "As far as I’m concerned, America doesn't play for second, and we certainly don't play for ninth."

Community Colleges & the GI Bill

Financial assistance is of central importance when it comes to students completing their degree programs, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill is a terrific avenue for financial support for servicemembers and their families.

"In this economy I have been struggling with unemployment, and now is a really good time to hone your skills and go back to school," notes Kathy Partak, the wife of National Guard member who received transferred GI Bill benefits from her husband. "The money part of it has been a challenge--if you are in school you aren't earning--but having the ability to have your education paid for makes it easier to find the time to go do it."

Partak reports she came across many good job opportunities during the past several years, but employers often never gave her an interview based on her lack of proper credentials. This spring, she plans on attending Sierra College--a community college in Rocklin, California using her husband's Post 9-/11 GI Bill benefits.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which can be transferred to spouses and dependents, covers a number of degree programs, starting at the associate's degree level.

Education for Military Spouses

Military spouses like Partak often face challenges when it comes to completing a post-secondary education. Peggie Brott, the wife of Sergeant First Class Andrew Brott, commented on the challenges military spouses face when it comes to earning an education: "Being a military spouse, you get stuck in a rut because you move from place to place and it is hard to even consider going back to school because you know you are going to move again," notes Brott. "You need to have something for yourself, so going back to school is something you can do to get out of that rut."

The White House Summit on Community College and the recently announced $35 million Completion by Design program from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation highlight the importance of community colleges and the flexibility their programs offer--flexibility that allows individuals such as Brott to complete her education.

Brott now attends the culinary arts program at Jefferson Community College, part of the State University of New York school system. Her husband, planned to use his education benefits himself, but instead decided to transfer them Peggie so she could start a career that would help her define her life as more than just being a military spouse.

Brott says that when she completes the two-year program she is not sure where she wants to land, but she does know that she is taking a big first step toward gainful employment.

The GI Bill Transfer: How it Works

The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers servicemembers the option to transfer their benefits to dependents. Servicemembers using the Post-9/11 GI Bill should review the Department of Veterans Affairs' guidelines for transferability of benefits (TEB) for complete GI Bill transfer information and tuition rates.

Partak and Brott say that filing the necessary paperwork to receive their spouses' military education benefits required moderate legwork from their husbands--and the potential benefits of the financial aid are hard to fully measure.

"This is one more added benefit that has just recently become available to me as a spouse, and it will open doors for our family," Partak says.

Between programs like the GI Bill and an increased awareness of the opportunities community colleges provide, there is a hope that more individuals will sign up and complete an education. Billy Crystal, who attended Nassau Community College, described his experience in today's summit opening video, "I got a great education. It's like having a space station--you go up there and hang out for a month, and zoom, you can then go to mars," Crystal joked.

Later, he continued, "It gave me the time to find myself. And once you take the time to find yourself, then hey, nothing can stop you."

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