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Bold innovation can originate from a single organization or even one person’s mind. But more often than not, ideas come to fruition with help from others. Collaboration often delivers on the classic axiom that there is strength in numbers. Whether on a small scale with two colleagues working on a project or with crowdsourcing participants from all over the world, collaboration brings diverse skill sets together to create and transform. This is a traditional hallmark of higher education and is embraced at Waubonsee Community College.

People from all walks of life and from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds represent our friends and neighbors, our colleagues and classmates. In a diverse community and an increasingly small world, relating to and working collaboratively with all people are necessary skills to succeed in today’s workforce. Waubonsee Community College is committed to making diversity, inclusion and equity vital parts of a student’s experience and our college operations.

A recent report from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) begins with the direct, but data-supported, statement, “The American Dream is imperiled.” A product of the 21st-Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges, the report, “Reclaiming the American Dream: Community Colleges and the Nation’s Future,” outlines the challenges facing our country and the measures needed to reclaim the American Dream. The goals in the report are lofty, but doing nothing is not an option. Nothing less than the future of our country is at stake, and community colleges will be at the heart of future success.

One of the most important days of the year is fast approaching. At Waubonsee Community College, this exciting day takes place May 17, 2012. It’s graduation day or commencement — the day graduates walk across the stage and are recognized for earning their degrees. While this personal accomplishment will stay with our graduates the rest of their lives, the benefit extends far beyond the individual. This occasion, and others like it in the coming weeks at colleges and universities nationwide, is important to our entire country. Without significant numbers of new graduates in a wide variety of disciplines, our country cannot thrive and meet its potential.

Summer is a wonderful time of year — especially in the Fox Valley. The warmth of the sun brings with it a bounty of locally grown produce and lasting memories for children and adults alike. Some families pack up the car to explore America, while others enjoy outdoor activities close to home. Whether you’re watching a Kane County Cougars game, visiting the Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora or making a splash at Raging Waves Waterpark in Yorkville, there is no shortage of summertime fun. Along with these staples of summer, parents can ensure that their children continue learning while they enjoy a memorable and exciting summer.

In his biography of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson recounts a discussion between Jobs and President Barack Obama about why Apple employed 700,000 factory workers in China and not in the United States. Jobs told President Obama that Apple’s factories are located in China because of the availability of 30,000 engineers that are needed to support the larger workforce there. Jobs said that type of expertise is simply not currently available in the United States in the quantities needed to compete with China’s workforce. Fortunately, community colleges are responding to this challenge and making critical Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education highly accessible, which lays the groundwork for U.S. competitiveness.

Those unfamiliar with community colleges are often surprised when they learn about the diverse extracurricular activities available to students. Students are very involved in athletic teams, student clubs, honor societies, performing arts opportunities and professional organizations that combine to form a well-rounded student life. Active students not only have a more enjoyable college experience, but they also graduate with tangible leadership and team-building skills that will serve them well throughout other educational journeys and careers.

The rising cost of college and the amount of debt students take on to finance higher education have recently been called matters of national importance by elected officials and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. These leaders are holding summits and hearings to debate possible solutions to the problem. While all colleges and universities should continue to address the perennial concerns regarding cost and student debt, the fact remains that community colleges represent the best value in higher education — providing affordable educational programs leading to life-changing opportunities.

In its report, “The Condition of College and Career Readiness 2011,” ACT reports that only 25 percent of students nationwide graduate from high school ready for college in both math and English. Before the release of this report, the Illinois State Board of Education had already adopted new math and English language arts standards for K‐12 education known as the New Illinois State Learning Standards Incorporating the Common Core. We all know that if students aren’t ready for college when they begin, their chances for graduation are greatly diminished. The good news is that community colleges are in an excellent position to work collaboratively with high schools to improve college readiness across all academic subjects.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumors of the death of U.S. manufacturing are greatly exaggerated. While the United States certainly faces much greater global competition than in the past, U.S. manufacturing remains the worldwide leader in terms of production output. Even in a time of high unemployment, local manufacturers say they still need skilled workers to help meet the demand for their products.