For over six decades, Terry O'Banion challenged complacency, questioned inherited structures, and advanced bold, humanistic ideas that reshaped research, leadership, governance, and practice in the community college. This article frames his legacy as both mirror and catalyst - reflecting the evolution of the open-access college while illuminating pathways forward amid political, economic, and cultural pressures. Drawing from a comprehensive review of O'Banion's published and unpublished works, the article identifies seven interwoven themes that define his impact: humanistic education and student-centered values; institutional quality and leadership; the Learning College movement; governance reform; completion and innovation culture; the integration of general and workforce education; and reimagining the future of community colleges. Each theme is situated within its historical context, analyzed for theoretical substance, and applied to current challenges facing institutions. This article serves as a conceptual foundation that positions the collected O'Banion papers not merely as retrospective tributes, but as an actionable framework for renewal - grounded in human dignity, innovation, courageous governance, and a steadfast commitment to helping students earn a good living and live a good life.
Community colleges are a primary entry point for historically marginalized individuals pursuing postsecondary degrees. Yet in California, as in many states, structural barriers in the transfer pipeline continue producing disparate outcomes, where the system fails to propel African American/Black and Latine students toward timely transfer at the same rates as their White and Asian peers. While systemic barriers prevent many African American/Black students from reaching transfer readiness, those who do demonstrate exceptional persistence. The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges' Through the Gate study (2016-2020) found African American/Black students were disproportionately underrepresented among those reaching the transfer gate-having completed most or all transfer requirements. Yet, once transfer ready, they were significantly more likely than White peers to transfer. Building on this finding, the African American Transfer Tipping Point (AATTP) study examined factors influencing whether students reach the transfer gate. This quantitative research identified predictors of attaining this status and achieving intermediate milestones. Passing transfer-level English and math in year one, visiting an academic counselor, and participating in Umoja, a program that supports success through pedagogy responsive to the African and African American Diasporas, emerged as primary facilitators. Experiencing academic probation and students' disabilities and income status surfaced as significant barriers. These findings are the first to illuminate specific, measurable tipping points for African American/Black students on the transfer pathway. This article can inform equity-focused strategies to increase transfer success for African American/Black students, and highlights implications for policy, practice, and future research.
This article honors the enduring legacy of Terry O'Banion by examining the power of his language and the lasting influence of his leadership philosophy on community colleges. Drawing from his writings, recorded dialogs, and personal reflections from scholars shaped by his mentorship and ideas, the article explores how Terry O'Banion's signature phrases - such as "the people's college," "be a provocateur," "reinvent the wheel," "disturb the universe," "dance with porcupines," "get on with your snake killin,'" and "make good trouble" - functioned not simply as memorable expressions, but as enduring imperatives. Through reflections on phrases including "I found my heart in the community college" and "the dark horse," the authors illustrate how O'Banion's humanistic ethic centered students, challenged institutional complacency, and integrated workforce preparation with liberal learning. In a period marked by declining public confidence and shifting policy landscapes, his words are especially meaningful today. Positioned as the concluding piece of this collection, the article argues that O'Banion's greatest legacy is not only what he wrote, but what he calls us to do. His language compels community college leaders, scholars, and practitioners to act with courage, write boldly, protect the comprehensive mission, and continue the work of disturbing the universe and making a difference.
Marilyn J. Amey was a seminal author in the field who mentored countless scholars throughout her career. Her research extended from the community college sector to educational partnerships to preparing student affairs practitioners. This article reviews the influence of her research on modern day scholarship and thinking, underscoring how she contributed to new ways of understanding issues and how her work continues to support today's higher education researchers, particularly in the community college sector.
This is a personal retrospective by Terry O'Banion, a prolific author and provocative idea champion who focused his career on innovation in community colleges and higher education. His published works spanned over 60 years and included several hundred articles, books, chapters and monographs. Published posthumously, O'Banion shares the influences in his upbringing and education that contributed to his scholarship and early career and chronicles his career path to his retirement and beyond. He describes how his introduction to progressive education and later to humanistic education, as well as his encounters with major figures in education and psychology, shaped his philosophy of education and continued to impact his thought leadership throughout a career spanning six decades. He segments his life into phases including his childhood, his experiences, doctoral studies, community college leadership roles, national organizational leadership and post-retirement contributions. Throughout these experiences, O'Banion consistently advocated for community college reform and learner-centered education. He concludes the essay with a personal creed that reflects the values, purpose and lifelong commitments that defined both his work and his life.
As dual credit programs have expanded across the United States, so have distinct programs within dual credit, one of which is the early college high school program. While program models differ, most early college high school programs are designed to support the most vulnerable student to graduate high school with a two-year degree. The impact of higher education socialization on high school students in early college high school programs is not sufficiently researched. Specifically, better outcomes for privileged students compared to underrepresented students suggest the need to explore social aspects associated with college success. This article provides a case study that investigates how students participating in an early college high school program perceive college preparation and readiness in tandem with the perceptions of their high school instructors, administrators, and college faculty - the people who develop and administer the early college high school program and whose engagement with students can affect their transition into college-level learning.
This study examines the needs and challenges of vocational educators teaching logistics in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape. Driven by technological innovations like automation, smart logistics systems, and data analytics, the logistics sector is undergoing an intense transformation. Thus, vocational education must adapt to ensure that students acquire the practical skills necessary for entry-level positions. Through qualitative interviews with five logistics instructors at vocational colleges in China, this study evaluates current teaching practices, identifies systemic barriers to effective education, and outlines the support structures that educators needed to align learning outcomes with industry demands. The findings indicate that while practical training is crucial, it is hampered by insufficient funding, obsolete equipment, and a disconnect between theory and practice. This study highlights the importance of industry collaboration and curriculum modernization to bridge the theory-practice gap, and offer suggestions for better matching of industry trends with logistics education to ensure that graduates have the abilities to thrive in the fast evolving logistics sector.
Community colleges are experiencing rising levels of student loneliness and anxiety, which have notable implications for academic engagement, persistence, and overall well-being. In response to this, community colleges are challenged to rethink how support is designed and delivered across the institution. Guided by this focus, the study asks: How do U.S. community colleges address student mental health concerns through integrated, campus-wide strategies that emphasize belonging, access to support, and institutional responsibility? Employing a narrative review and synthesis of literature published between 2010 and 2025, this study draws on research in higher education, student development, and psychology, in addition to national surveys and institutional reports. The review identifies a spectrum of implemented practices including telehealth services, peer-led initiatives, faculty and staff training, the creation of "third spaces," and campus-wide efforts to reduce stigma. Although evidence indicates these strategies may enhance help-seeking behaviors, perceived support, and student resilience, considerable gaps persist in service availability, coordination, and evaluation particularly in resource-constrained community colleges. The findings stress the importance of integrating mental health support into the core of academic and student success frameworks, rather than relying on isolated interventions. By centering community colleges and equity in access to care, this article advances the literature through a practice-informed synthesis and points to future research directions on sustainability, cross-campus collaboration, and institutional accountability regarding student mental health initiatives.
This study examines how student engagement and institutional environments shape academic success in community colleges. Using data from the 2024 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) merged with institutional characteristics (N = 18,288), we apply multilevel modeling to analyze how demographic factors, engagement behaviors, and institutional conditions relate to GPA and credit accumulation. Active learning, academic effort, and student - faculty interaction consistently predict higher performance and credit accumulation, reinforcing engagement as a central mechanism of academic integration. Persistent inequities remain, however. Traditional-age and first-generation students experience lower academic outcomes, and Black students accumulate fewer credits and demonstrate lower achievement than their White peers, even after accounting for engagement. These patterns reflect structural barriers that shape academic progression. Institutional environments moderate several engagement - outcome relationships. Supportive colleges, characterized by clear expectations, advising quality, and accessible learning supports, intensify the positive association between engagement and GPA, while variation in faculty interaction across institutions highlights the complexity of engagement processes. Although institutional-level variance is modest, these influences demonstrate that college structures shape whether engagement translates into academic gains. By integrating individual behaviors with organizational context, this study advances a structural understanding of community college success and underscores the need for equity-minded institutional reforms that enable all students to benefit from engagement.
While research on trauma and adversity research including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has increased in higher education, little published work has been done specifically on community colleges. This article shares data from an exploratory survey conducted in November 2024 that forms a powerful portrait combining basic needs, adverse childhood experiences and trauma. Given that 39% of all undergraduates in the nation are community college students and that our institutions proportionally serve a diverse and historically underserved student population, this data creates a significant portrait of life stressors, basic needs adversity, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to increase awareness of what students manage and the powerful resilience students demonstrate. Findings reveal high rates of trauma and adversity, with implications for institutional policies and practices aimed at supporting student resilience and success including trauma-informed professional development. This study also offers an exploratory tool others might adapt for their own use to increase awareness of trauma, a foundational step toward trauma-informed pedagogies and practices at community college.
