The League for Innovation in the Community College

Summer has its own rhythm.

As we head into the weekend, we hope our League community finds a moment to pause, recharge, and enjoy the season.

Wishing you a restful weekend.

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Subscribe to League Connections, the League’s monthly newsletter, for articles, publications, upcoming events, awards, deadlines, resources, and opportunities from across the community college field.

It is a simple way to stay connected to conferences, institutes, webinars, recognition programs, and new ideas advancing teaching, learning, leadership, workforce development, and student success.

Subscribe: https://www.league.org/league-connections

Bold ideas can move the field forward.

Applications are open for the 2027 Terry O’Banion Provocateur Award, which honors the late educator’s legacy of challenging assumptions and advancing system-level reform in community and technical colleges.

The award recognizes up to three authors of 4,000- to 5,000-word articles that identify a significant new, long-ignored, or persistent challenge; propose courageous, innovative approaches; and focus on scalable solutions with field-wide impact.

Winners will present at the 2027 Innovations Conference and receive complimentary registration, a plaque, up to $1,000 in travel support, and cash prizes of $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000.

The deadline to submit an application is 5:00 PM PT on June 22, 2026.

Learn more and apply at https://ow.ly/Wjt950Z8rx4

How do students make decisions about enrolling in noncredit workforce education programs, and what do they hope those programs will help them achieve?

Join the League for Innovation in the Community College on June 17, 2026, from 1:00–2:00 PM ET for *Choices and Decision-Making Processes of Students in Noncredit Workforce Education*, a webinar hosted by Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers University.

Presenters will share findings from a study of noncredit workforce students at three community colleges, including students’ goals, education and employment histories, course experiences, and program costs.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/3vyws4vt

Student well-being is essential to student success.

The League’s June Member Spotlight features Dallas College and its work to strengthen student mental health through coordinated, campuswide support.
The article shares how Dallas College is building a more connected culture of care through its Learner Care Model, Student Care Network, centralized access points, warm handoffs, expanded mental health and basic needs support, and attention to measurable outcomes.
It is a thoughtful look at how one college system is helping students feel supported, connected, and better able to continue their educational journey.

Read the Member Spotlight: https://tinyurl.com/yptwad9p

Tomorrow: Join CDC's Project Firstline for a webinar focused on helping students understand “the why” behind infection control.

The session will explore evidence-based approaches for motivating students to practice infection control as future professionals, along with communication and educational strategies that health educators can bring into the classroom.

Continuing education will be available for physicians, nurses and other health educators.

📅 June 9, 2026
⏰ 12-1:30 p.m. ET

Register today:
https://bit.ly/4w63gNv

Saturday, June 6, is Higher Education Day, an observance established in 2015 to encourage access to postsecondary education and recognize its role in expanding opportunity.

The day also echoes the spirit of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which helped broaden access to college through federal support and student financial aid.

For community colleges, higher education includes many pathways: transfer, degree completion, workforce education, noncredit learning, industry credentials, apprenticeships, and lifelong learning.

The League is proud to support the institutions advancing this work through innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to student success.

Wishing our community college colleagues an enjoyable weekend.

How can community colleges prepare students for the future of agriculture while strengthening regional workforce pipelines?

In the May 2026 Innovation Showcase, James Leonard highlights College’s Agricultural Systems Competency-Based Education program, a flexible, accelerated model focused on industry-relevant skills in nut and fruit processing, irrigation technology, and precision agriculture.

Built with employer input, the program connects hands-on learning to regional workforce needs while expanding affordable pathways into stable, well-paying careers.

Read more:
https://tinyurl.com/ujxkjvct

Health professions students need more than infection control information. They need to understand why these practices matter and how to carry them into professional settings.

Join CDC's Project Firstline for a webinar on evidence-based approaches that help motivate students to practice infection control as future professionals. The session will also highlight communication and educational strategies that can be applied in the classroom.

Continuing education will be available for physicians, nurses and other health educators.

📅 June 9, 2026
⏰ 12-1:30 p.m. ET

Register today:
https://bit.ly/4w63gNv