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All In: Student Pathways Forward
This podcast focuses on elevating community college student voices to shape inclusive higher education and workforce development policies, practice and partnerships that create economic mobility.
All In: Student Pathways Forward
Chemeketa Community College - Student Nellisha Moore & College President Dr. Jessica Howard
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Nellisha Moore, a student parent at Chemeketa Community College, shares her inspiring educational pathway at the college from the GED program to pursuing a career in healthcare. She details resources and programs that have made a difference to her as a single mom and how faculty and staff have been most helpful. Nellisha offers great suggestions on how the college can continue to support adult students with inclusive policies that provide more access to education opportunities.
Afterwards, Chemeketa Community College President Dr. Jessica Howard talks about her observations from the conversation with Nellisha and shares more about why college leaders need to focus efforts on student basic needs insecurity. Dr. Howard elaborates on the importance of higher education as a pathway out of poverty and creator of upward mobility. She highlights various ways that Chemeketa Community College has integrated student voices into policy and planning work across the institution.
Welcome to the All-in Student Pathways For podcast, where we're focused on elevating student voices from Oregon Community Colleges to shape inclusive policies, programs, and partnerships. This is Michael Burger Hill, and I'm very happy to have the channel to the work of Oregon Community College students, as well as other higher education leaders. Thanks for listening. In this episode, I'm talking with Alicia Moore, a student at Shamecada Community College in Salem. Alicia Bornelli, as she goes by, shared more about her experience as a student at Shamecada and offered helpful suggestions on how the college can continue to build, on the great work they've been doing to help students address basic needs insecurity and focus on completing college. Afterwards, I'll have the chance to interview the president of Shemecata, Dr. Jessica Howard, who will reflect back on the interview with Nellie and also talk about how this collective statewide pathways to opportunity work, centered in inclusive policies, programs, and partnerships, align with her priorities at one of the largest and most diverse community colleges in the state. Hope you find this discussion with Nellie and Dr. Howard as interesting and enlightening as I did. I'd like to welcome Nalisha Moore into the pod today. Nalisha is a student at Chemecita Community College, which serves Salem and the surrounding area near Oregon's capital, and just appreciate Nalisha you taking time out of your schedule to have a conversation with me about your experience. And welcome.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for having me, Mark.
SPEAKER_00So, Nellie, can you talk about your pathway into college at Chemecita?
SPEAKER_01Yes, Mark. Thanks for asking. It was about a year ago in spring that I was doing some self-reflecting and realized there was certain things I had not accomplished in my life that I would like to accomplish. One of those things being a GED.
SPEAKER_00And so did you take classes then at Shamecada to prepare for the GED?
SPEAKER_01Actually, yes, I did. I went to a program that Shemecada offers, a GED prep program. It's a three-month program. So it was for a winter term. So I went to morning classes and it's a couple hours a day. And there are four different tests for getting your GED.
SPEAKER_00And so after taking those classes, did you then go on and take the GED tests?
SPEAKER_01I did with the help of uh Nancy Harper and Brad Johnson. I was able to take my G test. I believe I took classes for about a month and a half, which for me is pretty amazing because I did not go to high school. Somehow I lived a productive life without an education all these years. Um, so it was just a personal goal. I really wanted to obtain a GED.
SPEAKER_00And so you passed your GED. Have you continued on and taken other courses at the college?
SPEAKER_01I have. I was first enrolled after completing my GED. I enrolled in the HIM program, which is the health information management program. And I was going to school for that up until a couple months ago. I decided to go ahead and re-evaluate what I wanted to do. And I wanted to go ahead and stay in the health field. So now it's on to um either nursing or an anesthesiologist, but it's still up in the air.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's great. And the healthcare field has such great opportunities and is such an important industry, whichever path you take or program that you pursue. But from your time at Shemec, and I'm wondering what you see as has been your biggest success so far.
SPEAKER_01I would honestly have to say my GED. That was a huge accomplishment for me. I had tried it once before when I was younger, about 18, and it's just not something I followed through with. I'm older, so there's a lot of stigma put on your education.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the GED is a really big milestone and know that that's a pathway into further education. So congratulations on that success. That is a tremendous one. So wondering, too, as you think about your education at Shemecara, what personal traits or skills do you think have helped you most in your educational journey?
SPEAKER_01I would say probably being outgoing. That's big, especially right now, trying to make those connections because we're in a virtual world. We don't have that face-to-face. So being able to reach out and being okay if somebody doesn't reach back.
SPEAKER_00So it sounds like being proactive, also persistent. Reaching out, do you mean to your instructors or to staff?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, instructors and to peers.
SPEAKER_00So classmates. Yeah, I think those are those are really valuable skills. And as you said, especially in times where we're we're remote, so it's different than seeing classmates or talking to your instructor face to face after after class wraps up.
SPEAKER_01It is, you can't, you're you're limited to building those relationships.
SPEAKER_00I'm wondering as you think about your experience at Shamecada, if you could talk about any obstacles you've faced, Nellie, in pursuing your education.
SPEAKER_01Thanks for asking again, Mark. One of them would be that I am a mom. So um schooling my son and myself from home was quite a challenge.
SPEAKER_00So juggling parenting while you're also focused on your studies?
SPEAKER_01Oh yes. Uh parenting, studies, working, you know, the list, the list can go on in adult life, but the biggest one would just have been, you know, homeschooling my son and homeschooling myself, and really trying to juggle those two. But we pushed through. We got we got through.
SPEAKER_00Understand too, with being a parent, how there are immense responsibilities under regular circumstances, and now with kids school from home, and then you as well taking classes. So can see how that could be and has been challenging. We here as community college leaders hear from students all the time that funding college can be a major source of stress. And I'm wondering what resources within the college at Jamekad or outside have been most helpful to you in addressing the cost of college.
SPEAKER_01For me, I was able to get into um the STEP program, which is offered by community college. I also was able to get grants from Oregon Promise. Shameca also offers a foundation scholarship as well, which you can apply for every year. So that's how the majority of my funding came about, uh financial aid of it.
SPEAKER_00So the STEP grant, Oregon Promise, which provides um tuition support from the state, and then sounds like scholarships through the college foundation. Can you talk a little bit more about the STEP grant?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the STEP grant I actually received because I received food assistance, which is something I did not know you could do while going to college. So I think that that's a resource that maybe a lot of other students don't know about. So they help you pay for tuition and they can help you cover for books. They also assist with a gas card so you can get to and from school or a bus pass. They may offer a little bit more. I'm not I'm not quite sure. Those are just some of the things that I've utilized that they offer.
SPEAKER_00That's great and sounds like a really helpful resource for for you and other students and in accessing the STEP grant and Oregon Promise and the Foundation Scholarships. Have you just navigated that yourself, or has there been someone on campus who's really helped you identify those benefits and get connected with resources?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Cy Hill. He's an advisor out at Polk County. He introduced me to the programs when I first started my journey back in spring. And then he introduced me to Adam Manning. He's a part of the STEP program. I've had a chance to work with Adam over the past year, which has been really nice and he's been very helpful.
SPEAKER_00And as you talk about SI and Adam, how were they most helpful to you?
SPEAKER_01Sai is most helpful for introducing me into how to access these programs and the steps to take to apply. And whenever I have any questions, I can always go back to him. I actually had a question about financial aid reapplying this year, and I sent him a quick email and he was quick to respond. Adam has been very helpful and they touch base with you once every term, if not more. Just a quick little, you know, survey and how's it going, doing anything, touch base, you know, that kind of a thing. So it's really nice the follow-up that he gets.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so just checking in periodically to make sure things are going well, and if you have any other needs or assistance as you continue with your studies.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00We know in Oregon, based on a national survey of students in the 17 community colleges, that 63% of students across our colleges have experienced some form of basic needs and security, which would be food insecurity, housing insecurity, or houselessness over the last year. And we know that some of that is a result of failed systems and policies that have not kept up with today's college students. And then we also know and hear from students continually that they're sometimes reluctant to seek help or access the benefits they're eligible for because of a concern that they may be taking it away from another individual who needs it more, or because of the stigma associated with those benefits. And I'm wondering, from your experience, what we can do as community college leaders to reduce the stigma and increase the number of students accessing the benefits and resources that they deserve and need.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think I was probably one of those people that fell in that category for a little while, Mark. I thought that I was going to be taking away benefits from somebody else by applying for the SPEP program. And I didn't necessarily qualify for food assistance, but I I unknowingly did. I made enough money, but I didn't make enough money. So that was one thing that was introduced to me by Nancy Harper when involved in the GED program. And she encouraged me to apply. And, you know, but the worst that could happen is I just wouldn't get the benefit. You know, like that's the only thing is I would be told no, and then I could move on. I mean, if that's the worst of it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So it sounds like having someone at the college encourage you to apply for these different resources.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and not only did she encourage me, like she just let me know like it's okay for me to need these benefits. It's that's why they are there. And it was just really hard for me to be okay with that for some reason. And she just helped me realize that it's okay. That's why the benefits are there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's that's helpful to hear and so important for those of us working with students and really look at destigmatizing these benefits and resources. And it sounds like Nancy was helpful and in guiding you through that. So, Nellie, you've had an opportunity to take classes in the GED program, pass the GED, begin taking courses in in healthcare. And I'm wondering what advice you might give to educators, career coaches, and others who are working to help students succeed on the road to and through college.
SPEAKER_01I would say just keep checking in with us. It it keeps us on our toes. It reminds us that you're there. You haven't forgotten about us. One thing that I really have utilized this last term is the office hours that teachers offer. Sometimes it's easier to talk with them in the office hours as opposed to in a group setting. So that's something that's been offered that I really enjoy.
SPEAKER_00So it sounds like both uh having somebody who's just making sure things are going well so that you've got someone who's staying connected with you uh at the college, and then also just having access to instructors and being able to touch base with them if you have questions. Thank you for sharing the those insights. I I wonder too, thinking about other students, like if you were going to talk to a group of new students at Shemecada, what advice would you give to these students from your own experience?
SPEAKER_01Just don't subside to the doubts. I mean, everyone, everyone was new at one point in time. You'd really be surprised how many people ask that same question, or maybe be wondering, you know, the same, the same thing as you are, and they just don't want to say it.
SPEAKER_00It sounds like part of uh the advice you would give is to encourage students to believe in themselves and have the confidence to continue forward and feel comfortable asking questions because other students may have the same questions.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I know it's scary to put yourself out there. I I'm I'm terrified sometimes, but it's it's all a part of growing and learning, and that's what we want to do. We want to grow and we want to learn.
SPEAKER_00That's great and and really profound in some ways. Nelly, I think about how you've described your educational journey and know that you are not just a student, but you're a parent and you are working and you have many other family responsibilities in addition to your education. I'm wondering if you could share any thoughts on what type of college policies could make it easier for students who are juggling so much like you to be successful.
SPEAKER_01I think keeping the distance learning like we have at college, like now, being able to still offer that after COVID's gone and over with, whenever that is. But being able to still offer this kind of learning as well as in-person learning, I think would be great. I think it would help out quite a few families who can't necessarily make it to the college campus, but really would like to further their education. You know, that that mom that's juggling the job and the kid and you know, can't just can't make it in, but has the time to just not make it to campus.
SPEAKER_00And having the option to take some classes virtually would make that more accessible.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, because we've learned that there's a lot of classes we can offer for learning online that were not offered before COVID. So it's a possibility. It can be done. So I think that that's one thing that we can take out of this whole situation.
SPEAKER_00That's so helpful to consider, especially from your own personal experience. So, Nellie, the genesis of this podcast was really a chance to ground our work in listening to students and understanding students' experiences. And I'm wondering if you have any other ideas on how colleges can listen to students better so that we do develop policies and programs that put students in the best position to succeed in college and beyond.
SPEAKER_01I think this is a great stepping stone right here, Mark. Just getting our voices out there and listening to us and taking into consideration our views. I think it's is great.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's really nice to hear, Nellie, and ultimately is the main goal of this podcast series. So thank you. Just stepping back a little bit, I'm wondering how your journey at Shemecita has impacted your life.
SPEAKER_01I would say how my son views me. He sees me putting in time and effort to get my studies done. It's the same thing he has to do from home, put in time and effort to get his studies done. So it's not like I'm asking him to do something that I'm not doing. I've learned that time is extremely valuable between studying and you know, trying to fit in personal time and also work time and everything. I love my time now. It's super precious. I'm on the right path. So uh I'm I'm very thankful for that.
SPEAKER_00That's awesome. So it sounds like Nellie, from your experience at Shamecada, you've really benefited from having a clear career goal and a career in in the medical field or healthcare field that will create a better life, but also has been a way to model for your son and your family the importance of education. And you also talked about discipline with time and really putting in the effort so that you can be successful. And I think you've also touched on some really good skills and traits that have made you successful so far of reaching out to classmates, reaching out to faculty with questions, and then staying in touch with staff that have been helpful and then having that from the college of somebody checking in with you. Appreciate you talking about your experience at Shemecada. I'm wondering, Nellie, if there's anything else you'd like to share before we wrap up?
SPEAKER_01No, Mark, I'm good. I just I want to thank you just for the opportunity to speak with you. I know this is all new to us, and we're all just out there trying to do our best. So I just appreciate you and getting our voices out there for you know the students, and thank you so much.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for taking time again and being so thoughtful and having this conversation and really sharing your own experience and your insights as a student at Chemecada. It's inspiring to me. I know it's going to be inspiring to our listeners. So thank you again and best of luck in the future.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much, Mark. I appreciate you.
SPEAKER_00You too. Our next guest is Dr. Jessica Howard, the president of Shamecita Community College. Thank you, Dr. Howard, for joining us on this episode.
SPEAKER_02My pleasure.
SPEAKER_00I know you had the chance to hear the conversation I had with Nelisha Moore, who's a student at your institution, and would love to chat with you about that. But before we do so, I was hoping that you could just share a little bit more about Chemecata Community College for our listeners that may not be as familiar with your institution.
SPEAKER_02I'd love to. Chamecada is the second largest community college in the state of Oregon. We serve three counties, Marion Polk, and Yam Hill, and a portion, small portion of Lynn as well. We have seven different locations, two comprehensive campuses. We serve about 23,000 students, head count, and about one in three of our students identifies as a person of color or indigenous person. And so it is thus maybe no surprise to find out that we're a Hispanic serving institution and very proud of that designation.
SPEAKER_00That's great and helpful to have that background. And that's a pretty large geography that you cover and having seven centers and two campuses. It's a lot of connections out into the communities that you serve.
SPEAKER_02Yes, we love it.
SPEAKER_00So just want to start with your overall reactions to the discussion I had earlier in this episode with Nellie, and would love to hear what you thought.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. I so enjoyed listening to the interview that you had with Nellie. She is so impressive and really inspiring. She's overcome multiple barriers, a lack of a high school credential, and a lack of a lot of high school experience. She's a parent. She persevered to get her GED, took more than one effort to do that. And now she's a student doing college-level work on a healthcare career path. That is amazing and a real testament to who she is.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I was really inspired by her story. And then also just how much the institution had supported and guided her in that journey. And I'm wondering if there are things that surprised you from the conversation about her experience.
SPEAKER_02You know, one thing that really surprised me was her ability to get her GED done in about half the time that it normally takes to accomplish that credential. Obviously, she was very focused on the goal.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that was interesting to hear. And I know she talked about how valuable her instructors were in supporting her, encouraging her to take the test, and even the support staff and pointing her in the right direction to think beyond the GED, right? So that was a starting point and an important milestone, but to consider what she would want to pursue beyond her high school equivalency at the institution.
SPEAKER_02That's so important, too, to not see the GED as an end but as a beginning.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. So what did you hear in the conversation with Nellie that highlighted work that Shemecita is doing well to address students' unmet financial needs?
SPEAKER_02Well, I think from her story, it shows that we're connecting well with students, referring in this case, Nellie, to the resources that she needed, helping her navigate the different institutions, including us, and connecting funding streams that she really needed to be able to access. I was particularly impressed with how the internal referrals between college staff, and in her story, it was between Cy Hill and Adam Minig. And this referral created a quick and efficient access to the benefits and other resources that she needed to support her education. And then after those initial connections, we continued to follow up with Nellie, which signaled to her that we care and helps us continue to support and problem solve on her behalf.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that was really clear how valuable those touch points were for Nellie and having staff that really guided her through the process and in a seamless way, right? She didn't share any difficulty in navigating systems at the college and felt that the individuals that she spoke of, Sai and Adam, really connected her with the resources available.
SPEAKER_02I agree. I think there really are a lot of resources out there. The trick is finding them and then feeling comfortable enough to access them. And I do think that personal touch makes a real difference.
SPEAKER_00Did want to ask you from the conversation with Nellie if there's anything that you heard that could illuminate a new opportunity for the college that could support student success, especially for adult students?
SPEAKER_02Well, I think, and this is germane to our current COVID environment, but more remote offerings going forward, I think, provide more opportunities for adult students to access the institution and the education that those students need. I also think that we need to work on destigmatizing the acts of applying for and receiving benefits. I just did not realize that students would think benefits would be diverted from others if they applied. And I think that they need to be supported in the very act of asking for help and that those resources are there precisely to help them succeed. And that was something I also learned from Nellie was that that sense of stigma is real. And so that's something we need to address.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and that was really clear to me from the conversation of that feeling of there may be other folks in need more, so I shouldn't bother. And having staff and/or faculty that really encouraged her to see that these resources are available to students, and then back to the remote opportunities for student parents like Nellie post-COVID, of being able to access courses in a way that make it easier for individuals that are juggling a lot in their lives. Absolutely. So, how does this pathways to opportunity work that we're doing across the state of connecting students with benefits and resources to close opportunity gaps and create economic mobility align with your priorities as the president of the college?
SPEAKER_02Well, one of the things I'm most concerned about, Mark, in our country and certainly our region is income polarization and the number of people who face just tremendous barriers in climbing out of poverty or in improving their economic circumstances. My vision for the region that Trimecata serves is that the American dream will be within reach for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. But to make that dream possible, higher education is key. And for a person to engage in higher education requires them to be able to afford tuition, fees, learning materials, and the highest price tag of all, at least for community college students, all the living costs while being a student. And if you're a student parent, those costs are almost certainly even higher. And so that's what Pathways to Opportunity provides: benefits to allow those who need the help the most to get it so that then they can help themselves.
SPEAKER_00Post-secondary credentials are really a ticket to economic mobility. And we know from national research from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce that currently four out of five good jobs require more than a high school equivalency. And so that ability for all to have the opportunity to pursue the American dream really does tie into post-secondary education. And then, as you spoke about, the total cost of attendance for students is well beyond tuition and fees. And so pathways to opportunity really helps us assist students in addressing those additional costs in a way that's as simple as possible for students so that they can succeed.
SPEAKER_02Exactly.
SPEAKER_00So thinking more broadly, how can pathways to opportunity advance racial equity and rural opportunity, considering the role that a community college can play in rebuilding and creating a more inclusive economy?
SPEAKER_02Well, Black and Indigenous folks and people of color are disproportionately represented among the American poor. I'm very proud to say that Chamecita serves a higher percent of Hispanic or Latinx students than our service area demographic, and at least double the percentage of low-income students than our service area population. So tackling poverty and closing equity gaps are core to our mission as an educational institution and as a Hispanic serving institution. PTO, Pathways to Opportunity, helps us create success for students who are the most vulnerable. And this includes our students of color.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I didn't realize those demographics of the student population. That's impressive that the institution is able to connect with the broader diverse communities that you serve. And in thinking about that and understanding our current realities, you mentioned COVID a bit earlier. We know that because of this pandemic and the recession that's followed, it's disproportionately affected communities of color, low-wage workers, those with the least formal education, and immigrants and refugee communities. And so to hear you tie the PTO work to the mission of the institution and the needs in the broad community and diverse communities we serve, it feels like it really is core to the work ahead for Shemecada.
SPEAKER_02It is. And you know, given the fact that we already have that depth of connection to these communities that really need us, it puts us in an excellent place to make PTO work.
SPEAKER_00It sounds like it also positions the college to help build an inclusive recovery as we come out of this recession, really centering on those who've been most impacted.
SPEAKER_02Exactly.
SPEAKER_00Can you talk, Dr. Howard, about how the college is focusing on adult students and what that looks like in college policies and programs?
SPEAKER_02We've determined that we have about 50,000 adults aged between 25 and 54 in our Tri-County area who do not have a community college credential and who are also unemployed or underemployed. So we're really committed to stepping up and making a difference for this very large number of individuals. Short-term credentials, I think, is a key strategy, along, of course, with utilizing supports and funding streams, which is the work of PTO.
SPEAKER_00Those numbers, 50,000 individuals, those are staggering numbers. That's a large group of community members that can really benefit from post-secondary education opportunities at the college. And as you touched on, short-term credentials are a way that can accelerate the coursework to really get individuals back into the workplace with better skills. Knowing the Oregon model of career pathways, many of those short-term credentials can then stack into a longer-term certificate or a degree and even beyond to a university.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. And, you know, one thing I'm very hopeful about is that we could possibly get short-term Pell put in place, which would help us in our efforts with those short-term credentials.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so touching on certain policies at the federal level that would assist adults who are looking to go back to school but don't have two or three years to complete a degree necessarily because they need to work, having access to federal financial aid for short-term credentials would really make it more accessible. Yes. So the PTO work that we're all doing across the state can only be effective with strong programs, inclusive policies, and dynamic partnerships. What are some of the valuable community partnerships that Shemecada has developed that has been most impactful in supporting students?
SPEAKER_02Sure. We work very closely with DHS. We work with the Millamet Workforce Partnership, the local food bank, and of course our college foundation to provide critical resources for students. Shemecada is slightly above the state average in basic needs and security among our students. So 65% of our students are either housing or food insecure or houseless or some combination of those three things. So having these partnerships is really beneficial because, of course, we can't do this alone. And we are not, technically speaking, a social service agency or entity. So we need to connect with our partners and harness their resources and strengths so that we can serve students holistically.
SPEAKER_00That makes a lot of sense. And having the partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services that oversees the TANF and SNAP programs, and then the local workforce development board that receives federal resources, maybe some state resources to support job seekers, dislocated workers, and then the food bank, those who are food insecure, anti-poverty agencies. It seems like those are all organizations that complement the strengths of the college.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00So what are some ways, Dr. Howard, that Shemecada is elevating student voices, particularly adult students, to ensure you're all in on student pathways forward?
SPEAKER_02Well, through this podcast, of course, Mark, but we also spotlight student successes every chance we get. We also do focus groups with students to help ensure that we're doing everything we can to help them succeed. And finally, we always include student voices when we advocate at the state level for funding and policies to support students, such as the bill going through the legislature right now to put a benefits navigator at each of Oregon's community colleges. That will really help us do more of this kind of work.
SPEAKER_00So it sounds like there's a variety of ways that the institution is including students and adding that student voice to really shape programs and policies and maybe even partnerships. And as you talked about House Bill 2835, which would provide a benefits navigator for each of the 17 community colleges. To me, that takes me back to some of what Nellie talked about of just how important that connection is with a staff member who is helping them navigate the systems and identify resources. It's really commendable to hear the different ways that you are bringing students into these conversations that are really overall supporting student success in an equitable way.
SPEAKER_02And when we do things like update our academic plan, which we are doing right now, and engage in strategic planning, which is a seven-year look, which we are engaging in in this coming academic year, when we look at all the things we are doing to assess and improve our campus climate, the student voices are incredibly important and we center them so that we can continue to move forward in a way that serves students and that allows us to really understand their needs.
SPEAKER_00Kudos to you and to the institution for finding all of these different ways to really include students in the planning and policy work that you do.
SPEAKER_02We're all about students. Students are why we're here. And as the world changes and as students change, we have to be working hard to ensure that we are as viable and as responsive to what they need as possible. That's what it means to really serve your community. So I think the student voice is pivotal.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's a perfect way to wrap up this segment. It sounds like you are all in on student pathways forward and appreciate you taking the time to join the podcast and appreciate your ongoing leadership of these student success efforts and this project in particular to further elevate student voices in our work. It's wonderful to be able to start this podcast series highlighting a student at Chemecada and the great work that you're all doing there. So thank you.
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much, Mark.
SPEAKER_00Well, that'll do it for this first episode of All In Student Pathways Forward. Please stay tuned for upcoming episodes in the next few weeks when I'll speak with students from Treasure Valley Community College in Eastern Oregon and Mountain Hood Community College in Gresham. I'll also have the chance to talk with some key policy leaders from organizations like Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon. Thanks again for listening in, and we'll see you the next time.