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
Lane Community College (LCC) Culinary program graduate and small business owner, Barbara Graham-Adams, LCC President Dr. Stephanie Bulger & CEO/President of NACCE, Dr. Rebecca Corbin
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In this episode host Marc Goldberg interviews Lane Community College Culinary Commercial Cooking Certificate program graduate Barbara Graham-Adams, college president Dr. Stephanie Bulger and CEO and President of NACCE, the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, Dr. Rebecca Corbin.
Barbara talks about her experience as a returning student who enrolled in a culinary career pathways program to enhance her skills for her existing food cart business, Irie Jamaican Kitchen, which has now led to new opportunities through the college. She offers helpful insights to college faculty and staff on additional ways to meet the needs of parenting students and gives great advice to other community college students.
Dr. Bulger shares her reflections from Barbara’s interview and touches on different programs and supports the College provides for small and emerging businesses through the Small Business Development Center, entrepreneurial academic programs and even through the College’s procurement process.
Dr. Corbin describes how NACCE supports colleges across the country in developing an entrepreneurial mindset with students and through college programs and touches on the power of this national network to learn together, co-create and take innovative action.
The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network and supported by the Lumina Foundation.
Welcome to the All-In Student Pathways Forward Podcast, focused on elevating community college student voices, along with those of college executives, policymakers, and higher education advocates to shape inclusive policies, practice, and partnerships. This is the host, Mark Goldberg, and this season the podcast features students of quality, career pathways, and non-degree credential programs. Thanks for listening in. This episode features interviews with Lane Community College Culinary Program graduate Barbara Graham Adams, Lane Community College President Dr. Stephanie Bolger, and the CEO and President of NACE, the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, Dr. Rebecca Corbin. Barbara talks about her experience as a returning student who enrolled in a culinary career pathway program to enhance her skills for her existing food cart business, which has now led to new opportunities through the college. She offers helpful insights to college faculty and staff on additional ways to meet the needs of parenting students and gives great advice to other community college students. Dr. Bulger shares her reflections for Barbara's interview and touches on different programs and supports the college provides for small and emerging businesses through the Small Business Development Center, entrepreneurial academic programs, and even through the college's procurement process. Dr. Corbin describes how NACI supports colleges across the country in developing an entrepreneurial mindset with students and through college programs, and elaborates on the power of this national network to learn together, co-create, and take innovative action. I'd like to welcome my featured guests to the podcast today. Barbara Graham Adams is a graduate of Lean Community College in Eugene, Oregon, and also the owner of IRE Jamaican Kitchen. Welcome Barbara to the All In Student Pathways Forward Podcast.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Mark. Thanks for having me and for giving me this platform.
SPEAKER_01I appreciate you joining me and taking the time today. And first wanted to ask you if you could talk about your journey to Lane Community College, why you chose to enroll in courses there and what you studied.
SPEAKER_00So my journey started back in 2022, La Fall. And my original reason, my third son was joining Lane and having two previous sons who started and stopped. I thought this would be a good encouragement and support for him if I was enrolled. And so, based on my business background, Lane offered a culinary program, which was ideal for me to step up my game in our business. And so I enrolled in the fall of 2022. And that journey took me through a year roughly from fall to the end of the spring term. It is official name is the commercial cooking, and you do get a certificate at the end of that program.
SPEAKER_01That's helpful background and interesting how you've found your way to the college through your own family and your son taking classes there. And wanted to ask you from your experience in the commercial culinary certificate program, what was the biggest highlight of that experience for you as a student?
SPEAKER_00I think even though I was and am in the cooking industry, the food industry, there were just things that I wasn't really exposed to. I found that I was more limited to the cuisine that I'm familiar with. And so being able to get that teaching, the more scientific part of the cooking, the various equipment in the kitchen that you would be exposed to working in a commercial environment, that was pretty ideal and helpful for me moving forward in my own business. I was given the opportunity to learn from someone who had been and has been in that industry for many years, along with the support of the class. We had various age range there. And so being able to rely on someone who may be more exposed to cocaine, American type food, it was helpful. There were times that there were ingredients that we needed to get, and I had no clue what it looked like. And so someone else there would be able to say, hey, this is it, or here's where it's at. And I think overall support was there from the get-go. The advisor, the culinary, the instructor, all around support, I think, even just in the admin department, you know, people as you enter, they greet you immediately. How can we help you? They were very accessible to us. At one point, I was applying for a scholarship and dropping a quick email, and a couple of people had to get involved. So it's more than just burning that culinary program. It's all these other support staff who really want to see you succeed and make time to take a call or respond to an email and get you the info you need.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's great to hear. You just described a scholarship opportunity, and that's more getting at the financial cost of the program and resources available to students throughout. Yeah. Similar question, but on the flip side, I wanted to ask if you could describe any challenges you faced in pursuing your education there.
SPEAKER_00The challenge probably were more external, not relating to the college, because I was an established business. I had commitments that I'd made for different events and location prior to deciding to go to college. And so having to work that into a new schedule. But again, my chef understood where I was. Overall, I don't necessarily experience challenges within the school or class in that sense. But then just coming home, of course, you have home life, you have kids, you have commitment for your family, working that into making sure that I devote enough time to get my studies done. So I think my challenges were more external and outside of the classroom.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I think that's pretty common for students who are returning who have jobs, or in your case, a whole small business, in addition to families. Yeah. And making it work with a very complex schedule.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01With other commitments and responsibilities, as you said, back to the culinary certificate program. This season's podcast is featuring students or graduates like yourself of quality credential or certificate programs that are shorter than an associate's degree and prepare students for career opportunities and to continue their education in an accelerated manner. And so, from your perspective, how did the culinary commercial cooking career pathway certificate meet your needs as a student?
SPEAKER_00For me personally, it elevated what I was doing. It gave me a broader scope. You know, talking about French cooking versus a Jamaican cuisine, there's some similarities, but it allowed me to really take the knowledge for training and elevate what I'm doing. Some things I could integrate as is, and others were just tweaking a little bit to make it complement with what my cuisine would require. It also brought my scope with ingredients and the different spices that are used. It gave me a lot more resource to look into if I had a question. For me, it was definitely an advantage being a part of the program and utilizing my chef as a resource. I think a big part too was that pre-planning. It's the foundation of what we do. It tells you how much ingredients you need and what your cost is going to be. At the end of the day, you can price your product or your service more effectively and efficiently. I think that was a beneficial area that I needed to learn, and I was able to absorb that info. That's great.
SPEAKER_01And I think of your experience in the culinary program and the career pathway certificate you enrolled in and completed. A lot of other students, and maybe in that program and in others, are just getting started into this career and occupation and industry. And for you, it was different because you had a successful business and saw the value of coming back and enhancing your skills in the way that you just described and how the program could meet your needs in addition to, I would presume, a student who was coming in just interested in the culinary world and just getting started.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for students coming in again, it may vary. And not everyone is looking to go out and own their business, but just being in a kitchen and being a support there, I think this program will give you what you're looking for. It gives you the basic, I can speak for Chef Michael, who kept it real. It wasn't a textbook only. You know, you get a textbook, but he'll say, This is what happens in the real world. You know, when the chef says he wants this, he's not going to stop and give you point-by-point instructions. So being able to react and determine the next step is important. It gives you that opportunity to become confident. And so the support and the encouragement, I think, went a long way.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's awesome to hear. Building on that, I wanted to ask you, Barbara, was there someone on the Lane campus who helped you navigate college systems to enroll and complete the program? And how were they most helpful?
SPEAKER_00Glory was my initial contact for this program. She was the person who replied to my application that was late and promptly invited me on campus and walked me over to the classroom and introduced me to Chef Michael. And throughout that program, she's always been available in checking in. Chef Michael also is a resource to this day. We see each other more often now because we're on campus together. He's always been the person who let you know, hey, this is way off base, or you're close, or you need to tweak here or there. And he referenced to his experience, and I appreciated that because some of those things that he was sharing with me, I was already aware of. So I knew he was keeping it as real as he could. I was probably one or two of the older students in that classroom, but we were all made to feel welcome and not single out because you are older and you should know this, or you have a business, you should know this. It was really a really welcoming environment. That was pretty good for me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we'll get to how you stay connected with Chef Michael. And from that, I want to shift from the culinary program a little bit and your experience as a student to now your work and leadership as a small business owner. And so wanted to ask you if you could talk a bit about your small business, I read Jamaican Kitchen. How did you end up becoming a successful entrepreneur? And how did your experience in the Lane Culinary Certificate Program support the growth and development of your business? Thanks, Mark.
SPEAKER_00So for us, I read Jamaican Kitchen started back in 2019 as a mobile food truck. We were fortunate enough after probably a few months in business. We were invited to apply for the Eugene Saturday Market, and we were accepted in that program. From there, we've been doing mostly events. We do a lot of the local wineries here. We do sporting events, we do the summer concerts. So we're sort of versatile. Again, we're on wheels, so we can go pretty much wherever. The vision for IRI actually is more to bring diversity to our community. When we started back in 2019, there were a lot of discomfort, you know, things happening. And I thought food brings people together. And so being able to bring this diverse menu or cuisine to our community would give us an opportunity to sit down, enjoy the meal, exchange thoughts, get to know each other. And that's the backbone of it, really. Just that social gathering, and that's the spirit of what IRI brings. IRI in itself means cool, everything's alright. And so that's the idea on us having this mobile food track. For us to be successful, we had a lot of support from the community. When we started out, we didn't know much about food truck trucking, I guess, but we did a lot of going out to different food trucks, talking to the owners, getting to know who is who in the community. We get to know the health department. They're a big resource also. For me, getting that experience from LCC again only makes me a better, more equipped business person to take it to the next level. When I go in and I submit a request to do an event and we have capability statements, on that capability statement, I've noted I'm a graduate of LCC Culinary Program. That makes a difference. That takes us to another level.
SPEAKER_01That's wonderful. And even just to hear your initial vision for the business of bringing people together. That food brings people together. So that's a good segue into the next question. And I find this remarkable and getting to know you a little bit and wanted to ask how has your connection to the college, Lane Community College, changed in the work you do through your business?
SPEAKER_00So our connection to LCC has broadened since leaving school. We are now on campus serving our delicious cuisine. We have a kitchen area that is dedicated to us. And Monday through Friday, 10 to 2:30, we now serve Jamaican cuisine to our LCC community and also the public, because the public can come in and purchase lunch. So this is now a larger, bigger connection, being a part of that lane campus. I now see my chef every day. So I get to be coached. And there we have Chef Ryan also, who is another chef there. Couple days into our setup, Chef Michael came in and he was looking at her layout and making recommendations. So it's ongoing coaching, ongoing support. And the benefits, I believe, go both ways in that the staff, the students, other community members are being exposed and are enjoying this meal, and we're getting to know them also. Being able to serve the community is very rewarding.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's so cool to be a graduate of the program and have an ongoing presence on campus. It feels like it would be a benefit to you as a business owner to have that new market, the college community, where there's always traffic of students and faculty and staff.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01But then for the college, too, to have a graduate who's now providing food on campus and is also bringing other community members onto campus.
SPEAKER_00That is true. That is true, Mark. And we have heard that more than once. You know, we have students like past Friday here. We had a student who came, he bought it, walked away, came back, and he was like, Oh my gosh, that was so awesome. Thanks for the recommendation. And he's like, if I knew this was here, and I'm like, oh man, maybe that's a tagline for recruitment. So again, people are not familiar. It takes us a little while to get people to understand our cuisine. And so that education that is being shared is something good. And then we have our regular customers who have been yawning for us to have a midday location, and now they're able to find us. We have a number of customers who have come through just to get the food, and they're like, wow, this place is pretty cool, and they'll sit and eat or take it to go. So more exposure for the school, also, as well as giving us the home that we have been looking for.
SPEAKER_01Thanks for sharing all that. So, from your perspective, what type of college policies could make it easier for students in credential programs like the culinary program, who may also be juggling like yourself, parenting, work, and other family responsibilities along with their education?
SPEAKER_00I think for some of us, even my second son who is looking to go back to college, being able to have more flexible hours that would allow a working student to attend college, typically the hours where the colleges are in-class service are being offered, are hours that the regular person is at work. And so being able to offer some flexibility, whether that's on a Saturday or late evening, and possibly more online classes for those programs that will allow that. I think that will give us more opportunities to draw in additional students. I think that would probably be one area that we could look into.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. And it would be accommodating to individuals who do have more traditional work schedules. It's a really good suggestion. And I've heard it from other parenting and working students. So similarly, wanted to ask: what is the most important thing that educators, career coaches, and other staff and faculty working to assist students to succeed can do to help?
SPEAKER_00I like to say to keep it real. Someone can read a book and understand the material listed there, but having a clear understanding of the expectation when they do get into the work world, just sharing the experience that they have in the real world, be it available outside of that timeframe that is listed for your class and being responsive as a working mom. You know, I'm juggling schedules for everyone in school, everyone has sports, I have to do time for events, and it's a matter of if I can get that response from one person to commit to another, it ties me up. So being able to be responsive within reason. Financial is probably one of the toughest parts. You know, some people are working without having sufficient funds to do school, also. So removing some of those roadblocks, making sure that that information is readily available and that it's easily accessible to students who really need that support. Being up on those types of things will help a student returning to know, hey, can I afford to go to school? What do I need? And how quickly will I get that support to sign up for a class?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because in some cases that's the decision point, right? Yeah. I think those are fantastic pieces of advice for educators and career coaches and others to consider. The flip side of this question then is what advice would you give to other students at Lean Community College and different community colleges from your own experience, especially returning students who were enrolling like you did in a quality career pathway certificate program?
SPEAKER_00Number one question is our feedback would be to ask for help. If you don't ask, they don't know you need it. And so being able to present your need as it is and ask for guidance. Who do I talk to? Where do I go? Just making sure that you're utilizing all resources that are available to you. And it's possible that we don't know what those are. So that goes into you asking those questions.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And this is back to the college team, but for faculty and staff and administrators, making sure that all those resources are communicated and clear as best as they can to make it simpler for students. Yeah. And wanted to ask you the theme and spirit of this podcast. Do you have any other ideas on how colleges can listen to students better to develop policies and programs that put them in the best position to thrive in college and beyond?
SPEAKER_00I think more of this type of communication, to get in that in front of her students or new students coming in. I think Lane does a good job of that first meeting where they take you through the website, how to go through the website and all the different steps. But again, it's new and it's something that if you're hearing it for the first time, it just goes over your head. And so having opportunities or different timelines throughout the year or the period that students can come in and get a refresher. As they go through that, I sat in with my two younger sons when they were going through their application process. Not everyone is gonna have their parents there with them. And if there are really kids coming right out of high school into college, those things are so over their head, you know? And so being able to really have some more check-in with those younger students coming in. I know we have advisors, and if I don't go with my kid to meet with his advisor, he probably would never go. So how do we keep those younger students engaged? How do we keep them motivated? How do we interact with these young folks so they know their value, know that this is a benefit to them in the long run? That may be something we need to do a little bit more of.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's spot on. And you know, think about what you just said with the advice for other students of asking for help. And to your point, the suggestion of checking in, finding ways to keep more students engaged and motivated is important for colleges to be thinking about. Yeah. I appreciate you offering that up as well. And wanted to ask you how your experience at Lane Community College has been impactful in your life.
SPEAKER_00For me, it has allowed me to be more comfortable with experimenting with food. And so that has impacted me both personally and also professionally because of what I do for a living. But I'm more open to having someone critique what I'm doing than prior to LCC. And so the knowledge that I have gained has helped. It has broadened the willingness to try something new or add a particular dish or ingredients to a dish, just making sure that if I'm not as comfortable or knowledgeable about it, I know where I can go to get some more info. So again, that experience has given me more tools to utilize, whether it be an Excel spreadsheet to do my conversion on or whatever. I can cook and I can do it. And now I've taken that step back and do the basic things that I needed to do to put me in a better position.
SPEAKER_01It sounds like it's complementary to the skills that you already had in your business. Right. And with that, I wanted to ask: what does the future look like for I read Jamaican Kitchen in the next few years?
SPEAKER_00For us, I would say more of type of LCC setup where we go into different colleges and promote and provide nutritious meal. That's in one view of our vision board. And then, you know, really truly look at branching into uh brick and mortar and have the opportunity to have people come in, sit down, dine, and do the full menu, the full cuisine. It's more of a social gathering, my husband likes to say, Supper club. But it's more, you have your regulars, you have people who really want to come in because they know of the cuisine, they know of the service, and then there's entertainment. And so bringing all that together would be our ultimate goal. We're unique here in Eugene because we have a lot of food trucks here locally, but not everyone has the opportunity to create this cuisine. And so for us, we have a unique responsibility to teach people about our culture and our cuisine. So if we can take it to the next level, that would be amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the possibility of having a presence on other college campuses. And I will say, Barbara, that we have 17 community colleges across the state. I know there's listeners, leaders from other colleges, and so I hope they'll consider this. Maybe it plants a seed.
SPEAKER_00That's an opportunity. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And some of those colleges that also have culinary programs. So in addition to your own business and the potential to have a presence, the connection between a culinary program and entrepreneurs who are students and graduates, then coming back and having a presence on the campus with your own business is really such an interesting and inspiring model to support students and support that restaurant food card culture of entrepreneurs. Right. And look forward to hearing in time when you are ready to open the doors of a brick and mortar. So appreciate you sharing so much, Barbara, about your experience as a student, about your business, about the presence that you have on campus, and then your advice to other students.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for having me and giving me the platform to share a little bit about my experience in Ivory Jamaican Kitchen.
SPEAKER_01Well, next time I'm in Eugene, I know exactly where I'm going for lunch.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. We would love to serve you.
SPEAKER_01Can't wait. Thank you again, Barbara, for taking the time and just wanted to ask if there's anything else you'd like to share for this podcast episode.
SPEAKER_00Well, as I said, it's been a wonderful experience all throughout my time at Lane. And with that, added a certificate, a notch on my accomplishment, which helped. And I re we're just gonna keep soaring. And hopefully, we'll see you one day walk through our doors and we'll like, oh, you remember when? So we definitely appreciate being here and being able to share with your listeners. Thank you again for sharing all that you have.
SPEAKER_01I appreciate it. I'd like to welcome my next guest to the podcast, Dr. Stephanie Bulger, who's the president at Lane Community College. Welcome, Dr. Bulger, to the All-In Student Pathways Forward podcast.
SPEAKER_03Thank you, Mark. It's a pleasure to be here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, appreciate you taking the time. And I wanted to start off as usual and ask you if you could share a bit more about Lane Community College for any listeners that are not familiar with the institution.
SPEAKER_03I'd be happy to. Well, Lane Community College is in Eugene, Oregon. And we like to say that we are the size of Connecticut and we extend from the Cascade Mountains to the coast. But not many people know that we have six locations. Our enrollment is over 15,000 annually. We've got a diverse student body, and our fastest growing students are Latinx. Lane is called the Communities College. That's the first line in our mission. We offer university transfer, we offer career technical education programs, ESL, community education as well, and adult basic education. Lane is known for academic excellence. It's known for innovation and sustainability. And what we're really excited about recently is that we've got two new buildings going up on campus. One is a health professions building that's going to extend our health professions programs. And we also have an over 50,000 square foot industry trades education center. So the ITEC building. And that is going to be a game changer for this area. So it's going to house construction and fabrication, our apprenticeship programs. We're incredibly excited about those developments because not only for our students, but also for the economic vitality of the region. So I'll finally mention that we are going to be offering and then awarding a bachelor's of applied science in applied business management. And our program is going to start in the fall of this year. We already have about 35 applications for that program and a wait list. So we're really, really excited that students are interested in a bachelor's degree and staying right here at the community college to earn that.
SPEAKER_01That's great. I appreciate you sharing so much about Lane and the geography, the programs, the locations. But it's really exciting to hear about those new buildings with the health professions and the ITEC building for your trades and manufacturing programs. Wanted to ask you if you had the opportunity to listen to my conversation with Barbara Graham Adams, who's a graduate of Lane Community College. And if so, what were your overall reactions to that discussion?
SPEAKER_03I did listen to the interview that you had with Barbara, and I tell you, I smiled all the way through it. It was just heartwarming. And so my reactions, one of them was really that I was just incredibly proud of Barbara and what she was able to accomplish at the institution. And then, oh, by the way, of course, she was able to become the vendor, another vendor in our food court over there in our center building. So incredibly proud of her and her accomplishments. There's a few observations that I had. One was that Barbara really represents so many of our students. So she was a returning student who wanted to come back to the community college to extend her knowledge and have a broader scope in her field. She found college, this college, through family. We know that a lot of students learn about the community college through someone that they know, whether it's a family member or it's a friend. And we also know that many working adults like Barbara have multiple commitments. So they have jobs, they've got families, they've got multiple responsibilities, and they try to fit in their education into those multiple responsibilities. One of the things that struck me about Barbara's comments is that she found Lane to be accessible and she found Lane to be supportive. And she noticed that Lane really wanted her to succeed. And that was heartwarming to me as well. So I was really not only proud of Barbara, but I was incredibly proud of Lane for demonstrating the kind of values that we know we have.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for sharing your reflections there. And I think building on what you just talked about, Lane being for her accessible and supportive, wanted to ask what you heard in addition to that, that highlighted work that the college is doing well and the value also of your quality short-term pathways like the culinary program that offer credentials to meet students' educational and career goals.
SPEAKER_03I'll first say, Mark, that what also struck me about Barbara is how intentional she was and how focused she was. And it just speaks to students being able to come back to Lane for upskilling and reskilling throughout their lifetime or throughout their career. You could hear in Barbara's story that she identified when she came into the institution in 2022 and when she finished in 2023, she was incredibly purposeful. And we have so many opportunities here at Lane for individuals who are like that, who want to come in, get the job done, and then get back to their lives. So there were a few messages that Barbara shared that really, really struck me about Lane and about how we support our students. One of the stories that she shared was about someone, a staff person here at the college, who actually walked her over to the program and introduced her to the faculty. I was incredibly, incredibly impressed by that. The other was for a person who was a little bit more mature, a returning student. We made her feel comfortable, we made her feel welcomed, included, and that she belonged here. And that was the message that we gave to her from her very first contact with the institution. The third thing that I'll mention, of course, is her faculty. And the faculty member certainly delivered strong instruction, but also became a coach to her even long after she left the program. And all of those speak really strongly to the institution and what our values are. I really, really liked that Barbara talked about bringing the community into the college because the community knows Barbara and her food. So community members will come onto campus and come to Lane Community College's center building to actually get some of her food, hopefully asking questions about what do we do here. And then she talked about asking for help, which was really advice to students about utilizing all resources available, having the right attitude, being adaptable and flexible, and just being open and having a willingness to try something new.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I feel like where you began and a student walking her over to the program, I mean, not only did they do that, they did that and the program had already started, right? We were like a week into the term, and still she's getting that support. There's one more thing I just wanted to add in terms of the credential. She really talked about how the certificate, it's an add-on for her when she's putting together proposals for opportunities. She's like, if this gives me a leg up because I have this credential from the college that I got. And so she really saw the value clearly of the quality of the education, the mentoring, as you said, from the faculty member. But then really that the credential itself carries value to her in terms of her business and the opportunities. So I just wanted to add that to all that you've said.
SPEAKER_03That's right, Mark. We often forget that the short-term programs can help to provide the credibility, their proxy for a person having knowledge and skills and abilities. And I was really, really struck by that because we often hear challenges to the value of higher education today. No, these credentials really do make a difference. They really are meaningful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. And that's the theme of this season for the podcast is uh quality non-degree credentials. So she really illustrated that in her whole story, but in what we're discussing here, the value of that credential. Curious from the conversation with Barbara, did you hear anything that could illuminate a new opportunity for the college that supports student success, especially for adult students, returning students like Barbara?
SPEAKER_03Some of the things that she mentioned about her experience as someone who was coming back for a particular purpose, we need more flexible hours for our working students. And so she mentioned Saturday hours, late evening hours, online offerings as well, would give students a lot of flexibility to be able to continue their education. She talked about providing information easily that would be accessible so that we can remove any financial roadblocks that students might have. You might recall, Mark, that she mentioned scholarships and how she was able to get access to some scholarships. She talked about orientation, helping individuals, helping her walk through the website and demystify some of the language that we use in community college that may not be as clear to people from the community when individuals want to come back. We just want to make it easy for them to be able to do that.
SPEAKER_01I want to come back to these quality non-degree credentials. And I know that Lane Community College has been a leader across the country for many years, generally in workforce training and developing and sustaining these quality short-term programs that create pathways to careers with economic mobility for students. Wanted to ask you how do these quality non-degree credential programs and pathways support the college's mission and institutional priorities? And what value do they bring to the broader community?
SPEAKER_03Well, you know, Lane's roots are in vocational education and in the movement to start community colleges that happened in Oregon in the late 50s and 60s. So these short-term programs, they're essentially the institution's reason for being. They support the mission of the community college to have quality instruction, be accessible and learning-centered. They support the college's values, accessibility, collaboration, and partnership. They support the vision of this institution to transform lives through learning, and specifically through our strategic plan, programs that meet workforce needs, and also enhance employment opportunities through workforce preparation. They also support, from a community perspective, the sector strategy work. There are 10 sectors that have been identified, and those sectors very much align with many of the offerings that we have in our short-term programs and also in our associate degree programs. For example, the wildland fire management is one of the short-term certificate programs we have. Early childhood education is another short-term program. And so, from a community perspective, we are supporting workforce and talent development and for the community to have greater economic vitality.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I think those examples you gave of early childhood ed and wildland fire are perfect. And in fact, the first season of the podcast, I had an early childhood ed student from Lane on, Christina, who was working her way through a career pathway certificate in that field. But I want to shift back to another part of Barbara's story. In addition to being in a quality career pathway program, is her background as an entrepreneur and as a small business owner. And so I know that colleges do work in this space as well. So I wanted to ask you in what ways does Lane Community College support entrepreneurs and small businesses like I read Jamaican Kitchen to launch, expand, and support the overall economic vitality of the region?
SPEAKER_03We have so many success stories, and IRE Jamaican Kitchen is one. Lane has a small business development center, and we're actually the hub for all 20 Oregon small business development networks. So their mission basically is to help create new jobs and improve economic vitality here in our part of Oregon. And what's really exciting is that their website is not only in English, but it's also in Spanish. So that just speaks to wanting to bring in diverse communities into the economic vitality that we're all trying to create here. I just want to give you a little bit of data on some of the outcomes of the work that the Small Business Development Center has been engaged in. So they advised 341 startup companies in 2023 and 328 existing businesses. They were able to help create 134 jobs. But what's most important, I think, too, is who their clients were. So 376 of their clients were women, and 167 were of color, non-Hispanic. There were 10 Hispanic customers, and 33 of those customers were veterans. We often forget about veterans, but veterans are incredibly important in terms of thinking about diversity and the veteran community into this economic vitality.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, small businesses are really the core to our economy in the state. I forget the total percent, but I think it's 90-something percent of businesses across the state are small businesses. But those numbers are tremendous. That many startup and existing businesses that were able to access resources and support through the SVDC. I think we're really lucky in Oregon to have the small business development centers be connected to the colleges, and it really adds a whole ecosystem of support. Thank you for sharing more there, Dr. Bulger. And I want to come back to Barbara's story. She is and has been an entrepreneur who's benefited from the credential program to enhance her business, but also has connected with a college and been able to partner with Lane to provide her cuisine on campus. I know that community colleges themselves are significant employers in their communities, in addition to providing quality education and training to students, and they also have vendors that they work with and collaborate with. And so I wanted to ask you how do you think colleges can create more access and opportunity for local entrepreneurs and small business owners, particularly BIPOC and women-owned, to gain opportunities with the college to provide services in similar ways that I re Jamaican Kitchen is doing?
SPEAKER_03Well, one of the themes that runs through our strategic plan is about diversity, equity, and inclusion. There are six goals in the strategic plan. And each of those goals and objectives has running through it this theme of diversity, equity, inclusion. So that's really a core tenet for Lane Community College and permeates through everything that we do. So when you think about procurement, for example, and Barbara went through that process, a competitive process, a fair process to all, but making sure that that process includes more people who may have not been included in the past is one of the purposes and intentions that we have at the college. So Barbara probably received the information about. This opportunity through some means that were perhaps even non-traditional. And that is one way to bring in, I believe, more diverse communities into procurement opportunities. At its basic level, the SBDC cultivates and helps businesses incubate. They've got programs on small business management, marketing, finance, and operation. The SBDC has relationships with chambers all across the county. And so they reach out to the chambers, they reach out to the cities in order to broaden the reach. And so that is one of the ways that we can involve more people.
SPEAKER_01Thanks for sharing so much there. I want to come back to the main focus of this podcast, which is student voice. I wanted to ask you what are some specific ways that Lane Community College is elevating student voices and especially adult students to shape policies and programs leading to student success?
SPEAKER_03A few ways, Mark, here at Lane Community College. The board, in its wisdom last fall, asked a student trustee to be part of the Board of Education. The student trustee is a non-voting member. And in our case, we've got the president of the Student Government Association, and that helps to elevate the student voice. The second example is our governance structure. To amplify the student voices within our policy making structure, we encourage students to be part of that. So when you think about policies that really impact students, then the student voice becomes even more important. So we could not be more thrilled that students are interested in participating in that work. And then the last that I will mention, it may not seem significant, but it's so much fun. And it amplifies the student voice. I have been having sessions with students, inviting them to something called Peppermint with the president around the holiday period. We have upcoming pizza with the presidents, and that's going to be with me and also the president of our student government association. So these are just fun events where you build relationships, but you start to engage in conversations that let me know about how students are feeling, what they're thinking about, what their experiences are on campus, and how we might be able to support them better. So I'll give you those three examples.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're great, unique ways of ensuring students are adding their expertise and insights and recommendations. I did want to ask Dr. Bulger if there's anything else that you'd like to share as part of this conversation.
SPEAKER_03I just want to applaud Barbara for being a model, a good example for what is possible, because I think she demonstrates the confidence and belief that we all need to have in ourselves in order to take the next step to improve our lot in life. And I really saw that and heard that in her interview because she talked about these grand visions that she's got for her business. And it caused me to think that the certificate program that she completed here at Lane Community College was one of the reasons, maybe not a moment, but one of the reasons why she has these grand visions about her future and her company's future, her family's future. And I thought that's why we're doing this work. We're in this so that we can help people transform their lives well into the future. And we are here to do that anytime they need it throughout their lifetime.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Whoa, what a perfect way to end on that message. I agree completely. And it was inspiring to hear her lane journey, where she's at as a business owner, and what that future vision is. Thank you again, Dr. Bulger, for having this conversation. And I really do appreciate getting the chance to hear your reflections on Barbara's interview and your vision for the institution and what's front and center now with new opportunities in health professions and the construction trades and manufacturing in terms of facilities, but also the emphasis on these quality credentials, the history of vocational education at the college and how it's just continued to grow, and the expansion into bachelor's programs. With all of that, just the ongoing support for students throughout their educational journey and beyond from Lane Community College. So thank you so much for taking the time and I've really enjoyed this opportunity to chat with you.
SPEAKER_03I have two, Mark. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02I'm glad to be here. It's nice to see you, Mark.
SPEAKER_01You as well. Thanks for taking the time. And I wanted to start by asking you if you could share more about NACI and broadly how the organization supports community college entrepreneurial efforts.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, thank you for inviting me. I love talking about NACI and entrepreneurship and really the impact that it makes in students' lives. So NACI is a nonprofit educational association. So it started about 23 years ago on a community college campus in Massachusetts and has grown over time to really occupy the space of the only national association that focuses on entrepreneurial mindset and innovative action in classrooms, on campuses, and in communities. We're close to about 400 colleges, and most of them are community colleges, but we have a growing number of historically black colleges and universities as part of one of our grant-funded programs. And we're serving an increasing number of minority-serving institutions as well. So we love that intersection of learning from community colleges. And I think that's really the recipe which provides value to members, is they can learn about entrepreneurship and innovation, but they can also co-create with others. They can co-create solutions to problems that we're all dealing with. It's really our organizational mission to get people to think much more broadly. Our vision is bold, but we think that entrepreneurial mindset is really akin to growth mindset. So we want every student, whether they have no interest in business whatsoever, if they can adopt a practice of starting to see opportunity and co-creating with others and learning from experiences that don't always go well, it sets you up for a great life because you're always learning and you're trying to advance along with others. And I think that's what really builds our communities across the country.
SPEAKER_01That's really helpful and interesting connection of that growth mindset. I wanted to ask you a question about the theme this season of the All In Student Pathways Forward podcast, which is non-degree credentials of value. So, what role do non-degree credentials of value or quality career pathways have in this work? And why are they an important strategy as it relates to the work that Macy does?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's so important. And I think the time that we're living in 2024 post-pandemic, what we realize is there's so many career opportunities that are out there that employers cannot get employees fast enough. And you have a generation of folks, people of all ages, that they don't really want to go the traditional college route. I think that's where this micro-credentialing and credentialing and digital badging really comes into play. Because if you think about it, there are certain states like the state of Maryland no longer requires a bachelor's degree for certain government occupations. We hear that a lot from employers that if people can be able to communicate and learn as a team, if you pair soft skills with a workforce credential, you've got a really great recipe for somebody that can be very additive in the work environment.
SPEAKER_01As you were just saying, employers are not requiring formal degrees from any positions, but still have identified the skills and competencies needed. It's a way that colleges have been and can be even more responsive to understanding what those jobs require in terms of skills and competencies and building out micro-credentials or stackable credentials that can prepare students who may not have the goal right now of a longer two-year, four-year degree to get what they need for that job opportunity.
SPEAKER_02At NACI, we look at entrepreneurship to some degree is what I'll call a pathway to prosperity. So if you have micro-credentials, you know, maybe somebody is working at a job making $15, $20 an hour, but they can get a credential, their income can go up dramatically, as much as 60 to 70%. But at NACI, we don't want them to stop there because there are certain occupations that lend themselves very well to small business creation and development, particularly for rural communities. Sometimes that can be the lifeblood of a community. So that you could end up hiring other people and people aren't moving away from these communities in search of a job. What they're doing is they're really building capital within these wonderful communities that are everywhere.
SPEAKER_01Yep, really tailored to the needs and local economy and then supporting the entrepreneurial side of that. Well, I wanted to shift a little bit, and in speaking of entrepreneurship, I wanted to ask you if you had any reactions to the interview with Barbara Graham Adams, who is a Lane Community College graduate here in Oregon and an entrepreneur who was interviewed earlier in this episode. And how does her Lane community college journey align with any of Macy's strategic initiatives?
SPEAKER_02Thank you for asking that. I think she is a success story in so many different ways. If you think about community colleges in general as being these institutions of open access that embrace everyone, welcome people. I think what was impactful about her is she really followed the entrepreneurial process. Like her mindset was what we talk about in the framework of effectuation is bird and hand assets. What were her bird and hand assets? She was very good at cooking. And what we see is that sometimes people that have different experiences bring to the table different recipes for food, a greater awareness of other cultures. But I just think really the chance for her to come full circle, learning from the community college, enrolling her children in community college, she just seemed to me like a person who would never give up. And the fact that she ultimately got a contract to provide food service for Lane Community College, number one, speaks volumes in terms of the leadership at the college to make that decision. And really, I would almost see that as the beginning of something. She could do that at community colleges, not only all over Oregon, but in other states as well. It seems to be a very scalable business. So I think the learning that she acquired about business was critical because there's a very slim margin on any kind of food type businesses. So I'm really happy that you chose this theme and to be inspired by somebody like that. You just hope that people will listen to her story. And whether it's culinary or plumbing or welding or graphic design, that they would say, if she can do it, I can do it too. And I'm going to go to my local community college and get the support I need.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. One element of Barbara's amazing story is she described as she was building her presence on campus, she had that mentoring from her faculty. So it was a great next step of expanding her business in a way that was very supportive of her. It seems like that mentorship is an added bonus.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I agree with you. Mentorship is so important for our students. And wherever we are in our career pathway, it's really life-changing. And I see that as a very much a win-win relationship because if you think of really joyfulness in life, it's not always being the receiver, but it's being able to give. And the people like the faculty member you mentioned that mentored Barbara, I mean, what joy to see all of the impact that she's having on not only in her own life for herself and her children and her family, but also the greater good for the Lane Community College family. And in addition, what you're doing through your podcast, Mark, of sharing these important stories, we'll never really know the true magnitude of the impact of those mentors. But we need more of that, right? For everyone. So hopefully she'll inspire that to happen.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and appreciate you touching on the value of mentorship from your lens and expertise in entrepreneurship. And so, similar to Barbara's story, I wanted to ask you if you could share any examples of innovative ways community colleges have supported students to be the next generation of entrepreneurs. What role might the small business development centers play as many times they are situated at a community college?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think really that connection to the small business centers where I am in the state of North Carolina, we have a huge network of community colleges, and there is a small business center at each college. So I think the more hand-in-glove they can work with the existing entrepreneurship programs, the better. So since I'm here at Wake Tech in Cary, North Carolina, literally our headquarters are in a wing of an office that is a short walk to the Small Business Center, which is close to the entrepreneurial non-credit services. So they have a program here in Wake County, North Carolina, the Launch Program. So they have Launch Wake County, Launch Cary, and then they've partnered further with the local chambers. So the local chamber of commerce plays a role providing support and training. So what you start to see is this blending of an ecosystem. So you have associations partnering with government-funded organizations and colleges. And certainly here in North Carolina, what I see is the high number of businesses that are started can benefit if they get themselves in the mix of this ecosystem. One of the things that NACI launched several years ago is what we call our everyday entrepreneur venture fund and program. So it provides cash awards of $5,000 to a college. So they'll have a pitch competition. It gives them just a little bit of seed money to fund emerging local businesses. So right now, this year, we have about 50 colleges that are participating in this program. And they span everywhere from Oregon and California all the way over to the East Coast. And the impact is tremendous. Usually what it will do is it will spur on local giving because in the fundraising world, getting the first dollars is always hard, whether it's a campaign, it's a nonprofit drive, people sometimes don't want to go first. But once you get that initial award, you get some information, you get some experience, things can really begin to take off.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing to have 50 colleges across the country participate. And to your point, I could see very easily how it would generate a lot of buzz with your local chamber and other business associations, and even just within the college, and could be promoted very heavily through entrepreneurial programs and emerging businesses in connection with the Small Business Development Center. So, as you said, it truly is an ecosystem and could see how that would just spark a lot of excitement and interest.
SPEAKER_02You know, one other thing too, Mark, that I wanted to mention is that NACI has partnered with Syracuse University as part of their veteran entrepreneurship. So we were fortunate enough last year to be a spoke in the SBA Community Navigator Grant. So we had a number of folks on our team that were working to advance entrepreneurship within the veteran community. And what we see from the research is that veterans make really good entrepreneurs for all of the reasons that you can imagine. They are very focused at the mission at hand, they understand the application of resources and things like that. So just another example of the opportunity of when you see the government make investments through the SBA and other agencies, they really do impact a lot of those programs.
SPEAKER_01That's a really great example. And I promise this was not orchestrated, but ironically and fittingly enough, Dr. Bolter, the president of Lane, talked about the number of veterans that have accessed programs and services and the importance of supporting veterans who were entrepreneurs. So a theme throughout as you described that example and the partnership with Syracuse University. If folks were interested in learning more about that project, would they find it on the NACI website then?
SPEAKER_02Yes. So our website is nacce.com and you'll see a program tab and you'll see events tab. I look for the acronym is STRIVE. And if there are other folks connected to a college that are interested, certainly get in touch with one of us at NACE and we'd be happy to talk to you about getting involved.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. Thanks for sharing that. So wanted to ask you, Becky, how has NACI centered learner voices in your work with colleges?
SPEAKER_02The student voice is so important. Our current chair, Chris Whaley, who's the president of Rowan State Community College in Tennessee, reminds me of that every day. And one of the things as a national association focused on professional development for faculty administrators, what we find is if we are truly entrepreneurial, we have to have the student voice and their needs front and center. So one of the things that we've been doing over the last couple of years is making sure at our conferences that we have students that are included, but we include them as part of the professional community. So they are learning alongside the people that are serving them at their colleges. And I think over time that's given them a real sense of agency and feeling that we're doing things together and we're learning together.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, really good point. And appreciate your perspective on that. And on a related note, I know that NACI has a fantastic podcast, Forward with Nacy, that you host, and wanted to ask you if you could share a bit more about the podcast for any listeners who may be interested in checking it out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I would love that. We've published, I think, over 120 episodes. So we talk to everyday entrepreneurs, leaders. We've interviewed Elaine Marshall, the Secretary of State here in North Carolina about the surging number of small businesses. And our focus is really to convey the message that with entrepreneurial mindset, if you look at resources around you, you can do amazing things in your life. And Mark, I would love to have you on as a guest and talk about the work that you're doing. We are on just a brief hiatus and we're going to pick back up in May.
SPEAKER_01I would be honored to join you if there's an opportunity. I'm glad you'll be picking up again soon. And with that, I just wanted to ask you if there's anything else you'd like to add about NACI for this conversation.
SPEAKER_02Well, first of all, thank you again for inviting me. I'm in my 10th year as the president and CEO of Macy, which seems kind of crazy to me because I think of the journey that I've been on with this organization, the people like you that I've met along the way, and how as long as we stay focused on our mission. So at NACI, it really is that fostering entrepreneurial mindset and innovative action. No matter what happens, the challenges, the blessings, everything in between, it helps us to keep moving forward. And I think that's the strength of an organization like NACI is really its membership and its people. It's really this energy of people that are trying to make a difference in the world and are really connected to each other. And I think that's the thing that makes me feel very grateful and honored every day that I show up for work. And also I get to work with people like you. So I appreciate that too.
SPEAKER_01Well, the same. And I feel like through the years, knowing Nacy and understanding to some degree the power of that network and the expertise that you bring, along with your board and your members, it really does provide guidance, encouragement, innovation, opportunity, because we need colleges to be entrepreneurial and to support that with their students and their faculty. In their community, that creates much stronger economic vitality.
SPEAKER_02Indeed.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Thank you so much, Becky, for taking the time. I've enjoyed this conversation and thank you for all that you do.
SPEAKER_02Thank you, Mark.
SPEAKER_01That will do it for this episode of the All-In Student Pathways Forward Podcast. We'll be back soon with another episode centering community college student and graduate voices to shape inclusive policies, practice, and partnerships. This is the host, Mark Goldberg. Thank you for listening in and being all in on student success.