Podcast
CCA On the Air
Hosted by Complete College America · EN
Complete College America (CCA) is committed to being a bold voice in the higher education space elevating critical conversations that both actively and passively impact college completion. We find ourselves at a time when the need for these conversations has reached a heightened level of importance. As a convener of thought leaders, CCA's On the Air podcast provides access to the most innovative and effective higher education leaders and advocates through candid conversations.
Music by Wataboi from Pixabay
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
CCA Accelerator Special Feature: Transforming Advising at Greenville Technical College
2w ago00:23:06Tap to summarizeIn this episode of CCA on the Air: Transforming Advising at Greenville Technical, we’re joined by Brett Barclay (Brett.Barclay@gvltec.edu), the Dean of Academic Advising at Greenville Technical College in South Carolina. GTC has participated in CCA’s Accelerator, a part of the Gates Foundation Intermediaries for Scale Investment, for nearly three years. Through this project, GTC has focused intently on advising transformation—listen to this episode to find out what they’ve done!
Transcribe →We Never Underestimate You: How West Kentucky Community and Technical College Built a Culture of Excellence
Mar 3100:30:43Tap to summarizeIn this episode of CCA on the Air, Alliance Engagement Director Dr. Jamia Stokes is joined by Dr. Anton Reece, President of West Kentucky Community and Technical College — a record five-time Aspen Prize top 10 finalist. Dr. Reece unpacks the philosophy behind WKCTC’s nationally recognized student success model, sharing how a data-driven, empathy-centered culture has produced outstanding outcomes for first-generation, lower-income, and diverse students across a 16-county, four-state region. He also discusses how a transformative $15 million gift from Mackenzie Scott is fueling community investment through a seven-sector vision and what mission-centered leadership looks like in today’s rapidly shifting higher education landscape.
Transcribe →From Transactional to Transformational: Dallas College's Blueprint for Holistic Student Support
Feb 2400:30:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode of CCA On the Air, Alliance Engagement Director Jennifer Torres sits down with Dr. Carlos Cruz, Associate Vice Chancellor for Well-Being and Social Support at Dallas College. Together, they explore how Dallas College built a coordinated Student Care Network, transforming fragmented services into an integrated system of support for more than 100,000 students. Listeners will hear how Dr. Cruz and his team made the case for holistic student care through intentional leadership, shared infrastructure, community partnerships, data, and a clear return-on-investment framework, offering practical lessons for campus leaders looking to scale holistic student support and drive persistence and completion.
Transcribe →Getting in the Mud: How Real Connection Transforms Student Success
Jan 2700:32:09Tap to summarizeMidwest Alliance Engagement Director Nichole Mann speaks with Breana Brown, Program Coordinator at Illinois State University's Stevenson Center, about her journey from first-generation college student to passionate advocate for student success. Breana shares her unique perspective working with both graduate students and first-year undergrads, emphasizing the importance of shifting from a deficit lens to examining how institutional systems can better serve all students. Through powerful personal stories and practical insights, she demonstrates how bringing your authentic self to student success work can create transformative connections and help students recognize their own potential.
Transcribe →From Access to Completion: How CollegeBound Foundation Supports Baltimore Students
Dec 900:23:49Tap to summarizeIn this episode of CCA On the Air, Alliance Engagement Director Jonathan Gowin sits down with two leaders from the CollegeBound Foundation in Baltimore, Maryland: Khala Granville Williamson, Director of High School Programs, and Jennifer Covahey, Director of College Success. They explore how CollegeBound has built a comprehensive "to and through college" model that supports Baltimore City public high school students from college access through graduation. The conversation reveals the power of individualized advising, strategic partnerships, and financial support in driving student success. Listeners will learn about CollegeBound's impressive retention rates, their recent merger with Adelante Latina to better serve Baltimore's Latina students, and the essential ingredients for replicating this work in other communities. Learn more about the CollegeBound Foundation at www.collegeboundfoundation.org.
Transcribe →How System Collaboration is Driving Impactful Statewide Postsecondary Targets in Kentucky
Oct 2800:40:21Tap to summarizeIn this episode of CCA on the Air, recorded live at CCA's Data Days convening in Denver, we dive deep into Kentucky's ambitious journey toward its 60 by 30 educational attainment goal. Hear from higher education leaders across the state who are redefining what success looks like by moving away from rigid target-setting toward progress-based benchmarking.In Kentucky, constant communication, transparent data validation, and collaborative processes are driving real results. Learn how they've built trust between state agencies and institutions, aligned KPIs across multiple levels, and leveraged performance funding to support underrepresented student populations.Whether you're working at the state, system, or institutional level, this conversation offers practical insights on building effective data partnerships, measuring what matters, and moving everyone in the same direction.Featuring:Travis Muncie, MS, Chief Information Officer, Data & Advanced Analytics, KY Council on Postsecondary EducationChristopher Ledford, PhD, Director, Data and Advanced Analytics, KY Council on Postsecondary EducationMelissa Young, Senior Fellow, Communications, KY Council on Postsecondary EducationAlicia Crouch, MPP, Vice Chancellor of Research and Policy Analysis, KY Community & Technical College SystemCori Henderson, EdD, Associate Director, Institutional Research, Northern Kentucky UniversityModerated by Carrie Hodge, EdD, Director of Data Analysis, Complete College AmericaHelpful links:Kentucky's 60x30 Goal: http://www.cpe.ky.gov/ourwork/60x30.htmlKentucky CPE's Data Center: https://cpe.ky.gov/data/index.html
Transcribe →Science As The Next Frontier of Corequisite Support
Oct 1400:45:51Tap to summarizeJoin Nichole Mann from Complete College America as she explores corequisite education in the sciences with Dr. Thomas Dickson from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and Geoff Woolf from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. This episode examines Ohio's Strong Start in Science initiative, which applies successful corequisite models from math and English to introductory biology, chemistry, and anatomy courses. The conversation covers implementation challenges, faculty culture change, and strategies for improving student success in gateway science courses.
Transcribe →Accreditation at a Crossroads: Data, Innovation, and the Future of Higher Ed with Dr. Maria Toyoda
Sep 2300:35:40Tap to summarizeAccreditation sits at the heart of higher education’s promise to deliver value, quality, and opportunity. But in 2025, the landscape is shifting fast, fueled by questions of accountability, the rise of alternative accreditors, and new expectations around data and student success. In this episode of CCA on the Air, we sit down with Dr. Maria Toyoda, the new President and CEO of WSCUC. Together, we explore how WSCUC is using data to drive innovation, the role of accreditation in the evolving higher education landscape, and how accreditors can balance rigorous standards with access, student success, and innovation.
Transcribe →More Essential Than Ever - Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success with John Fink
Sep 900:37:33Tap to summarizeJoin us as we sit down with John Fink, Senior Research Associate and Program Lead at CCRC, and one of the authors of More Essential Than Ever: Community College Pathways to Educational and Career Success, to explore a decade of research on guided pathways reforms. We'll discuss how state and institutional leaders can implement proven strategies to help more community college students complete their programs on time and graduate career-ready. From accountability for post-completion outcomes to reimagining dual enrollment, discover actionable insights for transforming community college success rates and ensuring students achieve upward mobility through affordable, high-quality education.
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Pushing the Conversation Forward: Courage in Higher Ed Leadership
Sep 200:51:12Tap to summarizeIn this guest episode of the Voices for Justice podcast, host Alyssa Silva speaks with Dr. J. Luke Wood, the ninth president of Sacramento State and a nationally recognized scholar on racial equity in education. Together, they explore what it means to lead with courage during politically charged times, the launch of the nation’s first Black Honors College, and how innovation and resilience are shaping the future of higher education.🎙️ Tune in to hear Dr. Wood’s insights on leadership, equity, and justice and the advice he has for students and early-career professionals striving to create lasting change.
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