Navigating the impact of the community on community college diversity, equity, and inclusion

Abstract

American community colleges are typically public 2‐year higher education institutions with a history and mission of providing educational access to the people in the communities in which they are located and serve. Nationally community colleges continue to become more diverse, providing increased access especially for the socioeconomically disadvantaged, women, and other marginalized groups (Malcom, 2012). Since community colleges continue to become more diverse, many have focused their attention on diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) efforts. These efforts are impacted by the local community (location and culture). In this article, the researcher used geography of college choice and Braddock's perpetuation hypothesis as the frameworks for examining the impact of the community on community college campus diversity, as well as D.E.I. efforts. The researcher also provides recommendations including how to use data to navigate the impact of the community on the community college's diversity and D.E.I. efforts.