Students and local leaders make a case for community colleges and less debt this #CCMonth
Monaca, PA — Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) is the “best decision ever,” according to many who have attended and acquired a high-quality higher education with little or no student debt. The College is encouraging current and former students, supporters, business partners, and the community to join the 2025 Community College Month—or #CCMonth—campaign to bring attention to the value and importance of the college to the community.
#CCMonth is a grassroots education and outreach campaign coordinated by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) across the United States every April. The primary goals of #CCmonth are to improve awareness of the economic, academic, and employment advantages of attending community colleges. The campaign also challenges the public and the media to reconsider common misconceptions of public two-year colleges.
“Economic inequality is a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Roger W. Davis, CCBC president. “By starting at a community college, students can save an average of $35,000 to $50,000 on the cost of a bachelor’s degree. CCBC also partners with local 4-year institutions and businesses to help students gain skills for well-paying, in-demand jobs. #CCMonth is a chance to celebrate the value we bring to our community and the future workforce.”
Public community colleges are a cornerstone of American education, offering affordable, high-quality access to higher education for all. They train essential healthcare workers and serve as pathways to advanced degrees, especially for diverse, socioeconomically disadvantaged students. With fair admissions and support services for those facing challenges like food insecurity or childcare needs, community colleges ensure that higher education is accessible, even for those with financial barriers.
In short, community colleges were created to serve the needs of their communities and to make good on the promise of American meritocracy, eliminating barriers faced only by disadvantaged individuals—and they do it exceptionally well.
Despite lingering stigma, research from New America’s annual Varying Degrees study shows that most Americans highly value community colleges for their cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and wise use of resources. Many also recognize that community colleges are underfunded compared to other institutions. The majority support providing career services (88%), financial aid (87%), academic support (85%), and additional resources like housing (82%), food (76%), and childcare (70%) to help students succeed. Community colleges across the U.S. offer these vital services to ensure disadvantaged students can thrive in their higher education journey.
“Everywhere I go, I am told by current and former students that choosing to go to a community college is one of the best decisions they ever made,” said ACCT President and CEO Jee Hang Lee. “The reality is that many students don’t realize this until after they attend and realize what opportunities their community college gave them, and how much their instructors at the college cared about them. Our goal is to get the message through to students before they make one of the most consequential financial decisions of their lives: choosing a college or university.”
Each year, the #CCMonth campaign reaches millions across social media platforms like X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, with support from federal agencies, former U.S. First Ladies, governors, and more. This year, organizers are encouraging students and others to share messages online about how community colleges cultivate future skills and offer affordable education to financially challenged generations. A campaign toolkit, including logos, sample op-eds, social media posts, and more, is available on the ACCT website at acct.org. ACCT’s LinkedIn account will be sharing information from member colleges throughout the month to amplify awareness.
