Community College Journal - February/March 2010

Be Known Let Our Story

BY MARY SPILDE

Effective advocacy requires clarity—clarity about he story we tell and clarity about our audiences. A good story is grounded in passion and commit- ment, which means we need to discover what we care about individually and collectively. It’s not hard. The American invention of the community college, founded on principles of social justice, opportunity
for all, and building and connecting to healthy communities, has
in recent months taken on a profound significance. It connects us
with what the poet Rainer Maria Rilke called “the great things of the
world and with the grace of great things.”
Those of us who work at community colleges do so because of a
fundamental belief in our mission. To advocate well, we must be
committed to this mission, to our students, and to advancing higher
education as a universal right.

As “Democracy’s colleges,” it is time to let the world know about the good work that we do.

Community colleges can always make a difference in people’s lives, particularly when individuals come to us wounded or convinced they will fail.

The best stories are students’ stories. Listen to students—and from their stories construct a compelling, coherent message. We live in a world of words, of intellect, of complexity, but we need a simple message that we can frame and reframe for our audiences.

Externally, we must advocate to legislators. We must build relationships, and not just when our budgets are on the line. We must advocate for the whole community and our place in it. We can make our story real by inviting local and federal leaders to college events and by letting our students do the talking. We can find out what legislators care about and relate our stories to their political motivations.

Advocacy for private fundraising requires many of these same elements. Whether trustees or chamber boards speak on our behalf, these representatives also must share our passion and message. Help these people and express gratitude for their continued support.

Advocacy also includes systematic contact—bringing people to campuses or presidents’ forums and asking for advice. It includes hosting events and working to become an indispensable part of the community.

From the Inside Out

It is critical to advocate inside the organization, as well. Faculty and staff are our best ambassadors and our worst critics.

To be effective advocates, faculty and staff must have straight communication. They need to know what is going on inside the college. They need to understand the issues and understand how the college is responding. And these messages should be communicated frequently.

We must advocate to our communi-
ties for the profession—for public
education, for our students, and for the
community college move-
ment. We must demonstrate
unwavering support for
faculty and staff as educators
and public employees.

We must advocate to students and let them know they are not second chance or second choice—that they can do it, that they are worthy, and that they deserve success.

We can build a field of expectations through our unwavering, unflinching belief in human possibility. Through effective advocacy, we can ensure that community colleges will serve our students and our communities—for as long as it takes.