For 41 years, Dr. Karen A. Stout (@drkastout.bsky.social), recipient of the 2025 Diverse Champions Award, has focused her career on helping community colleges achieve outstanding student success.

Read this piece by David French on free speech and due process and the challenges facing higher education to preserve free speech. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/o...

Preparing for this—Draft executive order set for Thursday calls for closing Education Dept.

@drkastout.bsky.social discusses the critical role of faculty in supporting students and how AI can support learning. Talking through the possibilities also means supporting the professional development of faculty. #ATDDREAM

An excellent summary of the 12 moves in 4 weeks that college leaders need to know and follow. www.highereddive.com/news/trump-h...

Terrific testimony yesterday in a House appropriatons subcommittee hearing on the impact of #communitycolleges. www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/work...

Our #communitycollege students are showing up in DC amplifying their voices around federal education and workforce policy and more. Student voice matters. #NLS2025

Here are 5 ways the Department of Education impacts higheer education. www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

I am honored to be recognized for this award especially since it is peer selected and it amplifies Achieving the Dream’s long standing work with advancing #communitycollege student success.

Achieving the Dream is thrilled to be part of the College in High School Alliance and to be in partnership in this effort to support seven states in advancing access to dual enrollment programs. collegeinhighschool.org/seven-states...

Let’s stay focused on addressing the projected shortfall in Pell. The focus matters to our students. www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/wash...

This is an excellent example of a boundary spanning partnership between a community college and a local non-profit. #communitycolleges www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/word...

Today is the first day of Black History month, officially recognized by President Ford in 1976 when he asked the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.”

Good news on credential attainment increases with several states exceeding the 60% target. www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/prom...

Good to see Achieving the Dream here! @achievingthedream.bsky.social

Girls have lost ground in reading, math and science at a troubling rate, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of student test scores across the country. The recent decline in test scores may have long-term consequences for women's educational success and job prospects

The 10 New Books to Feed Your Mind in 2025 open.substack.com/pub/adamgran...

Dartmouth’s Bottom-Up Approach to Institutional Neutrality by @sianbeilock

Cathedral Rock today from Crescent Moon Ranch. There is something magical about Sedona, the hikes, the red rocks, the power of the vortex.

My favorite ornament. It’s the message.

Glad to see the @leagueforinn.bsky.social on @bsky.app. Looking forward to participating in this week’s Executive Leadership Institute #ELI and meeting rising #communitycollege leaders from across the country including @achievingthedream.bsky.social colleges.

Take this one in. Be inspired by Jenae’s story!https://achievingthedream.org/dreaming-without-limitations-dream-scholar-alumna-jenae-parker-reflects-on-her-journey-with-atd/

‘What kind of person do we want our children to become — reformers who honor their commitments to serve and change the institutions they love or performative arsonists who vow to burn it all down?’ Interesting question from David Brooks in his @nytimes.com opinion piece today

My November edition of “Stout on Tap”—musings from the field. mailchi.mp/achievingthe...

Congrats to these #CommunityColleges for securing investments to advance important workforce and student success efforts on their campuses and in their communities. www.ccdaily.com/2024/11/fund....

Congrats to the Bellwether Finalists including many in our Achieving the Dream network. #communitycolleges www.ccdaily.com/2024/11/bell...

Rural students’ options shrink as colleges slash majors especially in the humanities and languages. Implications for rural #communitycolleges abound.

This is an interesting chart from the @washingtonpost.com, showing a significant divide, on where Democrats and Republicans get their news.

Congratulations to the Belk Center at North Carolina State for leading and hosting this week’s 10th annual Dallas Herring lecture, a lecture that brings new thinking and ideas to our nation’s #communitycollege leaders. Thank you to Russell Lowry Hart. He was amazing.

I am a fierce community college advocate, former president of Montgomery County Community College (PA) and current president of a non-profit, Achieving the Dream, that works with community colleges on capacity building. Trying to build a new following here on @bsky.app.