D.C. trip validates FVCC progress

Jane Karas found that Flathead Valley Community College shines as the national spotlight focused on two-year education at Tuesday’s White House Summit on Community Colleges.

“It was gratifying to hear that the things we’re doing are on a par or ahead of others,” she said.

FVCC President Karas and Janine Pease, vice president of academic affairs at Fort Peck Community College, represented Montana at the one-day conference in Washington, D.C., that featured an address by President Barack Obama as well as top-level government and national figures.

Obama staged the summit to explore paths to reach his goal of 5 million more community college degrees by 2020 and to discuss the role these institutions play in work force development.

“It was certainly a great honor to represent Montana,” Karas said. “People were very interested in what we’re doing.”

She said that college officials from urban areas were particularly surprised at the innovative work-force training programs the Kalispell community college has initiated as well as its agile response to overwhelming demand in recent years.

Karas said colleges in other parts of the country have limited enrollment in the face of skyrocketing demand during the recession.

“Some of them only offer courses from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” she said. “We have classes on evenings and weekends.”

And to gain more capacity, FVCC hired adjunct instructors and leased space across the street at the former Department of Natural Resources and Conservation buildings. Karas said the college always looks for better ways to serve students.

“We’re very fortunate to have a visionary board,” she said.

Over the years, the college has expanded work-force training programs from five when the college started in 1967 to more than 50 today. Karas said those classes were developed with participation from business and industry leaders as well as K-12 school representation.

“It’s been a great partnership effort,” she said. “I think we really are a model for other communities.”

During her presidency that started in July 2001, Karas initiated a series of annual community conversations where she travels the Flathead and nearby counties to provide an overview of the college and ask local residents and community leaders how the college may serve them better.

“We also have a lot of people on campus involved in community organizations,” she said. “All the trustees are involved in the community and serve as liaisons.”

Her work with the Flathead Business and Education Council provided a conduit to job market needs and forged relationships with entities such as Kalispell Regional Medical Center where students in allied health programs receive clinical hands-on experience.

Karas said the summit opened with comments by a student, Albert Ojeda, who lost his father to street violence and his mother to prison. He spoke of how he turned his life around by education at a community college.

Jill Biden, wife of the vice president and an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College, served as chairwoman and a speaker at the event. Karas said  Biden called community colleges a hidden treasure.

At the summit, Obama announced several initiatives aimed at helping community colleges. These included partnerships with national businesses such as McDonalds, a $34.8 million grants program from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the creation of a $1 million award for community colleges demonstrating outstanding academic and work force outcomes.

Karas said the programs were announced but not many details were given. Montana was not among the nine states initially designated as eligible for the Gates foundation money.

She said she brought back some new ideas for better ways to share information with students and to enhance business partnerships.

She said the summit put a spotlight on community colleges and the success they have had quietly providing what students today need — quality, cost-effective education and a smooth transition from high school.

Karas said surveys show Americans believe community colleges provide as good or better education than four-year institutions. She added that students transferring from community colleges do as well or better than those who start as freshmen at four-year colleges and universities.

She said the summit didn’t address all the challenges, such as limited resources, or remove all the obstacles to increasing the number of college graduates.

“It was a very good day with a lot of thinking about the direction of community colleges and education,” she said. “It was very exciting to be in the White House in the East Wing.”

She and other guests were allowed to tour surrounding rooms. Karas was particularly impressed by the portrait of Benjamin Franklin in the Green Room.

Karas also enjoyed an elegant reception at Blair House at the conclusion of the summit. Blair House serves as the president’s guest house for visiting heads of state.

At the reception, Karas was able to mingle with cabinet-level dignitaries such as Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

“We had some grants from the Department of Labor,” Karas said. “I got to visit with her and thank her for those.”

Other notables at the summit included Melinda Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.