Community colleges serve as a critical gateway to English-language instruction, higher education, workforce training, and civic engagement for many immigrants and refugees looking to gain an economic foothold in the labor market and integrate into the social fabric of their communities. Coming from various walks of life with different goals and aspirations, immigrants and refugees have turned to community colleges to help them further their education, prepare for citizenship, or launch new careers. At a time when our nation is facing bitter political divides over its immigration policies and gridlock at the federal level, this book tells a different story: It showcases the exemplary initiatives of community colleges and their partners working together at local and state levels to integrate immigrants and refugees into the economic, social, and cultural fabric of our communities and our country, and it illustrates the various ways immigrant and refugee students enrich campus life, strengthen communities, and benefit our economy. This book shares the perspectives of community college CEOs and examines the role of leadership in adopting institution-wide strategies and allocating resources that have advanced immigrant and refugee integration on campus and in the community. We also learn how front-line practitioners make those strategies work through educational and career pathways that have enabled immigrants and refugees to pursue their academic and career goals and contribute to the economic prosperity and cultural vibrancy of their communities.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Walter Bumphus, President and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges Preface Teresita B. Wisell, Vice President, Workforce Development and Community Education, and Executive Director, Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, Westchester Community College Acknowledgements Introduction Jill Casner-Lotto, Director, Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, Westchester Community College Part I: Executive-Level Commitment: Developing an Immigrant Education Strategy and Making It Work A Reflective Narrative: No Risk, No Reward—Unlocking Opportunity in a Changing America Suzette Brooks Masters, Consultant on Immigration and Immigrant Integration Issues Chapter 1: Managing the New Normal: Presidential Leadership for Effective Community College Immigrant Education Programs Belinda S. Miles, President, Westchester Community College Chapter 2: Toward Equity: The Immigrant Experience at Miami Dade College Malou C. Harrison, President, InterAmerican and North Campuses, Miami Dade College Chapter 3: Taking the Support of Immigrant Students to New Heights Gail O. Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College Chapter 4: The CEO’s Role in Building Education Pathways for All Aspiring Americans Lee D. Lambert, Chancellor, Pima Community College Chapter 5: Providing Equitable Education as a Daily Call to Action Jeff Wagnitz, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Rolita Flores Ezeonu, Former Dean of Instruction for Transfer and Pre-College Education, Highline College Part II: Front-Line Teams Dedicated to Success of New Americans: Designing Pathways to College and Careers Chapter 6: LaGuardia Community College’s Noncredit Pathways for New Americans John Hunt, Executive Director, Executive Director for Adult Community Learning, LaGuardia Community College Chapter 7: South Texas College: Accelerated Pathways for Immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley Juan Carlos Aguirre, Dean of Continuing Professional and Workforce Education, and Matthew Hebbard, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Chapter 8: Helping Skilled Immigrants and Refugees Transition to Jobs: How Pima Community College Taps Unrealized Workforce Talent Adam Hostetter, Director, El Pueblo Liberty Learning Center,Montserrat Caballero, Volunteer and Student Engagement Advanced Coordinator, Norma Sandoval, English Language Instructor and Immigrant Navigator, and Regina Suitt, Vice President of Adult Basic Education and Developmental Education Chapter 9: The Montgomery College Experience with Workforce Education for Adult English-Language Learners Donna Kinerney, Dean of Instruction, Montgomery College Chapter 10: Data-Driven Redesign Provides New Pathways to College and Careers Cynthia Hatch, ESOL & TESOL Program Developer and Instructional Designer, Northern Virginia Community College A Reflective Narrative: We Are Not All the Same: Listening to Concerns of Beginning English-Language Learners Heide Spruck Wrigley, Author and Consultant, Literacywork International Conclusion Jill Casner-Lotto, Director, Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, Westchester Community College About the Editors About the Contributors Index