1Designating April 2014 as "Pennsylvania Community College Month"
2in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, For 51 years, this Commonwealth's community colleges
4have provided accessible and affordable higher education, work
5force training and transfer opportunities for millions of
6Pennsylvania residents; and

7WHEREAS, In the current year, the community colleges serve
8more than 365,000 students across 37 of this State's counties,
9and 93% of credit students are residents, representing all
10counties of this Commonwealth.

11WHEREAS, One out of every four undergraduates of this
12Commonwealth attends a community college; and

13WHEREAS, Community colleges offer and support dual enrollment
14of more than 11,000 high school students, representing half of
15this Commonwealth's school districts; and

16WHEREAS, Community colleges serve nontraditional students,

1part-time students, dislocated workers and veterans in this
2Commonwealth and offer increased access through online education
3courses and programs, allowing students to build their academic
4credentials and certifications while maintaining their work
5schedules and family responsibilities; and

6WHEREAS, Community colleges offer the most affordable pathway
7to the baccalaureate through more than 2,700 transfer and
8articulation agreements to ensure students seamlessly transition
9from the community college to a four-year degree, with more than
1032,800 students transferring each year; and

11WHEREAS, Ninety-one percent of community college graduates
12stay in Pennsylvania to live and work; and

13WHEREAS, Community colleges continue to graduate students in
14many of the high-demand and high-growth industries vital to the
15State's economy, particularly in health care, public safety,
16manufacturing and energy; and

17WHEREAS, Sixty-one percent of those credit programs are in
18the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields; and

19WHEREAS, Community colleges offer individualized credit and
20noncredit courses and programs that enhance the work force
21pipeline and stimulate this Commonwealth's economy; and

22WHEREAS, Community colleges have developed 74 new or
23redesigned programs in response to regional needs of employers
24and work force trends; and

25WHEREAS, More than 1,100 employers throughout this
26Commonwealth have contracted with community colleges to provide
27training for more employees, and 30,200 employees have been
28trained by community colleges throughout Pennsylvania; therefore
29be it

30RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2014

1as "Pennsylvania Community College Month" in Pennsylvania and
2encourage all citizens to recognize, appreciate and support the
3contributions these institutions make to their communities and
4our Commonwealth.