International Conference Focuses on Innovation in Community Colleges

BALTIMORE, March 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Some of the top 1,500 community college educators and partners will share their successes in changing the face of higher education and workforce development training around the globe at the annual Innovations 2010 Conference of the League for Innovation in the Community College March 28-31 in Baltimore.

The international conference on Innovations is the League's hallmark event, recognized as the main place where community college faculty, staff and practitioners come together to share, exchange, collaborate and learn the latest and best programs for community college students and their communities.

Setting the tone will be Sunday's keynote address by Dr. Frank Chong, deputy assistant secretary for community colleges in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Each day features one general session and several smaller forums, roundtable discussions and special sessions.

Monday's general session on workforce development training features panelists Gerri Fiala, deputy assistant secretary for employment and training of the U.S. Department of Labor; Richard Kazis, senior vice president, Jobs for the Future; Martha A. Smith, president, Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland); Jerry Sue Thornton, president, Cuyahoga Community College (Ohio); and P. Anthony Zeiss, president, Central Piedmont Community College (North Carolina).

Tuesday's general session focuses on innovation in the community college with Terry O'Banion, director, community college leadership program, Walden University, and Laura Weidner, dean of workforce development at Anne Arundel Community College. Wednesday's general session features keynote speaker, Cathy Casserly, senior partner of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Smaller seminars address several topics: learning/teaching; leadership; workforce preparation and development; student services/activities; basic skills and developmental education; resource development and foundation management; research, assessment, accountability; diversity, equity, inclusion; sustainability.

Representatives from 294 colleges from the United States, Canada, Singapore and Bermuda are attending Innovations 2010 at the Hilton Baltimore. The League is an 800-member international organization that serves nationally and internationally as a catalyst, project incubator and experimental laboratory for community colleges around the world. It is a key leader in the expansion and improvement of workforce training programs in community colleges.

Hosting Innovations 2010 are Anne Arundel Community College, Baltimore City Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, Montgomery College and Prince George's Community College.

Contact Susan Gross, 410-777-7252 or [email protected], to arrange interviews.

SOURCE League for Innovation in the Community College