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In our country, community colleges have always played a crucial role in supporting the middle class development. This system has been so powerful that other countries such as the Middle East, China and India are trying to emulate this system and expand education opportunities for students and therefore create a powerful workforce.

A delegation was hosted by Cayuga Community College recently for educators and diplomats from Middle Eastern countries. They came here to learn various aspects of community colleges as a part of alternative learning. Their aim was to identify a model that could educate not only their elite population but also their middle class.

There is no doubt that community college model adopted by our country is very powerful and provides affordable education to people of all social status. These colleges excel at producing work-ready population for fields such as telecommunication, nursing, mechanical technology, information technology and criminal justice. A strong foundation is also provided for students wishing to continue with higher degrees.

Students at Cayuga are pushed to excel at academics with hands-on projects and rigorous coursework irrespective of whether are focused on liberal arts or career-technical training. Students who have graduated from this college have gained national recognition in various fields. Especially the nursing program at this community college is well known for being very challenging. Last year, this program saw a hundred per cent pass rate and placement rate.

In fact, in all other areas, students have received accolades and national attention for being successful. Students of this college are immensely helped by these extracurricular experiences and applied learning. They are able to obtain a deep understanding of their course projects and curriculum.

Cayuga community college continues to provide students with AmeriCorps program external funding source and other important opportunities. Transfer students with superior intellectual challenges, interest, motivation and academic abilities have been offered exceptional quality honors programs by this college for the past 33 years.

Through this program, they receive a well-rounded liberal arts education. They are also offered an opportunity to participate in and interact with distinguished faculty members and be a part of innovative educational experiences. 

Many graduates who have moved on to prestigious four-year universities and colleges find themselves extremely well prepared to face the challenges. A graduate from this year who has moved on to a New York four year college says that the intellectually challenging environment is exactly the same as it was in the community college she studied at.

Attend any Cayuga community college alumni meet and you will come across similar feedback. Cayuga definitely stands out among peers according to partners, peers, accrediting agencies and employers. According to college sources, jobs are already lined up for some of their mechanical technology program graduates.

Cayuga community college takes pride in the fact that their students enter their workplace with excellent career and academic skills apart from great communication and problem-solving skills that help them contribute greatly to help their organizations meet future challenges.

If only more community colleges across the country could follow this lead and ensure the re-emergence of a highly educated, strong middle class as this is the only solution to our social and economic development needs.